Dec 31, 2022 2 min read

DONORA – Council approved a 2023 budget that does not raise taxes and promoted bookkeeper Louis Morrison to borough administrator during a special meeting Thursday.

Council voted 5-2 to approve a 2023 spending plan, which lists revenues and expenses at $2,792,513. The tax rate remains at 6.512 for general tax purposes, .125 mills for fire protection, .219 mills for recreation and .031 mills for the Donora Public Library.

Voting in favor of the budget were council President Michael McDowell and council members Joseph Greco, P. Jane Ackerman, Fred Berestecky and Gilbert Szakal Jr. Voting against the motion were Cynthia Brice and Thomas Thompson.

“I was never shown any numbers on the budget,” Brice said Friday, adding there wasn’t enough forward thinking involved. “I was just (told), ‘Here’s the budget.’ We absolutely do nothing by the book.”

Also, council voted 6-1 to promote Morrison with Brice casting the lone dissent.

“They just threw that on (the agenda),” Brice said. “There was no warning. I am thrilled with Louis, but we should have talked about it. There was no discussion with him.”

Morrison will take on the role for a 90-day evaluation period at a salary of $50,000. After 90 days, he will be evaluated and the salary can be increased at that time.

When contacted Friday, Morrison said he appreciated the confidence council was showing in him.

McDowell said he feels Morrison will be able to fill the role.

“Of all the candidates that we had applicants we had apply, he’s probably the most knowledgeable because he’s had to fill in,” McDowell said. “He showed an interest in the job and we’ll give him 90 days. If he works out, he’ll be the guy. He may find out that it may not be what he thought it was. But he’s been doing some of the aspects of the job and he feels he can do it on a full-time basis.”

McDowell said many of the applicants did not have the necessary qualifications for the position.

Morrison was hired as bookkeeper in June at a time when the borough was hit with many departures, including the borough administrator.

The borough administrator post had been vacant other than Warren Cecconi, who was hired in November on an interim basis to help with the 2023 budget.