“There are a couple things I want to check over with buildings and grounds,” said chief Commissioner Ted Tharan. “It’s almost ready, I just want to double-check since we don’t have to rush.”
On the list of items that Tharan wants to shore up before a budget is approved are the Goodwill building and the human services complex that had housed the former hospital.
The purchase of a battery backup for the 911 center was also tabled at Tuesday morning’s meeting. The proposed purchase was tabled due to an unexplained increase in price. The cost rose approximately $10,000, and commissioners wanted to further research the costs before approval is given.
The current backup system is in need of repair or replacement. The system is so old that parts are hard to find, Tharan said.
How the tentative budget breaks down:
– The millage rate would remain at 22 mills. The millage has stayed the same since 2012.
– A total of 20.5 mills has been designated for the general fund, and the remaining 1.5 mills is for debt service. The millage rate is the amount per $1,000 used to calculate taxes on property.
– The 911 communications department’s expense account would move to a special revenue account and would operate on the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency revenues from Forest County and tower rental from Ride Right.
– The training and travel budget, excluding court offices, would be centralized, and the advertising budget would also be centralized.
– The debt service collected would be placed in an account to service the debt with the remaining funds being used as a sinking fund for either retiring portions of the current debt or reducing future borrowing needs for renovations.
The tentative budget was available for public comment for a period of 30 days. It will be ready for final approval by the commissioners at their next meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27.