Dec 11, 2002 By Steve Ostrosky 3 min read

MASONTOWN – While borough council approved a final 2003 budget Tuesday with no tax increase, residents will see higher water rates in 2003. The $2,134,300 combined budget keeps taxes at their current rate, but the millage was lowered to 0.926 mills to reflect the increased assessed value of the borough after the Fayette County property reassessment. Of that rate, 0.706 mills is allocated for the general fund, 0.099 mills will go to the fire fund and 0.121 mills is earmarked for the library fund.

The general fund has expenditures of $812,700, while the water fund has expenditures of $758,100 and the sewage fund has expenditures of $563,500.

When the tentative budget was approved last month, the budget showed an $8,400 deficit, but according to councilman Harry Lee, who also chairs the borough finance committee, said that the deficit was caused by the $4 per ton tipping fees assessed on garbage haulers by the state Legislature as one way to balance the 2003 budget.

At first the borough had planned to absorb the additional costs within the general fund, but the Legislature authorized the fees to be passed along to consumers. A 75-cent increase in water rates will cover the extra costs incurred by the tipping fees, Lee said.

Because the garbage fees are collected with the borough’s water and sewage collections, the rate will appear as part of the complete monthly bill.

While council approved the budget 7-0, the vote to increase the water rates was 5-2, with council president Carole Daniels and vice president Charles Popovich.

Daniels said she voted against the increase because there are a lot of elderly people in the borough who are on fixed incomes and they cannot afford to absorb the higher rate.

In other matters, councilman Tom Loukota updated council on efforts to develop a community center in the borough, after a meeting was held last week at the Masontown fire hall. He said the spearhead of the program, Barbara Lewis, is looking to start a steering committee of between 6 and 12 borough residents.

Loukota cautioned that no council member should serve on that committee because it would be a conflict of interest, and cautioned the council to be careful about getting too involved too soon in the project.

“No matter who well-intended, we should proceed carefully so as not to put an unfair burden on the taxpayers of this borough if this is a financial failure,” he said.

Residents who are interested in serving on the committee should contact Lewis at 724-583-8399 or send faxes to 724-583-9207*51.

Finally, Daniels thanked council for their service this year, as she announced she will not seek re-election to the position of president next year. She said it has been “an honor and a privilege” to serve the borough as president and thanked the people of the borough for their support.

“I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to be there for the residents when they called, and I will be there for them if they ever need me, ” she said.

Though she will step down as president, Daniels will remain on council, which will hold its reorganization meeting Jan. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers.