Connellsville council fails to adopt tentative budget
CONNELLSVILLE – A proposed budget for the upcoming year has not received the full support of city council. The tentative spending plan did garner sufficient votes to introduce the proposed ordinance, but failed to gain the acceptance of council members Bruce Jaynes and Chris Wagner after it was learned it did not include requested revisions.
“I can’t support this budget,” said Jaynes when casting his dissenting vote.
Jaynes had advocated the inclusion of additional funding in the budget for the local volunteer fire company and an increase to three line items in the street department budget, but was denied by a 3-2 vote, when Councilman John Whalen and Mayor Judy Reed supported the measure that was introduced by Councilwoman Judy Keller that did not include the additional amounts.
The request included the transfer of $19,500 from an investment account.
Jaynes proposed that $15,000 of the transferred amount to be earmarked for additional road and alley materials to be purchased in the upcoming year, $2,000 to the street signs, post and paint line item and $2,500 to the maintenance of vehicles and equipment line item.
“If your department or any department gets into a bind later in the year, I’m sure we can transfer any needed money at that time,” said Keller, who serves as director of accounts and finance.
Keller said all department budgets, excluding those for the police and fire department, had been slashed within the $2.2 million spending plan for the upcoming year with the police department budget increased due to the additional revenues generated through two grants while the fire department is required to replace several costly air tanks which caused an increase in its budget.
“We’ve met all of our contractual obligations, we did not cut any services or lay off any employees without raising taxes,” said Keller.
In a related matter, the panel unanimously voted to accept the proposed ordinance setting the salaries for the city employees.
A measure to introduce a proposed ordinance relating to the establishment of the city taxing rates was approved by a 4-1 vote, with Keller, Reed, Whalen and Jaynes voting yes and Wagner casting the lone dissenting vote.
Council is expected to adopt the final budget and related ordinances at a rescheduled Dec. 17 meeting.
In other matters, council also:
– Proclaimed Nov. 18-22 as American Education Week.
– Approved the purchase of a 2002 Chevrolet Impala for the police department with the $19,365 cost to be paid with funds received through a Fayette County Drug and Alcohol Commission grant.
– Allocated $24,300.09 to the New Haven Hose Volunteer Hose Company Relief Association. The city annually receives funding from the state, which is required to be disbursed to volunteer fire company associations for the purchase of certain equipment and investment purposes.
– Agreed to solicit bids for the 2003 audit of the city financial records.
– Authorized the purchase of accounting software from Edmunds and Associates of New Jersey at a cost of $8,500. The fee includes training, installation, one computer and support in addition to the software package.
– Appointed Ronald Rankin to the Firefighters Civil Service Commission.
– Agreed to advertise for an assistant code-enforcement officer.