Budget restraints forcing Perryopolis to scrap cleanup plans
PERRYOPOLIS – Borough council members said Wednesday they are being forced to cut unnecessary services, such as spring cleanup week, because of a tight 2003 budget. During last month’s meeting, Jamie Dinsmore, a representative from McLure and Wolf public accountants, advised the council to tighten the borough’s budget and either raise more revenue or reduce expenditures.
The borough, which is about $45,000 in debt, is having problems paying for essential services, such as police coverage.
“We’ve had to cut our police hours in half,” said President Ronald Dreucci. Dreucci said the borough used to have police coverage almost 24 hours a day.
“I have a problem paying for spring cleanup week when we’ve had to cut back our police that much. Any extra money that we have should go to the department,” he said.
The council would have to pay D.B. Disposal $2,650 in order to make the cleanup a reality.
“The money isn’t flowing like it used to,” said treasurer Ronald Lombard.
“Where’s $2,600 going to come from? I’d like to have spring cleanup week. I have a lot of junk I’d like to throw away, but we don’t have the money to pay for it.”
Lombard said the council did not allocate money for the cleanup in the 2003 budget.
Councilman Charles Johnson suggested that the council take another look at the budget and try to come up with the money.
“We need to find money in the budget, so that we can have spring cleanup week,” Johnson said.
However, Dreucci said looking at the budget would do no good: “We’ve looked at the budget and have already been forced to cut a ton of things. The budget is as tight as it can get. There are no excesses in any area.”
Mayor Timothy Smith said he does not know why money for the cleanup was not allocated in the 2003 budget.
“People are going to be very upset about this,” said Smith. “I think it’s a shame that we’re not having spring cleanup week, but the borough doesn’t have the money.”
Lombard said that the council has cut all extra services from the budget.
A tight budget creates tension among council members, Dreucci said.
“It makes things hard when the budget’s this tight,” he said, adding that the council has to differentiate between what residents need and what residents want.
The council also conducted the following business:
– Decided to have four tires put on the borough’s skid loader.
– Gave the Perryopolis Flower Club permission to till land so that more flowers can be planted in front of the war memorial.
– Announced that the borough will hold an Easter party April 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. for children 12 and younger. Candy will be given out at the borough building.