Tentative Brownsville budget holds line on taxes
BROWNSVILLE — There is no tax increase in the tentative budget adopted by Brownsville Borough Council Tuesday.
The budget of $847,234 includes a fund balance of more than $100,000. It is expected to be adopted at a special meeting Dec. 27 at 5 p.m.
“When we were in the financial state a few years ago, they told us to keep a cushion of about 10 percent. This is 11 or 12 percent,” said council president Jack Lawver.
Some aspects of the budget may be adjusted prior to final adoption, Lawver said, but the total budget will remain the same.
Council also approved a three-year agreement with Laborers Local 286 covering the two borough street department workers. While the contract includes 25-cent-an-hour pay raises in each year of the contract, it will be saving the borough money. The union agreed to allow the borough to switch to UPMC health insurance instead of using the union’s insurance carrier, saving $10,000 a year on the insurance policies for the two workers, according to Councilman John Hosler.
Council also voted to enter into an agreement with the Community Foundation of Fayette County, which will administer the Downtown Central Park Project Fund for the borough. The fund has been set up to accept tax deductible contributions for the downtown park project initiated by the Students in Action at Brownsville Area High School. The initial funding donated to the program will go toward the construction of a stage designed by the students.
The fund is essentially a flow-through fund, Lawver said, with the foundation charging a 7 percent fee, which covers audits and other administrative expenses.
Resident Tyrone Smith noted that his church, Mt. Zion AME, is interested in partnering with the students and the borough to hold events to raise money for the downtown park project.
The borough is accepting letters of interest from residents interested in serving on the various boards and authorities in the borough, including the Patsy Hillman Park Board, the Municipal Authority, the Parking Authority, the Tree Commission and the Civil Service Commission. Appointments will be made in January.
Applications are also being accepted on a rolling basis for part-time police officers.
Borough businessman Terry Vassar asked council for assistance in locating a 6- to 10-acre site within the borough for construction of a recreation center and church he would like to build. Vassar said the first phase includes basketball courts and indoor batting cages and needs approximately 60,000 square feet.
Council suggested that Vassar contact the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority regarding some of the properties it owns in the borough, some of which may be appropriate for the new facility.
Council also pledged a letter of support for the Brownsville Free Public Library to acquire the lot beside the library. The lot is owned by the redevelopment authority and has been pledged to the library, but the deed has not yet changed hands.