Ebensburg adopts 2018 budget with no tax increase

Dec. 19--EBENSBURG -- Ebensburg Borough Council unanimously approved the final version of its 2018 spending plan that includes no increases in real estate taxes and no changes in utility rates, except for a minimal decrease for garbage collection.

During a regular meeting Monday, council approved the $5.6 million budget, which reflects a 1 percent increase from 2017 amounts.

Council also approved resolutions on real estate taxes, fees and salaries.

The budget calls for a general purpose millage rate of 13 mills, the same rate as in the past eight years.

The spending plan also allocates a 2 percent pay raise for union and nonunion borough employees and a 2.5 percent increase for police officers, per union contract.

All borough utilities will remain the same as 2017, except for a decrease in garbage collection from $18.95 to $18.50 per month.

Borough Manager Dan Penatzer explained to council at its November meeting that the 2018 budget's highest increases came from staffing changes, including the addition of a fifth full-time police officer, a position the borough hopes to fill in February.

Major project in the works

Penatzer also noted that in 2018, the borough will likely take on fewer larger tasks due to its upcoming $9 million wastewater project with Cambria Township.

That project, which is necessary to comply with the state Department of Environmental Protection's order to eliminate combined sewer overflows, will remove all stormwater from the new system to prevent unnecessary treatment and system overflows during heavy rains.

PennVEST loans will cover the cost of the entire project, which the borough is scheduled to repay in 25 years with a 1 percent interest rate.

Council and the Ebensburg Municipal Authority also have approved a $1 million bridge loan to cover project expenses until reimbursement is received from PennVEST, which carries a 1 percent interest rate for the full 25-year term.

Council President Doug Tusing said those reimbursements come in waves as the borough and the municipal authority provide proof of expenses throughout the project.

Tusing said bids for the project have been advertised.

They will be opened Jan. 15 and should be awarded at the municipal authority's February meeting.

To date, Tusing said he's aware of six companies interested in bidding on the project, which has an expected completion date in summer 2019.

"It looks like there's going to be competition for that," he said.

The borough has received about half of the 300 easements mailed to properties affected by the project, Tusing added.

The goal is to have all of those returned by Jan. 1.

After Jan. 8, the borough will proceed with the condemnation process on properties for which easements have not been returned, he said.

Jocelyn Brumbaugh is a reporter for the Tribune-Democrat. Follow her on Twitter @JBrumbaughTD.

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