Ebensburg avoids tax hike, approves 2019 budget

Nov. 27--EBENSBURG -- A 2019 budget that includes an additional public works employee and health care cost increases without raising real estate taxes was approved unanimously Monday night by Ebensburg Borough Council.

During a regular meeting, council approved the spending plan that will make 2019 the ninth consecutive year borough real estate taxes were not increased for general purposes.

Council also approved its annual ordinance establishing the real estate tax under the 2019 spending plan, which includes $5.9 million in expenditures and a little more than $6 million in revenues.

The budget includes a 5.5 percent increase from 2018, including the addition of a fifth borough police officer in 2018 and increased health care premiums for that hire and a full-time position added at the Young Peoples Community Center. Borough officials said health care costs also increased slightly since fewer borough employees are seeking health insurance coverage elsewhere.

The 2019 budget also includes a water rate increase enacted by the Ebensburg Municipal Authority at its October meeting.

Borough Manager Dan Penatzer said negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement that covers less than 10 borough employees are still ongoing, with a current contract that expires at the end of 2018.

After five negotiating sessions with AFSCME and council's administrative committee, employees rejected the borough's latest offer Nov. 13. A mediator has been notified of the impasse and another negotiating session will take place in December.

Penatzer said the issues of contention seem to be wages in general. Council President Doug Tusing noted that in the past, non-union employees have typically been paid the same rate as union employees, so these negotiations "set the tone" for wages of borough employees.

In a split vote, council also approved an amendment to the borough's sidewalk ordinance.

Initial changes to the ordinance drew criticism from several residents, specifically those along East Sample Street.

In August, council voted to require sidewalks on the south side of East Sample Street from Poplar Street to Phaney Street and on the north side from Sugar Street to Roberts Street.

On Monday, council voted 4-2 to amend its sidewalk ordinance to require walkways on the south side of East Sample Street from Poplar Street to Sugar Street and on the north side from Sugar Street to Roberts Street.

Council members Scot May and Theresa Jacoby opposed, while council members Cecilia Houser, Susan Barber, Joe Cobaugh and Tusing voted in favor. Council member Dave Kuhar was absent.

At its June meeting, council approved a $43,125 bid from L.R. Kimball to design a future sidewalk project, which would install walkways along the streets outlined in the ordinances.

That project will not begin until 2019 at the earliest due to the borough's ongoing wastewater project, which is scheduled to continue into next summer and will affect 80 percent of the borough.

Borough officials hope to replace and install sidewalks as streets are being paved after completion of the wastewater project and the upcoming replacement of gas main lines throughout the borough.

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

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