Parkesburg council sets police retirement plan, approves budget with small tax hike

Parkesburg Borough Council on Dec. 16 passed an ordinance establishing a deferred retirement option plan for its police department and set a special meeting for 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30, to vote on a new police department contract.

Council President Charles Persch, presiding over his final meeting after 11 years on council, said the police department had bargained for the benefit, which allows officers to lock in their pensions. The cost of the benefit and contract details won’t be announced until the meeting.

Council also adopted its $3.1 million 2020 budget with a quarter-mill tax increase. Citizens will pay 10.25 mills in taxes, with 9.12 mills going to support borough spending and a 1.13 mill emergency services tax going to the Keystone Valley Fire Company.

The 1.13 mills represents $150,814 in revenue, up $6,421 from 2019. Raymond Stackhouse, fire district administrator, said in 2020 Keystone will receive $398,639 from the municipalities it covers — West Sadsbury, Sadsbury and Highland townships, along with Parkesburg Borough.

Stackhouse said Keystone’s 2020 operating budget is over $600,000 and any deficit not covered by the municipalities will be made up through fundraising, ambulance billing and donations.

Projects

In other action council dealt with delays on two projects. Council gave the Parkesburg Shopping Center until March 26 to finalize its improvement plans, but said it wants to meet with the developer and this will be the last extension.

And although they are unhappy about it, council approved spending about $35,000 for liability insurance as required by Amtrak to begin construction on the $6.4 million West Bridge Street replacement project over Amtrak lines. Borough attorney John S. Carnes, Jr. said Amtrak won’t allow work until the borough signs a contract assuming liability for any potential injuries and environmental problems associated with the project.

“The people in Parkesburg have waited long enough for this bridge,” Mayor John P. Hagan II said.

The bridge has been closed since 1994. Plans call for a two-lane bridge with sidewalks, with work to begin at the end of 2020.

Hagan also eloquently thanked Persch for his “tour of duty” on council, saying he had conducted himself with wit, courage, self-deprecating humor and an eye toward getting the job done.

Crédito: DEBBIE WYGENT | LNP Correspondent