W. Hazleton adopts budget, eyes return of ambulance service
Dec. 16--West Hazleton Council ratified an estimated $2.3 million budget that contains no tax increase in 2017.
Council members voted unanimously on Thursday when approving a spending plan that projects $2,340,900 in revenue and $2,326,405.80 in expenditures.
Members of the governing body had little to say when finalizing the spending plan. Councilman Gerald Grink did note that council will maintain current tax rates.
"The millage stays the same," he said following the vote.
In addition to approving the budget, council also voted unanimously to set tax rates for 2017. Property taxes will be levied at 3.15 mills for the general fund and 1.23 mills for debt service. A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed property value.
Council cast a pair of 4-0 votes when approving budget and tax rate ordinances.
President Lou Pacelli, John Chura, Henry Kreisl II and Grink voted "yes." Council members James "Bucky" Kulaga, William Sharkey Jr. and Vice President Craig Kocher did not attend.
Line items in the final budget haven't changed from a preliminary spending plan that has been available for the public to review since November.
Some notable revenue sources include $813,100 in projected real estate revenue for general operating purposes, another $127,900 in property tax revenue for paying debts and an estimated $50,000 worth of delinquent real estate tax revenue.
The borough anticipates $304,000 in earned income tax revenue, another $135,000 in Local Services Tax funds and $51,500 in fines and forfeits.
Total income outpaces expenditures by $14,494.20.
Big-ticket expenditures include $177,537 in "general government" costs, or wages paid to council, the mayor, administrators, equipment, phones, postage and materials and supplies. The borough budgeted $30,700 in legal services, another $20,500 for engineering services, roughly $569,000 for the police department and another $105,667 in fire department costs.
Another $71,619 is earmarked for code enforcement while sanitation (or garbage service) is budgeted at $239,744. Streets and highway costs total $326,449.
Ambulance update
Council members reported that West Hazleton Fire Co. is working with West Hazleton Ambulance Association to get the ambulance back online.
The community ambulance was removed from a list of emergency responders in the borough in September, after council members cited a lack of communication and cooperation.
Grink and other members of council, however, appeared optimistic Thursday when announcing that the fire company administrative officers and its appointees will help reorganize and restructure the community ambulance association.
Fire Chief Shawn Evans said in a report to council that members of the fire company participated in a "very positive meeting" with the association on Nov. 10 and agreed that the fire company will continue working with the association.
"We Have full confidence in it's (sic) restructuring and the ability to return to service as the first due BLS for West Hazleton Borough in the near future," Evans wrote in a report to council.
Grink said later Thursday that the fire company has drivers on staff who are EMTs that are dispatched to medical calls in the borough by Luzerne County 911. Fire drivers are dispatched simultaneously with the first-due ambulance responder and can work to stabilize a patient until the ambulance arrives on scene.
Both Grink and Pacelli said it's important for residents to understand that the ambulance association will be back online, particularly since it will begin its fund drive early next year.
sgalski@standardspeaker.com
Copyright 2016 - Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa.
