Weissport likely to hold line on taxes in 2020

Weissport residents likely won’t have to shell out extra money to pay for their municipal taxes next year.

Borough council on Monday agreed to grant preliminary approval of the 2020 budget with no tax increase.

If council were to adopt next year’s spending plan with no tax increase, it would leave the millage rate at 10.9 mills.

Council President Arland Moyer said council plans to grant final adoption of next year’s budget at a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 30.

Council members previously said the last time the borough raised taxes was in 2012.

Weissport Borough Council renewed its waste disposal agreement with County Waste for three years. The new contract, which cost the borough $142,491.73 in total, will be billed at the same rate during the first two years of the contract, with a 2% increase in the last year, according to solicitor Greg Mousseau.

Vice President Brenda Leiby said garbage collection rates for residents will stay the same for 2020.

The council has also voted to purchase a new chainsaw in January, using the 2020 borough budget.

President Arland Moyer Sr. said, “We need to buy a bigger chainsaw before the spring. Now’s the time to be clearing all the brush.”

The council announced a Municipal Emergency Operation Plan workshop will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 13.

The meeting will be open to the public, but the council will not vote on any potential purchases that night.

In other news, repairs for the borough building roof are now underway.

Residents also might see some adjustments to street parking in the new year, but those discussions are ongoing, and no plans have been finalized yet.

Michele Bailey contributed to this report.