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ASHLEY — The 2016 budget for the borough of Ashley remains open, yet taxes remain unchanged.
During a meeting Tuesday night, the council voted to keep the tax rate unchanged at 4.85 mills, with a 2 percent discount and a 10 percent penalty. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed property value. The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs states municipalities have until Feb. 15 to pass reopened budgets. The budget doesn’t account for surplus money from January to March, used to pay the bills for the first months of the year.
“There is no need for a tax increase,” Council Chair John Gibbons said to council. “The budget runs January to December; the tax monies run April to April.”
Also, Solicitor William Vinsko told the council he received a letter stating Ehrlich wants to stay in the borough-owned building at 49 W. Cemetery St. J.C. Ehrlich Co., a pest control firm, and Ameritec Group LLC, a residential and commercial contractor, both have leases in the building. It’s been almost two years since the borough bought the building for official use but, since the leases on the building did not expire until late last year, borough offices have not moved there.
“We should be in the building,” Frank Sorokach, the council vice chair, urged, especially when finding out grant monies used to buy the building, may have to be paid back if the borough offices don’t occupy the building.
In other business, the council:
• passed an ordinance allowing all full-time members of the Ashley Borough Police Department to join the pension fund.
• appointed Charles Coleman and Michael Schappert to the planning commission, Mary Sinay to the zoning hearing board, Ray Clarke, Dennis Sheehan and Patricia Bryski as alternates for the zoning hearing board.
• passed a resolution establishing an ethics committee for Ashley Borough.
• tabled the rescinding of the resolution to let Hanover Area Little League expand, as well as a cost study performed on the Ashley Borough Police Pension Fund at $0. Vinsko explained the study was done at no cost if a pension wasn’t already in place.
• approved Borough Manager Greg Gulick to pay approved project costs for the demolition of 23 S. Main St. and 114 S. Main St.
Bids on Sonny’s and Chickaroo’s bars will be opened and awarded at the council’s next meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Ashley Fireman’s Park, 160 Ashley St.