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WEST PITTSTON — Borough council members approved the first reading of a 2018 preliminary budget Tuesday, and the plan calls for no tax hike.

The budget currently totals about $5.7 million.

Property taxes are set to remain at 3.46 mills, according to borough manager Savino Bonita. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed property value.

The budget is available for public inspection and will be voted on at a special meting Monday, Dec. 18.

In other business, council president Judy Aita told the audience a public meeting was held between Pittston, West Pittston and PennDOT in regards to potentially tearing down the Fort Jenkins Bridge, which was renamed the Spc. Dale J. Kridlo Bridge this past September.

Aita said there is a chance traffic studies will be done in the future to determine if the bridge will come down and be replaced. She is also anticipating future meetings on the topic.

“It was just an initial meeting to find out what’s going on,” she said. “I urge everybody and all the residents in the town to keep a lookout and attend the public meetings as they come up.”

The bridge has been undergoing minor renovations recently, work which borough engineer Tom Reilly said is meant to prolong its lifespan.

“What they’re doing now is they’re trying to get a few more years out of it,” he said. “They just don’t have the money for it yet, and the bridge would be about $40 million to $50 million. They need to get about 10 more years out of it.”

Also Tuesday, council members:

• Approved advertising council meetings for 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month in 2018.

• Appointed Justin Tokar, of Jenkins Township, as part-time police officer.

• Approved the proposed Veterans Park that will be located at the corner of Race Street and Luzerne Avenue.

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By Jimmy Fisher

[email protected]

Reach Jimmy Fisher at 570-704-3972 or on Twitter @SD_JimmyFisher