Published: November 27, 2009 11:36 pm      

Ebensburg tightens spending

EBENSBURG — The borough’s 2010 operating budget shows lower spending in all three funds – general, water and wastewater – and anticipates a year-end surplus of $76,000.

No tax increase is included.

Borough employees will begin paying a portion of their health-care costs.

Borough Council granted final approval to the budget at its meeting Monday.

“Ebensburg Borough remains financially strong and sound. There is a positive atmosphere in and around town,” Borough Manager Dan Penatazer said in a statement summarizing the budget.

“Sidewalk improvement projects, investment in downtown buildings, improvements to borough facilities and new downtown events have contributed to that positive atmosphere,” he said.

Penatzer singled out initiatives on the part of department heads for new methods of raising revenue and cutting costs.

For example, the police chief has trimmed staffing costs, he said. The recreation director has generated additional revenue from a fitness center at the Young People’s Community Center, and the tennis director has cut staff costs by switching to monitored 24-hour access. The pubic works director is using bulk storage for chemicals.

Penatzer credited council members with keeping a trim budget.

“They do not wait for a crisis to arise before looking for ways to cut costs or increase revenues,” he said.

The tax picture will stay roughly the same, with the real estate tax rate at

11.5 mills. With the average assessed valuation of residential property at $17,136, the average taxpayer pays $197 per year to the borough.

Water rates will decrease about 9 percent because of the maturity of a state loan. A minimum water user will save $11.90 on each bill, Penatzer said.

The budget also allows all other fees, including garbage collection, to remain unchanged.

The budget calls for a spending decrease of nearly 11 percent in the wastewater treatment budget and a cut of .0.5 percent in the water budget.

The budget was tentatively approved in October and advertised for public inspection.

It was given final approval at Monday’s meeting.

But Penatzer cautioned that the county seat cannot operate in isolation.

“Ebensburg should continue to be a leader in intergovernmental relations and seek regional approaches to improving the borough and the region. Active participation in the Central Cambria Coalition is making great strides in that direction with out neighbors,” he said.