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NOVEMBER 21, 2011
The budget workshop of the Martinsburg Borough Council was held on Monday, November 21, 2011, in the municipal building. The meeting started at 6:30 p.m. with prayer byRandy Stoltzand the Pledge of Allegiance.
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT: President Connie Lamborn, Vice-President Doreen K. Easly, Councilman Durban D. Metzler, CouncilwomanLinda K. Smith, and Daniel R. Smouse
ALSO PRESENT were Borough Manager Randy Stoltz, Borough SecretaryJane Staily, Chief Kerry Hoover, Sgt. Justin Davis, and Rich Brantner, Jr.
A recent correspondence received with our last quarterly franchise fee from Atlantic Broadband signifying that our quarterly cable franchise fees will only be around $5,655 (x 4 = $22,620) instead of the $9,800 (x 4 = $39,200) that we were receiving this year. Their office made an encoding error in the payments we have been receiving since 2008 causing our quarterly franchise fees to be miscalculated too high. They will not be requesting a refund of the overpayments but the encoding correction has been made beginning with this recent franchise fee received.
Jane Stailyhas since contacted the earned income tax office to get a better estimate of this year’s income and they estimate we will end up with about $132,000 instead of the conservative budget figure of $110,000 for 2011; therefore next years line item for earned income tax could safely be readjusted from $113,000 to $129,580 to make up the difference of $16,580 that we will not be receiving from Atlantic Broadband.
A spreadsheet formula error was noted in the Highway Liquid Fuels Fund on the expenditure side. It only totaled the paving cost of $40,000 and missed the other three line items totaling $19,615. Also, a corrected estimate of our liquid fuels money for next year was received. It was adjusted using the new 2010 Census figures, which reduced our estimate from $46,640 to $42,085 for 2012. With the correction of the spreadsheet error and the revised estimate of next year’s liquid fuels money, the 2012 year ending balance will be around $49,510 instead of $73,680.
A new draft 2012-5 Budget was presented as follows:
Gen Opr Fund All Other Total
ESTD BAL ON HAND JAN 1, 2012: $112,572 $169,470 $282,042
REVENUES: 692,210 76,536 768,746
EXPENDITURES: 692, 210 98,524 790,734
ESTD BAL ON HAND, DEC 31, 2012: $ 112,572 $147,482 $260,054
With the above changes council voted to readvertise the 2012-5 Budget for a new 10-day public inspection period for consideration for adoption at a special meeting on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Linda Smith. The motion passed unanimously.
Manager Randy Stoltz reported that a water school was scheduled to be held in the meeting room on December 7. A projection screen will be needed for this event and would be well utilized in other ways such as webinars, police training, future water and sewer schooling, etc. He received a quote from Bettwy for the purchase of a projector camera, screen and labor at a cost of$2,337.00. Council on a motion by Dan Smouse, seconded by Durban Metzler, authorized the purchase of the projector camera, screen and labor from Bettwy for a total cost of $2,337.00 be expended from the Video Fund to be purchased immediately. The motion passed unanimously.
Council on a motion by Linda Smith, seconded by Doreen Easly, approved to advertise the special meeting to adopt the 2012 Budget, tax ordinances and for general purposes for Monday, December 19, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. at the municipal building at 110 S. Walnut Street, Martinsburg, PA. The motion passed unanimously.
It was noted that the January Reorganizational Meeting was advertised as the first Monday in January, which typically it is except in 2012 the first Monday of the month is a legal holiday. On a motion by Durban Metzler, seconded by Doreen Easly, council voted to readvertise the list of 2012 meetings with the correction of the January meeting as Tuesday, January 3, 2012. The motion passed unanimously.
The Martinsburg Ministerium has taken over the Toys for Kids Christmas toy distribution program renaming it Cove Christmas Love. Toys and donations can be taken to many of the local churches and organizations. The main distribution will be atSt. John’s United Church of Christ located at117 E. Julian St. Their hours of operation will be between 2 and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Their phone number is 793-3941.
Manager Stoltz was contacted by the Hollidaysburg Ambulance which is housed in the borough’s ambulance building. They are requesting permission to discard the old furniture there and replace it at no cost to the borough. They also feel they can upgrade the outdated base station at the building through grants. It was the consensus of council to permit them to replace the furniture and upgrade the base station.
Chief Hoover has not received anymore information on the new police vests.
New chairs were donated to the Martinsburg Food Pantry free of charge by the Veterans administration Hospital through a contact of Chief Hoover. Other various pieces of free furniture were also obtained for the municipal building including filing cabinets and tables.
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. on a motion by Doreen Easly, seconded by Linda Smith. The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
M.Jane Staily
Borough Secretary
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