Butler City Council had its last regular meeting of 2022 Thursday. EDDIE TRIZZINO/BUTLER EAGLE

Butler City Council passed its 2023 budget Thursday, with an estimated operating cost of $10,618,311

The 2022 budget had expenses at $10,519,063, but despite the increase, the estimated revenues match the expenses for the year.

“It’s balanced with no tax increase,” said Councilman Don Shearer.

Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy said at a Nov. 3 meeting that the council did not account for any proceeds from the sale of the Butler Area Sewer Authority in next year’s budget. While BASA’s board of directors voted at its October meeting to accept the Pennsylvania American Water Company’s $231.5 million offer for the authority and its assets, which City Council and Butler Township Commissioners also supported, Dandoy said the sale is still in the negotiations process.

The council also approved two proposals for professional development and training for the Butler Bureau of Fire, with only Councilman Shearer voting no on both motions.

Retired fire chief John Senft, from York, will host professional training at a total estimated cost of $2,800, and R.L. Sligh Limited Consultants will host professional standards training for the bureau at a rate of $83 per hour, and a total estimated cost of $1,000.

Councilman Larry Christy said he has worked with both parties in the past. Christy also said it has been a long time since the bureau updated its strategic plan and policies.

Butler Bureau of Fire chief Chris Switala said the two types of training will help get the firefighters in the department on the same page in terms of both professional practices and firefighting operations. The trainings will both begin early in the year.

“This is something that we talked about with council probably over the last year,” Switala said. “It also ties in with the strategic plan within the fire department. It’s going to also be tied in with the rollout of expectations for personal, code of ethics, a bunch of new personnel initiatives.”

Also at the meeting, Dandoy said council received two applications for the position of city treasurer, which the members must appoint before the end of the year. The previous treasurer, Aaron Bonus, resigned in November.

Council will interview the candidates, who are Jeff Smith and Linda Graham-Greek, for the position, and there will be a special meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday for the council to vote on an appointment.

“We have somebody who has been there and knows the job, and we have somebody who is new blood,” Dandoy said. “So we have a choice to make.”