Zelienople approves 2024 budget
ZELIENOPLE — Council members unanimously approved the $12,088,754 budget for next year, with a $3,853,383 general fund budget on Monday, Dec. 11.
Council member Ralph Geis, head of the finance committee, said he was pleased with the board’s effort to get the budget passed, citing it’s not always an easy task.
“What people don’t understand is the budget is only an estimate of the information that we get,” Geis said. “It’s not exact … You can’t get everything perfect.”
The 2024 budget will keep the borough’s tax rate at 7.83 mills. When the proposal was introduced to the council, the water fund had budgeted a potential rate increase of up to 3%.
Geis said he was pleased with the boards ability to keep the “tax structure where it is.”
“What the management, staff and president have done, such a wonderful job,” Geis said. “And it’s, you know, pretty difficult sometimes when we have that big of a budget.”
The employee contribution rate for the borough’s police pension was set at 8% — the state maximum — in a unanimous vote.
“In Pennsylvania, there are different pension plans,” police Chief Jim Miller said. “Most municipalities have their own pension systems; we have our own.”
Marietta Reeb, who has served on the council for 20 years, and Geis who has served for 12 years, participated in their final council meeting.
“I’m going to miss Marietta, and I’m going to miss Ralph,” said council member Gregg Semel at the end of Monday’s meeting. “It’s been a long haul and we’ve had some rough times and we’ve had really great times. It’s going to be hard to replace you.”
Reeb said even though there have been some difficult times serving on the council, she appreciates the council members.
“You’ve all been great to work with, even with our disagreements,” Reeb said. “We all manage getting glad again.”
Borough manager Andrew Spencer, said he will miss the steady leadership that Geis and Reeb have provided throughout the years.
“They’re just wonderful folks,” Spencer said. “Not just great council members, but they’re great people. They have been great to work with and work for.”
