TAMAQUA - The borough doesn't intend to raise taxes or sewer and water rates in 2013, according to the council president.
At Wednesday's meeting, Tamaqua resident Tony Rodrigue asked the council during the public portion if it had any intentions of raising property taxes in 2013.
Council President Micah Gursky said based on the current draft of the 2013 budget, the council does not anticipate raising taxes next year. The same holds true for sewer and water rates, according to Gursky.
The council had already unanimously and tentatively adopted and advertised the 2013 budget at a prior meeting and will finalize it next month. Total expenditures in the 2013 unbalanced budget are $7.8 million and total revenues projected are $7.3 million.
Public hearing
Tamaqua will hold a public hearing on some revisions to the 2008-11 Community Development Block Grant program.
"Any changes in a block grant program require a public hearing," borough Manager Kevin Steigerwalt said.
The borough intends to use about $41,200 in some unused funds from the 2008 CDBG grant.
Gursky said about $20,500 will be used to replace a line of terra-cotta pipe by placing an 8-inch pipe through the old pipe as part of the Swatara Street Project that is tied into the Wabash Creek funding. The other $20,700 will be used to repair a roof at the Tamaqua Library.
"The library board decided not to go through with this part of the project right now," Gursky said.
The borough will advertise the meeting time and date.
Bridges
The Center Street bridge project is nearing completion, according to Steigerwalt. The deadline for getting the bridge done is Thursday.
"We will be able to drive over the new bridge soon," Steigerwalt said.
That is not the case with the PennDOT Broad Street bridge project, which is expected to be out for bid in December, with a notice to proceed in February. The bridge would be out of service beginning in April. It is an 18-month project from April 2013 to October or November 2014 and would take two construction seasons.
A detour for all vehicles would include Route 309 northbound to Route 54 to Nesquehoning to Route 209, which is a 21-mile detour. The only public meeting for the project was held at Bethany Church last year.
Mayor Chris Morrison and some council members think more meetings are needed to talk about the project. The council set a special meeting for 7 p.m. today to discuss it.
Pawn shop ordinance
The council changed the license fee required for the operation of a pawn shop, swap shop or second-hand goods dealer planning to do business in the borough. The original operator's license fee for the new ordinance was set at $400, but Councilman Ken Smulligan argued that the fee is too high.
The council discussed the fee and decided to lower it to $25. The new ordinance will be advertised with the change and the council will probably adopt it next month, according to Steigerwalt.
The ordinance will set forth certain rules of operating a pawn shop, swap shop or second-hand goods dealer that will, according to Steigerwalt, hopefully deter criminal activity in the future. Nonprofit stores, for example, like the Salvation Army, are exempt from the ordinance when it is adopted.