Last evening, Bellwood Borough Council showed the first signs of its budget for next year, and it contains no language of a tax increase.
The presentation of the “tentative” budget was given by Steve Hess, the borough’s certified public accountant from Hess and Marino of Altoona. According to Hess, the increase in next year’s budget is so incremental that taxes will not have to be raised.
This will be the seventh year in a row that taxes have not been increased for borough residents.
The borough will advertise that the budget will be on display, and according to the borough’s secretary, council anticipates adopting it at the Dec. 1 meeting.
April Ressler began the public comment portion of the meeting by discussing several key points of the Commercial Insurance renewals with Reed, Wertz, & Roadman.
Councilman Fred Sweigert reported for the Water & Sewer committee that the flushing of the lines has been completed.
The meeting was attended by some very special visitors: Boy Scout Troop 92. Scout Masters Patrick Flynn and Jay Robertson accompanied several young men as they were fulfilling a requirement to earn their “Community” merit badges.
Several items under new business were approved:
•Bellwood-Antis Public Library requested an increase of $500 in the 2004 budget due to cuts in state funding, totaling an allotment of $7,000;
•Council will release $500 in funds to the Bellwood Clubsmen Association for the Halloween parade and Children’s Christmas Party;
•Council will spend up to $50.00 on an advertisement in a special insert into the Friday, November 28th edition of The Daily Herald. The insert will feature local winter sports teams; and
•Council will again supply anti-skid material around the Bellwood-Antis High School and elementary school.
