Delmont installs new councilman, proposes 2022 budget with no tax hike

Typically, election winners have to wait until the new year to take office. Jeff Cunningham barely had to wait a week.

The Republican candidate earned a seat on Delmont council in last week’s election. But in the absence of Councilman Bill Marx, who resigned earlier this fall to take a military assignment, council members appointed Cunningham at their meeting Tuesday night to fill out the remaining two months of Marx’s term.

“You’ll get to be sworn in all over again in January,” said borough solicitor Dan Hewitt with a laugh.

Cunningham won his first term in office alongside returning incumbents Stan Cheyne, Andy Shissler and Pam Simpson, who was not present at Tuesday’s meeting.

2022 budget

Council President Andy Shissler presented a proposed 2022 budget that calls for about $1.68 million in expenditures. The budget does not include a tax increase.

Council voted 6-0 to advertise the proposed budget for a vote at its December meeting, set for 7 p.m., Dec. 14 in the borough building at 77 Greensburg St.

Members also approved a $150,000 tax anticipation loan, commonly used to ensure smooth payment of end-of-year expenses. It will be secured from S&T Bank at a 1.85% interest rate.

“I think we may make use of the first $50,000 and then see how much we need,” Shissler said. “The general fund is a little low.”

Other budget moves included changing the borough’s boiler fund to a general building fund. The borough’s boiler was replaced in favor of heat pumps. As with the boiler fund, the borough will direct $5,000 each year into the account for maintenance and other needs at the borough building.

Stipends

Council will vote on a resolution next month that will increase the stipend for elected officials, which has remained the same for the past 34 years with council members paid $45 monthly, and the mayor $55.

Councilman Dennis Urban proposed doubling council’s monthly stipend to $90 and the mayor’s to $100. Hewitt will draft a resolution to bring to the Dec. 14 meeting.

The resolution goes into effect for council members who take office starting in 2022, meaning it will only apply to Cunningham, Cheyne, Shissler and Simpson.

The borough’s council and mayoral stipends have remained the same since 1994.

Recreation plan

Council voted to retain a consultant to begin developing a borough-wide recreation plan, with an eye toward incorporating it into a larger comprehensive plan that identifies long-term borough goals.

The $29,700 contract was awarded to Pittsburgh-based Environmental Planning & Design.

Councilman Stan Cheyne also said that a $100,000 Westmoreland Conservation District grant will be put toward construction of a storm water detention pond in the borough’s Newhouse Park next year.

The pond, which Cheyne said will not be filled year-round, will be located between the park pavilion and nearby homes, and will collect runoff from both the nearby hillside and the Newhouse parking lot.