Port Allegany residents will see a one-mill increase in their
property taxes next year, as borough council approved the 2007
budget by a 5-2 vote.

Council member Dave Fair, a constant critic of the
administration, opposed the increase, saying that it was not fair
to taxpayers and that cuts should be made in line items. Among the
items Fair proposed cutting were some vehicle and fuel expenses for
the police department by having them drive less, and making cuts in
costs budgeted for repair and maintenance of equipment.

That brought a quick response from member Lyn Farber, who told
Fair that the borough was like any business and that its costs were
rising, especially for fuel.

As for having the police drive less to save fuel, she challenged
Fair to imagine how that would go over with the public and reminded
him that of what happened when council tried to save a few dollars
by changing trash haulers.

She was joined by Kate Kysor, who said she liked to see the
police car driving around.

Farber also noted that Fair had a chance to propose cuts during
a work session two weeks ago, but had not done so then or in the
interim.

Fair was joined by Bill Burleson, who was not at the work
session, but thought that further attempts at cutting costs should
be made.

“If we can’t do it, we can’t do it,” he said, “but we owe it to
the people to try.”

Borough manager Dick Kallenborn, obviously holding himself in
check, said, “If you people want to arbitrarily cut the budget, go
ahead, but there is no fat. These things are necessary.”

He reminded Fair that there had been a work session, and “We
didn’t hear this … it’s not Fair to Sue (borough secretary) and me
… it’s not fair to the employees, and it’s not fair to the public
to cut services.”

He also pointed out that employees were entitled under
negotiated contracts to a three percent increase next year, and
that the borough had achieved “huge savings” last year by getting
employees to agree to an innovative plan for medical coverage.

He also noted that the only thing that had forestalled a tax
increase last year was the $96,000 received from the Solid Waste
Authority, and that $50,000 of that was included in this year’s
budget.

In the vote, Fair voted “nay,” and Burleson did also, after
being told that the rules did not allow him to abstain.

“I didn’t do my job,” he said, noting that he was not in a
position to vote since he had not attended the work session.

A large portion of the earlier part of the meeting was concerned
with the reported failure of Burdick Disposal to do trash
collection effectively after winning the contract away from
SDS.

According to Kallenborn, Burdick’s had agreed to have a
representative at the meeting, but no one showed up.

Code enforcement officer Don Gamet tried to reach Burdick’s on
the phone during the meeting, but was unsuccessful. Several council
members noted that they and customers had also been unable to reach
the company with complaints and questions.

Several members asked Solicitor Mike Alfieri what procedures
were for terminating the contract and Kallenborn was instructed to
write the company specifying complaints and requesting a meeting to
discuss whether the weaknesses would be rectified and when.

Persons with specific complaints were asked to not only call the
company, but to notify Gamet so he could keep a record of the
company’s failures.