SEVEN FIELDS — Borough council passed its proposed $1.6 million 2024 budget Monday, Nov. 13, with no tax increase.

“I think we should be proud of the 2024 budget,” borough manager Tom Smith said. “It’s balanced. There’s no tax increase for the 14th year.”

“This is where the confetti comes down from the ceiling,” said Kimberly Regan-Koch, council president, with a laugh.

Monday’s budget represented an approximately 4.4% increase from 2023, according to Smith, with “minor changes” made to last month’s proposed budget.

Smith said the changes included a $1,500 increase in police expenses for “constable services for council meetings” and summer events.

“And I’ll just briefly mention, there’s been a reduction in the parks and recreation committee expenses from $2,500 to $1,750,” he said. “This has been due to the borough assuming the Light Up Night for 2024.”

The budget passed 3-1, with council member Mike Trotta absent and Jeff Smouse opposed.

“The main issue I have with it is that there is no long-term financial plan,” Smouse said.

He referenced a local ordinance that required a long-term financial plan for the borough.

“That’s my biggest issue, because to do that properly you really need to look out in the future five or 10 years and look at what your major capital projects are going to be and how much money you’re going to need to be able to do that intelligently,” he said.

Solicitor Megan Turnbull said she could not find the ordinance Smouse was referring to in the borough’s codified ordinances.

On Tuesday, Nov. 14, the solicitor said, on further review, the ordinance does exist. The ordinance was established in 1996. She said when the ordinance was codified in 2021, it did not include the language related to long-range budget planning.

Smouse also said he opposed the budget because he did not receive adequate answers to questions throughout the process.

Smith said he was in regular communication with council members throughout the process.

Members Regan-Koch; Dawn Servello, vice president; and Morgan Hardesty all agreed, with Hardesty alleging that Smouse’s objection served a personal “agenda.”

“Any type of insinuation that there was no process or anything like that is a complete falsehood,” Smith said.

Mayor Dean Galitsis presented a brief update on the Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department as the two municipalities are “winding that down.”

“We are moving steadily toward a resolution,” he said. “I believe by maybe December we’ll know more and be able to share.”

An arbitration was planned last week for buyout negotiations surrounding the departments’ two remaining officers.

While no update was available, Galitsis did confirm the regional department’s committee met.

“Things are progressing at pace,” he said. “We had a meeting last week about it, and I think, overall, things are going in a positive direction.”

This story was updated Nov. 15 to reflect that on further review, the solicitor said Tuesday, Nov. 14 that the ordinance does exist. The ordinance was established in 1996. She said when the ordinance was codified in 2021, it did not include the language related to long-range budget planning.