The city received a report as part of a program from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development that will help it get grants to further improve the city.

City officials gathered for a special meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 18, to receive a report through the Strategic Management Planning Program operated by the state. The program facilitates a consultant giving a presentation about challenges a municipality faces, while offering recommendations and grants to help overcome them.

Lynne Shedlock, director of operations at Pennsylvania Economy League, a nonprofit think tank, led officials through the presentation, which included demographic and economic background information, economic projections and a review of operations in the city, and presented recommendations for the future.

As for demographics, Shedlock said the city has seen continued population decline since the 1970s. She said the city has a lower college education rate and higher poverty and unemployment rates compared with the county and state.

“This is not necessarily unusual,” Shedlock said. “These are the types of trends we see in urban core municipalities when a majority of the wealthier people have moved out into the townships.”

As for the city’s taxes, she said the city only collects about $65,000 per millage and is currently stuck at the 30-millage property tax cap. To this end, her solution was to request a countywide property reassessment.

“A reassessment would both raise the value of a mill and would lower the millage rate,” Shedlock said.

She complimented some strengths of note, such as the long-range capital plan for a portion of the Butler Area Sewer Authority proceeds, the hiring of a CFO and a good parking system. She also noted areas of challenge, such as costly public safety services, urban blight and deferred maintenance.

“I’m not just blowing smoke, because I was in a municipality that also had a sewer sale and their funds evaporated in a couple of years because they had no plan and they just squandered it,” Shedlock said.

Her recommendations for the city included sticking to the plan with the BASA proceeds, seeking a countywide property reassessment and reevaluating and training staff.

As for the grants, presenters explained that future “phases” of the program could see the city receiving a grant, usually between $40,000 and $200,000, toward projects that were recommended. The funds could even be used toward the hiring of new full-time positions for the city.

Before moving forward with the program, the city has to approve a motion at a later meeting. Mayor Bob Dandoy said he expects to see it on a meeting agenda in coming months.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19.