EVANS CITY — Taxes in the borough will increase by 5 mills in 2018, from 20 to 25 mills.

The 5-mill increase comes from an additional 2.8 mills needed to pay for a newly signed police contract and 2.2 mills needed for water management requirements, particularly from the Department of Environmental Protection’s new Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) mandate.

A mill in Evans City is around $9,700, according to Lee Dyer, Evans City Borough council president.

The increase in police cost comes from a new five-year contract, ratified in September, which included salary increases for officers of 4 percent for the first two years, 3.5 percent for the third and fourth years and 3 percent for the fifth year.

The borough shares a police department with Seven Fields, whose portion of the overall police department budget of $728,645 is $386,145, while Evans City contributes the remaining $342,500.

The increase in water management costs stem primarily from the recently enacted MS4 mandate, which requires the township to make a plan for stricter stormwater management and pollution control. Over the summer, township officials estimated it would cost $18,750 for the plan, application and fees.

A full story appeared in the Butler Eagle.