By Dan Stefano

Published: Wednesday, December 5, 2012, 9:00 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Crafton Borough's 2013 budget process has entered the home stretch.

The borough council voted to adopt the proposed general fund, sewer fund and road fund budgets at its Nov. 27 meeting, and after advertising them to the public the past two weeks, is expected to formally pass the documents on Tuesday.

The proposed general fund balance comes in at $3,806,140, with the sewer fund $2,184,050 and the road fund $348,500.

“We anticipate that much revenue and that much expenditure,” Crafton Manager Bob Callen said. “We had a long discussion over it, had a lot of give and take, and we all agreed to the numbers.”

The borough's millage rate is expected to remain at 8.75, though Callen cautioned this month's property reassessments by the county may affect that figure.

“That may have to be adjusted, but we don't think by very much,” he said.

Council changes

Seven Crafton Borough Council members will see their terms expire next year, but only five of those seats will be filled.

The game of musical chairs is in motion after the council last week officially adopted Ordinance No. 1613, abolishing wards in the borough and thereby reducing the size of council from nine members to seven. The ordinance passed, 6-1, with two members absent.

Council members will be elected at-large in the May 21 primary, with four elected to four-year terms and one to a two-year term.

“People view Crafton as one neighborhood, one community, rather than three segmented areas,” Council President April Weitzel said. “That's how this current council views it.”

According to the ordinance, the reduction is intended to produce a council “less unwieldy in size” and comparable in size to other boroughs not divided into wards. The change could also reduce expenditures and increase the likelihood of filling seats.

“I've heard that we have too many council members, and it can be difficult to get things done with that many people,” Weitzel said.

Dan Stefano is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at dstefano@tribweb.com or 412-388-5816.

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