Mount Joy BoroughCouncil Special Budget Meeting Minutes November 7, 2024  The Mount Joy Borough Council held a Special Budget Meeting on November 7, 2024. Invocation was given by Council President Hall, followed by Pledge of Allegiance.  Council President Hall called the meeting to order at 6:30pm.  Roll Call - Present were Councilors Crider, Eichler, Ginder, Greineder, Hall, Haigh, Kark, and Youngerman. Councilor Fahndrich was absent. Mayor Bradley was present via Zoom for al brief period oft time. Also present were Police Chief, Robert Goshen, Borough Manager, Mark Pugliese; Assistant Borough Manager, Jill Frey; Public Works Director, Dennis Nissley; Codes & Zoning Officer, Brett Hamm; and Community and Economic Onal MOTION by Eichler, and a second by Ginder, approval was given to approve the agenda. Motion carries  Development Coordinator, Rachel Stebbins.  unanimously. Public Input Period No Public Input Period.  2025 Budget Discussion and or Motions reviewed each line of the 5-year Capital Plan.  Pugliese reviewed the 2025 budget binders given to Council which included the Grant tracking spreadsheet, 5-year Capital Plan, and the General Fund, Capital Fund, and Refuse Fund budgets. He He announced that the bid opening for the Borough building project was moved from November 12, 2024, to November 14, 2024, at 2pm. He stated that the debt service is included in the 5-year Capital plan and that at some point there should be a discussion on how we are handling the financing. Youngerman stated that al long-term financial plan is always useful. He said iti is good to level out the cost of the road projects over several years and asked if $400,000 is the correct amount to have in the 5-year Pugliese stated that we figured $600,000 per year with $200,000 being spent from Highway Aid Nissley said that through the budget years the Borough could not afford more than $600,000. Hall asked what the Placer Al is. Stebbins said that it is a software program that allows us to take any point in the Borough and outside the Borough and see how many people travel to different places and what times, etc. Hall asked how it tracks the information. Stebbins said that it uses cell phones to track the information, it is supposed to be anonymous, and not specific to one person. She said it would be a good tool for the Borough, not only in terms of Community and Economic development, but also for Chief Goshen said he thinks it is a good idea to have this in the Borough, especially for small businesses. Hall said he thinks iti is a lot of money to spend at this time. He said he wants to know more Eichler suggested that Council investigate the software more for the next budget meeting. Haigh said that after meeting with Florin Hill, he would like to put money in the budget for the design, permitting and testing for BMP125. He said he would like to see $30,000 in the 2025 budget for testing, and $48,000 in the 2026 budget for advertising, construction, and construction observation. Pugliese suggestedi to put BMP125 on hold until we get Florin Hill under way. He said hej just asked Haigh said we can hold off until next Tuesdays budget meeting and revisit it then.  plan for road projects. fund and $400,000 from Capital.  Haigh said we needed $800,000 per year but did not have iti in the budget.  applying for and writing grants, which often require statistics. about what plan the Borough has and then why we need this software.  to meet with Kara from Rettew Engineering to discuss this.  Fax (717) 653-6680 * borough@mountio ypa.org . w.mountopoun.on    Hall suggested moving on to talk about the General Fund budget.  Pugliese stated that there is information in the budget folder concerning 2025 projected salaries as well as salary surveys. Haigh said that he is concerned about setting the floor at 2%. He said other Municipalities are at 2.5% or higher. Hall said that Council approved what we have in place, and it works well. He said that unless there is a motion, we should stick with the policy Council approved. Hall said that the projected end of year 2024 budget shows we would have a surplus of $390,000 and that we have $116,781 showing from fund balance in the 2024 budget that we did not need to use. He said the two combined would bring us from a $700,000 deficit in the 2025 draft budget, down to $192,000 deficit, using those things from 2024's budget that we already planned. He said that from there we can see what we need to do milage wise to cover that. He said we still need to run down the line items to see ifwe can cut anything, but that there is currently a reasonable way to balance the 2025 draft budget. Kark asked if we still have the Authority's commitment to the one million toward the building project. Youngerman mentioned thet fund balance policy and advised Council to keept that in mind. He said it states that our fund balance must be 25% of our annual expenses and that the higher the expenses get, the more of a fund balance we will need to have. He said that at six million in general fund expenses, we will Hall mentioned the idea of using the $390,000 surplus from the 2024 budget of $390,513 and the fund balance line item of $116,781 from the 2024 budget that we did not use, for a total of $507,294 to be put On a MOTION by Greineder, and a second by Haigh, approval was given to add a total of $507,294 to Hall asked if the engineering for stormwater, line item 01.446.313 is an accurate number. Pugliese said we currently have $50,000 put in for 2025. Haigh asked if this is for Locust Lane and Square Street. On a MOTION by Haigh, and a second by Ginder, approval was given to change line item 01.446.313 Pugliese asked Council to confirm the contribution amounts to other organizations. Council discussed various contributions and varjous line items in General Fund, such as Police overtime and Police tuition. Eichler spoke of PD Minor Equipment Rental line item. He said that we did not use all we had budgeted in 2024, and now we are asking for more for 2025. Chief Goshen said he put in that number to Hall said he feels the Police overtime line item is too low for 2025. Chief Goshen said he gives his Greineder said that raising the milage rate from the current 4.47 rate to a rate of 4.82 would generate an  Pugliese said yes.  need to have $1,512,250 remaining in fund balance.  into line item 01.301.001 as a means to get closer to balancing the 2025 draft budget. line item 01.301.001 (transfer from fund balance). Motion carries unanimously.  Pugliese said that this can be used for anything. from $50,000 to $65,000. Motion carries unanimously. Chief Goshen reviewed his expense line items.  purchase tasers for 2025.  best educated guess and that it can be a tough one to budget for.  additional $207,243 for the Borough.  Youngerman mentioned the interest rates are projected to decrease going into 2025.  On a MOTION by Youngerman, and a second my Haigh, approval was given to change line item 01.341.001 (PLGIT General Fund interest earnings) from $100,000 to $70,000. Haigh said he prefers not to change anything. Hall suggested a roll call vote. Councilors Crider, Eichler, Ginder and Youngerman voting Yes; Councilors Greineder, Hall, Haigh and Kark voting No. 4 Yes to 4 No. Mayor Bradley not  present for the tie breaking vote, sO Motion Fails.  Fax (717) 653-6680 - Boraugh@mounioymaarg . ww.mountopocuar.con    Haigh made a MOTION for the 5-year Capital Plan, to add al line item for BMP 125 retrofit of $48,000 for the year 2026. Hall said there is no need for a second ont the MOTION, that we would just addi iti in. Haigh said that the $48,000 would be $33,000 for the Borough's cost share and $15,000 for construction Onal MOTION by Greineder, and a second by Ginder, approval was given to adjourn the meeting. Council On a MOTION by Eichler, and a second by Haigh, approval was given to change the Council meetings to Hall said that if we set a start time half an hour earlier, we sill stay half an hour later. Kark said he likes the 7:00pm start time. Chief asked ift there was any interest in two Council meetings in a month with no committee meetings. He said one meeting would be a work session, and the other would be a voting session. Haigh said he agrees with the idea and that it should be a discussion in 2025 for a change Hall suggested a roll call vote. Councilors Eichler, Ginder and Haigh voting Yes; Councilors Crider,  observation.  President Hall ruled the No's were greater. Motion failed.  a6:30pm start time for the year 2025.  possibly in 2026. Public Input Period No Public Input Period  Greineder, Hall, Kark and Youngerman voting No. 3 Yes to 5 No. Motion Fails.  Any Other Matter Proper to Come Before the Council No other matter to come before the Council.  On a MOTION by Greineder, and a second by Haigh, meeting was adjourned at 9:16pm.  Respectfully Submitted, - Mark G. Pugliesel Borough Manager  -   Fax (717) 653-6680 . Dorough@mountoypaor-yww.mountioyporough.com