Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lock Haven council adopts 2025 budget, sets millage and approves $5.59 million settlement
Summary
The Lock Haven City Council on a voice/roll-call vote approved the 2025 budget including major funds totaling $13,821,668, adopted a property millage levy effective Jan. 1, 2025, and authorized a $5,585,000 settlement to resolve pending litigation; council also approved fee changes and several administrative items.
Lock Haven City Council voted to adopt the city's 2025 budget and related tax and administrative measures during its regular meeting. An unidentified presenter read the budgets for major funds: General Fund $6,460,220; Water Fund $2,691,262; Sewer Fund $3,891,724; Airport Fund $346,656; and Liquid Fuels $431,806, for a combined total of $13,821,668. The council moved to adopt Ordinance 2024-06 to approve the budget.
The council also adopted a millage resolution the presenter described as "20 mills for each dollar of assessed valuation" on general-purpose land and "9.8 mills" for buildings and improvements, to take effect Jan. 1 and appear on 2025 real estate bills. The presenter said the levies will be invoiced to residents through Burkhart. Council conducted a roll-call vote and recorded affirmative responses from multiple members; the motion carried.
Councilors approved changes to the schedule of charges and fees, presented as a fee-resolution effective Jan. 1, 2025. Staff said the adjustments reflect inflationary pressures and increased wages and benefits and noted one code-enforcement clarification: a flat base fee plus a per-square-foot charge applies to new construction, while exterior alterations and renovations are charged under a separate (lower) schedule.
In new business the council considered a settlement stemming from litigation in the Court of Common Pleas, Clinton County (case no. 4232018). The presenter described a memorandum of understanding and said the resolution would authorize the mayor and city manager to execute a full and final release. The memorandum sets the settlement amount at $5,585,000; council approved the resolution by roll call.
Other administrative items approved or announced included adoption of the 2025 meeting schedule (generally first and third meetings each month, with special scheduling in November/December for budget work), presentation of a unified personnel manual compiled with a grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development and attorney assistance, a franchise notice from Comcast about upcoming rate and package changes, and staff authorization to issue a zoning clarification letter to a resident seeking guidance on propagation/sale of certain game birds (subject to correction of a property-address typo). Public works announced the city's recycling center has relocated to the rear of 99 Second Avenue; staff emphasized not putting recyclables in plastic bags and noted the move will improve camera monitoring and reduce illegal dumping.
Councilors were thanked by a presenter for staff work on the budget; staff said final adopted budget books will be distributed to council and placed on the city website by year'end. The meeting moved on to other routine business after the recorded votes.
