Northumberland commissioners approve 2026 budget; keep county tax rate unchanged
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Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved the final 2026 county budget Dec. 23, 2025, voted to hold county taxes at last year's rate, and approved multiple routine contracts, grants and personnel changes, including salary increases for non‑bargaining employees.
Northumberland County commissioners on Dec. 23 approved the final county budget for 2026 and said the county's tax rate will remain unchanged from 2025.
At the start of floor debate, a commissioner asked for confirmation that "there will be no increase in taxes," and a county official responded, "That's correct." The board then voted by voice—"Aye"—to adopt the budget.
The meeting record shows several accompanying administrative actions. Commissioners authorized a payment of $6,566.66 for 2,005 medical waivers submitted by the human resources office and approved monthly fiscal status reports for November 2025 from the weatherization department, including Department of Energy, BIL and LIHEAP items. They adopted listed budget amendments and ratified routine procurement steps, such as advertising a bid for home heating oil supply and delivery to county properties.
Personnel and contract actions approved at the meeting included a salary adjustment for all non‑bargaining employees effective with the first pay of 2026: employees earning $50,000 or more will receive a 2% raise and those earning less than $50,000 will receive a 3% raise. The board also awarded janitorial services at the Human Services Complex to the lowest qualified bidder, identified in the meeting as "Diversified," and amended an agreement with Patricia Vatovich to perform cleaning duties for a magisterial district court at $250 per month effective Dec. 1, 2025. The board accepted the resignation of Donna Rampalo from a magisterial court cleaning post (effective Dec. 1, 2025).
On infrastructure and legal matters, commissioners authorized the sale of a county bridge parcel (BMS number 497219-0430-0124) on Hollow Road to Isaac S. Zook for the sum of $1, ratified a settlement agreement in Stankavage v. Northumberland County (docket no. 424-CV-01973), and extended a service agreement with engineer Charles Hopfitt Jr. through Dec. 31, 2026 (resolution R141-15).
The board authorized execution of professional court reporting agreements with Paula J. Singer and Ronnie Lynn Kreischer, approved a lease agreement with Step by Step Incorporated contingent on agreement with the service provider, and authorized an agreement with Pentel Data to port the prison's telephone numbers to a new voice service. Commissioners also authorized a grant application for adult probation/parole FY02/2026 and a petty‑cash increase for the Tax Claims Bureau to a total of $500 to assist with cash transactions.
Solicitor remarks accompanied adoption of Resolution R45-25, a maintenance and service agreement to implement the Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification (SAVIN) system, and Resolution R46-25 to encumber liquid fuels tax funds for the superstructure replacement of Bridge No. 38T-538 on Comfort Road in Rockefeller Township.
The commissioners set the county salary board reorganizational meeting for Jan. 5, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. at the administration center and the next regular public meeting for Jan. 6, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the administration center public meeting room at 399 Stadium Drive in Sunbury.
The meeting record indicates all motions reported above were approved by voice vote; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
