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Council committee reviews new borough financial view and options for 421 West Main Street
Summary
Borough committee reviewed a simplified month-to-month financial overview, discussed the '24 audit and 2027 budget planning, and examined maintenance and potential renovations at 421 West Main Street, with a rough $256,000 maintenance estimate and exploration of third-floor renovations to expand county office space.
Council committees reviewed a new, simplified month-over-month financial overview of the borough’s funds and discussed maintenance and possible renovations at 421 West Main Street.
Councilman Michael Yetter told the committee the new financial view breaks out revenues and expenditures by fund — including the general, electric, wastewater, parks and recreation, parking and West Main Street funds — and said the borough saw continued higher first-quarter general fund revenues largely tied to the timing of real-estate and transfer taxes. He said the borough’s 2024 audit was completed April 15 and that staff plans to begin the 2027 budget process in July with a multiyear planning horizon to follow.
On facilities, Yetter summarized a structural review of 421 West Main Street and said the county, which currently occupies the building, has expressed interest in expanding office space into an unoccupied third floor. "We discussed the need for roofing, repointing, recapping the brick, HVAC, and potential structural questions and review," Yetter said. He said a maintenance bid for roof and repointing work came back at about $256,000, not including HVAC, and that staff will seek two proposals: one for immediate repairs and one to develop cost estimates for bringing the third floor up to code for office use.
Council members pressed for clarity on whether fire-safety work was included in the $256,000 estimate; staff answered that it was not and that the proposals will include defined repair lists and budgets. Members also raised the prospect of negotiating a firm lease commitment from the county before the borough proceeds with larger capital investments.
Yetter said a possible county purchase of the building had been mentioned but would be complex because of deed restrictions and would require legal review. "The county expressed a very strong desire to be in that location and expand their footprint," Yetter said, and staff will continue lease and deed-restriction discussions with the borough solicitor.
The committee did not take final action on the building beyond requesting the two proposals and further legal review; the matter will return to council as staff refines cost estimates and potential lease outcomes.
The committee also approved moving the check warrant for 05/06/2026 to full council for immediate payment approval.
