Council reviews 2025 draft budget, considers ~2-mill tax increase and regional police options

Beaver Borough Council reviewed elements of the 2025 draft budget during its Nov. 12 meeting, including a possible tax increase of about two mills and early discussion of options to regionalize policing.

Margaret McKean, a council member reporting for the Finance Committee, said she had spoken with a chief from the Beaver County Regional Police who provided a "back of the envelope" estimate for what two officers might cost. Based on that preliminary information, McKean recommended the borough explore regional policing options, including shared coverage with the Beaver County Regional Police or with Brighton Township. The minutes do not include the estimate itself or a proposed timeline; council asked for more information.

During the manager/secretary report the council received several budget- and operations-related items: the borough's COSTARS salt contract price for 2024–2025 was listed at $85.32 per ton (compared with $79.28/ton in 2022–2023) and an estimated price for 2025–2026 of $89.59/ton was noted. The manager also reported that Town Center Associates will attend the next work session to review community vibrancy data and that street sweeping is expected to be suspended by mid‑December.

Mayor Thomas Hamilton and Council member Michael Deelo also addressed a lead-service-line notification: Deelo explained that a federal mandate requires elimination of lead water lines within 10 years. The Beaver Borough Municipal Authority has been replacing discovered lead lines during projects and sent letters to residents notifying them they may have lead service lines requiring replacement; homeowners are responsible for the private portion of the service line.

Council did not make budgetary decisions or set a tax rate at the Nov. 12 meeting; discussion will continue as staff provide more detailed cost estimates and options.