Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Beaver Borough adopts 2026 budget, keeps property tax rate at 5.58 and creates assistant borough manager post
Summary
Beaver Borough Council adopted the 2026 general fund budget, fixed the real property tax rate at 5.58 (no change), and created an Assistant Borough Manager position with a $70,720 salary, appointing Rebecca Phillips effective Jan. 1, 2026. The budget passed after a roll-call vote with one no vote and two abstentions.
Beaver Borough Council on Dec. 9 adopted its 2026 General Fund budget, approved a real property tax rate of 5.58 (no change from 2025), and voted to create an Assistant Borough Manager position that will pay $70,720 annually.
Amy Stettler moved the motion to adopt the 2026 budget, which the council approved on a roll-call vote. The minutes record the vote as: Alexander Andres — Yes; Bob Bickerton — Yes; Michael Deelo — Yes; Todd Hindman — Abstain; Whitney Learn-Conjeski — Abstain; Margaret McKean — No; Sean Snowden — Yes; Amy Stettler — Yes. The motion's passage authorizes non‑union employee wages and lists compensation for the Borough Manager and the Police Chief as included in the adopted budget.
The council also approved Resolution 2025‑05 to fix the 2026 real property tax at a rate of 5.58. The minutes note the motion passed on a voice vote; the record also indicates Council member Margaret McKean opposed the decision.
On personnel matters, Council created the Assistant Borough Manager position with an annual salary of $70,720 and appointed Rebecca Phillips to the post effective Jan. 1, 2026. The motion to create the position and make the appointment passed on a roll-call vote: Andres, Bickerton, Deelo, Learn‑Conjeski, Snowden and Stettler voted yes; McKean voted no; Todd Hindman registered an abstention.
Finance discussion leading up to the votes highlighted ongoing cost pressures and a succession-planning rationale for increasing compensation. Amy Stettler said the borough had asked Dan Madgar to take on the manager role 11 years earlier after a failed nationwide search; she said the borough is "starting to build toward what it will cost as part of the succession plan," and estimated the full cost could be $50,000–$70,000 more per year than current pay levels. Stettler also told council that, over his 11 years, the Borough Manager had saved the borough nearly $1 million.
Council materials and the manager's report note logistical next steps: the Reorganization Meeting is set for Jan. 5, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. The adopted budget and attendant wage decisions take effect with the new fiscal year.
