Mount Gretna reviews 2025 preliminary budget, plans not to raise taxes

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Mount Gretna Borough Council reviewed the 2025 preliminary budget during its Nov. 11 meeting and handed out copies for members to examine.

Board president William Kleinfelter said this budget was tougher to put together than previous years because of increasing costs throughout the economy.

"It's just what's going on in the world — everything's going up," he said. "We really had to do some head-scratching to put what's on that paper right now."

Despite the extra work, the draft budget is balanced and will not raise local taxes for borough residents.

The sewer authority and the Mount Gretna Chautauqua budgets — set by the separate entities themselves — are included in the document. With all three groups combined, expected revenue comes out to over $700,000 and expected expenditures are at about $680,000.

"We're putting something together with just the borough so it's a little clearer what the borough's doing," Bill Care, director of public works, said. "We don't budget the authority's budget, and we just have to show it because they're part of our payroll."

Both revenue and expenditures are about $25,000 higher than the 2024 budget.

Kleinfelter told members of council to take the document home to look it over so they can make comments and take action in December. The borough will advertise the budget within the next few weeks and will have to vote to adopt the final budget next month.

Council members also voted to buy a replacement public works vehicle. The current car, Care said, has holes in the frame caused by rust and would not pass inspection.

Care brought three quotes to the November meeting and suggested the cheapest one be approved.

Council agreed and authorized the purchase of a used 2021 Ford Escape for $21,995.

"I needed something to replace the one I have now," Care said. "Just to put all my tools in and all the things I need to function throughout the day."

He said they should be able to fund the purchase through special projects, liquid fuels and capital equipment funds.

"Between the three, we should be able to easily cover that expense," Care said.

Mount Gretna Borough Council will meet next at 6 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the firehall on Boulevard Street.