(11/26) Carroll Valley Borough Council’s budget does not include a tax increase, but council members still spent a significant portion of their November meeting discussing line items.
The council voted 4-2 to advertise its 2025 budget with the intention to adopt at its Dec. 10 meeting. Richard Mathews, Michael Wight, Bruce Carr, and David Lillard voted in favor. John Schubring and Catherine Schubring opposed. Cody Gilbert was absent.
John Schubring questioned the need to allocate $25,000 for part-time police officers since the borough hired a fourth full-time officer in April 2024. Police Chief Clifford Weikert explained part-time officers are needed to cover shifts when full-time staff are on vacation.
"It’s up to you guys and what kind of coverage you are looking for," Weikert said.
John Schubring has openly questioned the police department’s operations several times this year. He said he would prefer to reallocate the $25,000 to a fund that would help disabled veterans pay their water and sewer bills. Sewer bills in the borough increased significantly this year to fund the borough’s new $5.315 million sewage treatment plant.
Without passing judgment on the police department budget, Borough Manager David Hazlett expressed support for John Schubring’s proposal.
"I feel somewhat passionate as you are with trying to help our warriors," Hazlett said.
Hazlett directed the borough’s solicitor to explore the legalities of such a program. He also asked council to consider a program that would give volunteer firefighters property tax relief. The State of Pennsylvania passed a law in 2016 that gives municipalities the opportunity to offer tax relief to active volunteer firefighters and nonprofit emergency medical service agency members. Adams County and Gettysburg Borough enacted similar programs in recent years.
"I think it is important to recognize the people who are volunteering in our fire companies," Hazlett said. "They save our taxpayers millions annually."
John Schubring also questioned the need to spend $33,000 of the $49,000 allocated to special expenditures on the borough’s July 4 Celebration. He suggested the borough explore ways to reduce the event’s costs, such as hiring a DJ instead of a live band. Mathews became visibly frustrated with John Schubring and ended the conversation.
"This idea of nitpicking the different committee expenditures at this time is out of place," Mathews said.
John Schubring attempted to keep talking, but Mathews shut him down and moved on with the evening’s agenda.
Read other articles about Fairfield
