KULPMONT - Borough council voted Monday evening to pass its final 2014 budget, complete with a 4 1/2 mill tax increase.
The $2,144,300 budget was unanimously approved at the borough's reorganization meeting during which new mayor Bernard Novakoski was sworn in. Current councilmembers Clarence H. Deitrick, Stephen Motyka, Bruno R. Varano and Joseph A. Winhofer retook the oath, and tax collector Linda Nolter and auditor Dianne Padula were also sworn in.
The tax jump includes a 1 1/2 mill increase for the general fund to help meet expenses and a 3-mill increase to help pay the bill for a $1.47 million loan that will be used to build a new borough complex. Officials said they are working on building plans and are hoping the project will only cost $1 million, letting them revisit the tax rate at the end of the year.
Varano was re-appointed as borough council president while Deitrick was re-elected as council vice-president. Michael Pitcavage was named the borough's new police chief by unanimous vote.
All other offices in the borough stayed the same: Paul Niglio, treasurer and vacancy board chair; Rhonda Wilk, open records officer; Berkheimer as delinquent tax collector; Dr. Ray Kraynak, borough physician; Kevin O' Hearn, emergency management coordinator; William C. Cole, solicitor, and Susquehanna Bank, borough depository.
Fire chiefs also sworn in at Monday's meeting were Jeff Gilotti, chief; O'Hearn, deputy chief, and Raymond Siko II, assistant fire chief.