Catasauqua Borough Council approved the 2023 budget at its Dec. 19 meeting.

Discussions and adjustments continued to be made to the budget up to the last minute to try and achieve a budget number that balanced expenses and revenues. Some changes included trimming the solicitor fee amount; reducing the amount budgeted to fix the leak at the pool pump house; cutting expenses for event supplies, flowers and holiday lighting; trimming the police overtime amount; and matching the expenses for concerts with the amount anticipated from sponsors.

Based on these changes and an expected collection rate of 95%, the budget would be at 15.05 mills, which will balance the budget.

“Thank you! We finally got through it,” borough Manager Glenn Eckhart said after council voted unanimously to accept the budget.

Council President Brain Bartholomew was absent.

Eckhart mentioned he is working on a new process for the development of future budgets to allow for a smoother, more streamlined process.

It was a tense process getting to a balanced budget, with emotions continuing to run high. Councilman Paul Cmil pointed fingers and placed blame, calling out Mayor Barbara Schlegel, Councilman Eugene Schlegel and council Vice President Howard Cunningham by name.

Cmil also questioned Ryan Hottenstein, senior vice president at FSL Public Finance LLC, about how the financials got into such a precarious state, even though the finance firm has been working with the borough for many years.

Hottenstein noted the firm only assisted with debt issuance in the past. It wasn’t until recently it was asked to assist with the budget and financial matters.

“It was recently brought to our attention. It wasn’t our job before then,” Hottenstein said, adding the financial problems go back years.

Cmil said he wants to reach out and speak to an attorney about the past council’s financial decisions.

In an effort to move forward with the business at hand, Councilwoman Jill Smerdon quickly moved the conversation along and started proposing the newest changes and cuts to the budget.

Following the discussions about changes and cuts to the expenses, Smerdon brought up the possibility of selling assets. Eckhart said he wasn’t comfortable discussing that option yet, adding he wants more time to look into that possibility for the future.

Eckhart shared his appreciation for the hard work the borough staff members have been doing to help put the budget together, noting it has not been an easy task. He kept mentioning the importance of looking to the future and how to get the borough “back on track” instead of looking to the past and placing blame.

“Be patient,” Eckhart said. “I’m not giving up. I’m going to find a way to get through. I want to see the borough standing on its feet again.”

It was noted this budget was focused on needs, not wants. There were difficult decisions made in an effort to avoid raising taxes. Eckhart and council members noted the future goal is to reduce taxes and be able to offer more in the budget once things level off a bit more.

At the end of the meeting, resident Virginia Schlegel thanked council for “a job well done” during the past year. She said she can see the hard work council was doing to “set things straight and keep it together.”

Council is expected to meet 7 p.m. Dec. 29 for the official vote on ordinance 1424 setting the 2023 tax rate at 15.05 mills. The vote couldn’t be taken at the Dec. 19 meeting since an ordinance needs to be advertised to the public before an official council vote can be taken.

The next borough council business meeting is planned for 7 p.m. Jan. 16, 2023, at the municipal complex, 90 Bridge St. Committee meetings start 6 p.m. Jan. 3, 2023.