Emmaus Borough Council approved the advertisement of their proposed 2013 budget with no tax increase at the Dec. 3 meeting.

An ordinance setting the millage rate at 4.2 for the 2013 fiscal year was approved for first reading at the meeting. In discussion, council members said the rate equates to a zero tax increase even though some residents might see a rise in the amount they pay if the Lehigh County reassessment increased the value of their home.

Council voted to advertise the first reading of an ordinance applying a 5.1 percent increase to water fees for borough residents in 2013. The proposed ordinance would also increase meter rates while eliminating the first $8 per unit fee on multiunit properties.

Council also approved increasing the cost of water sold to Lehigh County Authority by 5 percent. It takes at least 60 days from the time LCA is notified for the increase to go into effect.

"If we are going to increase rates for our citizens, the cost should also go up for them," Councilmember Brent Labenberg said about increasing the price of water for the LCA.

Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee Brian Holtzhafer proposed several cuts for 2013 in order to balance a budget which also contains a $100,000 increase in worker's compensation cost and a $350,000 increase in pension fees.

Council voted to eliminate a program paying volunteer firefighters to sleep at the firehouse while on call as overnight standby. The elimination of the program is expected to create between $55,000 and $70,000 in savings.

They also voted to remove the Gamewell system of fire call boxes from telephone poles in the borough. Holtzhafer said he views the system as an antiquated addition because 911 has proven to be a very effective system and most people have access to cellular phones. The borough plans to look into selling the 40 to 45 call boxes from telephone poles while keeping the few located inside local businesses.

Accident and sickness insurance was approved to be removed from the fire department. Borough Manager Shane Pepe said everything in the $5,124 policy is also covered under worker's compensation.

Council also approved looking into the value of two borough owned properties at the meeting. They said they wanted to know more about a 16-acre property owned by the borough on South Second Street, across from Unami Rod and Gun Club. They approved looking into the possibility of timbering trees on the property for a profit or selling the property outright.

Mayor Winfield Iobst pointed out the South Mountain Conservation District is located close to the area and said he would be opposed to leveling the forest for development. Labenberg and Councilmember Wesley Barrett also expressed opposition to deforesting the land.

The investigation into the land is simply exploratory and Pepe said there would be a drawn out process before any decision is made.

Council also approved doing research on the sale, or possible spot by spot rental, of a parking lot with 53 spaces in the 500 block of Jubilee Street.

Congratulations are in order for Borough Manager Shane Pepe as he and his wife are expecting a new addition to their family any day now.

In what could have been a Freudian slip, Pepe said, "This really is a taxing time."