Fountain Hill Borough Council had its last meeting of the year Dec. 18. Philip Trabel, of Benner Street, who was elected to the council in November, introduced himself. He will be taking Councilperson Ed Stetch's seat next year. Stetch had not sought re-election.

The 2014 budget was adopted in a 6-1 vote, with Councilperson Norman Blatt dissenting. In previous meetings Blatt had questioned the plan to lower the budget by reducing the police department payroll.

Blatt had described the planned reductions as coming from legal matters with uncertain outcomes involving police officers James Scoble and Grady Cunningham. Scoble was charged with a DWI last December and Cunningham was fired in February for assaulting a suspect, before being reinstated in August following arbitration.

The property tax rate will remain unchanged at 5.11 mills, because of the planned savings.

A 7 percent increase in the garbage and sewer rates was adopted unanimously.

Councilperson Helen Halleman asked the rest of the council to consider sending letters to the nonprofit organizations that own land in the borough asking for a donation because of their tax exempt status. She said the 38 parcels of land utilize borough resources, so a donation could help offset the costs. Councilperson Douglass Trotter Jr., chair of the Finance Committee, said that he would look into the suggestion.