Members of Bath Borough Council voted unanimously to hold the line on 2019 taxes during their Dec. 3 meeting.

When council President Mark Saginario said, “All those in favor (of voting for no tax hike) say ‘aye,’” several residents in attendance joined in by saying “aye.”

“We have more than a unanimous vote,” Saginario quipped.

The millage rate will remain at 15 mills.

Saginario thanked council members, borough Manager Brad Flynn and Mayor Fiorella Reginelli-Mirabito for their hard work in retaining the tax rate.

A change in police services in 2018 from Colonial Regional Police Department to Pennsylvania State Police saved the borough several hundreds of thousands of dollars, significantly assisting in holding the line on taxes in the 2019 budget.

Saginario also reported the fire tax rate for 2019 is unchanged.

“We have big capital projects planned for 2019,” he said. “We are applying for a grant with Upper Nazareth to purchase road equipment and preparing for our 2020 sanitation contract.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, a resident asked why leaves are not being picked up quickly.

Flynn explained that the leaf pick-up machine is in need of repair. He reported the hydraulic part had arrived and the repair would be done in-house to save funds. It is expected leaf pick-up may be extended for two or three more weeks.

In her report, Reginelli-Mirabito said the next Bath town watch meeting is 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16, 2019, in the borough hall, 121 S. Walnut St.

She also mentioned the difficulties Bath is experiencing with grant denials for its efforts to address traffic flow.

“It is annoying when townships get funding, but boroughs do not,” Reginelli-Mirabito said.

Council voted unanimously to change the 2019 meetings from 7 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Fire Chief Emilio DeNisi reported there were 28 fire calls in November.

The next meeting of Bath Borough Council will be 6:30 p.m. Jan. 7, 2019, in the borough hall.