Alburtis Borough Council approved the final 2019 budget totaling $2,027,995 at its Dec. 26, 2018, meeting with no tax increase. The budget is balanced. The water and sewer rates will not increase.

Councilperson Stephen Kaufman remarked Alburtis was in better shape than some other boroughs who had to raise taxes.

Agreeing with Kaufman, Council President Ron DeIaco said passing this budget was a result of 30 or so years of responsible management because the board has been frugal but has always taken care of all the needs of the residents.

In other business, resident Gary DeRoner asked questions about who receives collected earned income taxes when people work outside of the borough and he was told the borough does not control those taxes anymore.

Council approved the minutes of Dec. 12, 2018 unanimously with one correction being the sidewalks complaint was from a resident.

A motion was passed approving the bills of Dec. 26, 2018, for payment and a motion was passed to accept and approve the November 2018 report from Chris A. DeFrain, fiscal consultant.

Kyle Dietrich, an employee in the maintenance department, submitted his resignation and council passed a motion to accept it effective Dec. 28, 2018. Supervisor of Maintenance Donnie Derr will be contacted about his suggestions for filling this position temporarily and finding a full-time replacement. A motion was passed to advertise this as a full-time position.

A motion was passed authorizing the borough staff to write a check to the non-uniformed pension fund. Because this employee was not vested he will forfeit all of his pension funds.

Dietrich did not pay into the fund.

Ordinance No. 552 was adopted by passing a motion. This ordinance establishes the real estate tax rate and other taxes are to be the same for 2019 as in 2018.

Ordinance No. 553 was adopted by passing a motion. This ordinance revises the compensation ranges for certain positions of employment or appointments by the borough effective Jan. 1, 2019, including certain administration employees, maintenance employees and professionals. It also confirms the existing Fidelity Bond requirements for certain borough employees.

A motion was passed adopting Resolution No. 2018-15, appointing the independent auditor for the borough for Fiscal Year 2019.

A motion was passed adopting Resolution No. 2018-16 reducing contributions by police officers to the Borough Police Pension Plan for 2019 to four percent of compensation.

A motion was passed with, Councilperson Sherryann Oels abstaining, to accept a development agreement for 315 East Stone Allen in Alburtis, between the Borough of Alburtis and JAR Development, LLC of 2268 S. 12th St., Allentown.

Council passed a motion allowing Borough Manager Sharon Trexler to connect with National Road Utility Supply, Inc. of Natrona Heights, Pa., to use their BEACON AMA Mobile System Drive-by Metering System for 48 meters.

Council briefly discussed their regrets about what the Alburtis Tax Collector has to go through when getting blamed for a mistake made when someone at East Penn School District sent tax notices out the day after they were due. The school district did apologize and said it would never happen again, DeIaco said.