During the Dec. 15 Catasauqua Borough Council meeting, council members approved the 2026 budget, with no tax increase for residents. The tax rate remains at 15.05 mills for residents.

Borough Manager Glenn Eckhart noted they balanced the budget with $445,000 from the cash reserves. He also noted this is the third balanced budget in a row.

Both the budget and the tax rate passed 5-1, with Councilwoman Jill Smerdon opposed.

Council also amended the fee schedule, setting the trash fee for 2026. It was noted this fee is increasing for residents, but that is out of the borough’s control due to the contract with the trash services provider. Eckhart also warned residents the cost is expected to increase again next year.

The final resolution approved by council set the senior citizen and early payment discount for the refuse fee. Seniors fitting the eligibility requirements can expect a $25 discount, and those who pay the total annual amount early will see a $31.50 discount. To get the discount, payments must be made by Feb. 27, 2026.

“About half our people pay early, so this is important,” Eckhart said.

It was noted the deadline to be considered for the empty council seat is Dec. 26. The seat, vacated by Gene Schlegel, has a term until 2028. Eckhart reported there are already two candidates, but Councilwoman Kim Brubaker said they need more people. Interested candidates should check the eligibility requirements and send a resume to Eckhart.

At the end of the meeting, Mayor-elect Anthony Alcalde advocated for more civic involvement from the community and encouraged residents of all backgrounds to apply for the empty seat. He noted more varied backgrounds help add new viewpoints to council.

Smerdon asked if they can put the information about the Dec. 29 special meeting to interview and fill the seat on the borough’s electronic sign to help reach a greater audience and help spread the word.

The council members approved Jared Hanna to serve as the borough’s interim solicitor until they find a permanent replacement for Chuck Smith, who recently resigned the role. Hanna already serves the borough as the labor attorney.

Borough council unanimously approved the hiring of Mia Gallagher as a full-time police officer for the borough.

A number of payment certificates were approved during the engineer’s report, including a $23,835.72 final payment for the wastewater treatment plant project, $211,832.33 for the Bridge Street streetscape project and $76,169.16 for the pocket park at 14th and Poplar streets. It was noted a number of these projects are grant-funded so some of these payments are reimbursable.

Council also approved a change order for the Bridge Street project, crediting $14,238.10 back to the borough.

Engineer Vanessa Nedrick also recommended the borough consider implementing a new AI program for assessing roads and signs. She noted it’s great for planning, is Liquid Fuels reimbursable and can be accessed by smartphone. She suggested the public works committee explore and discuss the program.

Eckhart recommended they continue the TNR (trap, neuter, release) contract for 2026. Eckhart noted the contract details include $1,000 to cover 20 cats a year. He also said he can take care of the DRC contracts for IT services for the borough and police department for 2026.

Other council approvals included the new open records policy that the accreditation team recommended since neither the borough nor police department were in compliance, the contract for Chad Helmer and Taggart Associates and the 2026 meeting schedule.

Councilwoman Rev. Virginia Schlegel gave a special shout-out to the public works department for its work during the recent snowfall.

“You guys did a heck of a job,” she said.

Brubaker noted they are still working through revisions and the implementation of the borough’s new mission statement. She thanked council President Howard Cunningham for putting together the first version, and council will further discuss the mission statement in committee meetings.

Brubaker also said it is important for council to embody the core values and words of the mission statement and to allow it to spread out from them first to the community members.

Cunningham read a proclamation honoring both Mayor Barbara Schlegel and recently resigned Councilman Gene Schlegel for their years of service and dedication to the borough. Barbara Schlegel reached the end of her term as mayor.

Contacted after the meeting, Barbara Schlegel shared her thoughts.

“At the heart of it all, all I do is a sincere commitment to the Catasauqua community,” she said. “My volunteerism and elected offices are great joys in my life. Thank you to all of you whose integrity and sincerity will always remain in my heart.”

Borough council next meets 6:30 p.m. Dec. 29 for interviews and to fill the empty council seat. The annual reorganization will be held during the workshop and committee meetings 6 p.m. Jan. 5, 2026, and the next regular business meeting is planned for 7 p.m. Jan. 19, 2026. Meetings are held in the municipal complex, 90 Bridge St.