Cleona council reviews 2026 preliminary budget, discusses road repaving plans

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

Cleona Borough Council reviewed the preliminary 2026 budget and discussed repaving several borough roads that need immediate attention during its Sept. 8 meeting.

Councilmember Bob Moyer was absent.

Borough manager Jonathan Johnson presented the preliminary budget with a 0.4 increase in the millage rate. Proposed expenditures for the borough are $1.355 million and proposed revenues are $1.376 million, leaving a surplus of roughly $21,000 in 2026’s operating budget. 

With the new 3.39 millage rate, property owners will pay an additional $128 per year, or about $11 per month. The increased rate will bring the borough an extra $111,422 per year, according to Johnson.

Johnson said council will hold a budget workshop on Sept. 22 before the budget’s first reading at next month’s meeting. Final adoption of the budget is slated for December.

Councilman Sam Wengert presented a color-coded map showing multiple roads in the borough in need of repair. Wengert said he plans to prioritize paving the yellow and red roads, which range from “failed” and “poor” to “fair” condition, as opposed to green roads being good, blue being very good and orange being in excellent condition. 

Repaving costs $159.63 per linear foot, according to the borough’s calculations. Repaving East Chestnut Street, which includes red, yellow and green sections, would cost $287,200. 

For all red roads, repaving is roughly $829,576 based on preliminary calculations. Wengert said the red sections could cost $1 million down the line if not addressed promptly. The total cost for the 10-year project is estimated at $1.95 million. 

Though no action was taken, the borough will likely see an increase in taxes to cover the cost of the project.

“Everybody here has always done an excellent job to stay under budget every year for years and years and years on end. The thing is, after a while, you’ve got to pay the piper,” Wengert said.

Along with the proposed increase in millage rate, money from the capital fund will be put toward a three-year “lockbox” for the road pavement project, Johnson said. At the end of the third year, the borough will be able to use the money and start paving the roads in order of priority.

At the meeting, Marty Brandt, board president for the Annville Free Library, said the library is seeing a surge in attendance and is on track to welcome 46,000 visitors for 2025. The number is similar to pre-pandemic levels, he said.

“We see DVD circulation going down, but people still want to get out and do social activities. So that’s what we’re providing for them,” Brandt said. 

Read More: Annville Free Library reports record attendance, requests funding bump

Some of the activities the library offers are bread- and salsa-making classes, brick painting, book bedazzling, yoga and death cafes, which provide support for individuals reeling from deaths and losses, said library director Ronice Nolt.

Brandt said he will work with councilmember Patrick Haley to ask for an increase in the borough’s donation to the library next year, as it currently faces increases in utilities, wages and insurance rates.

In other business:

• Council approved the disposal of old police records dating back to the 1980s and a bid of $1,765 from KB Heating, Cooling & Plumbing to install a sink and drainage in the police department. The bid doesn’t include a sink and faucets, which council estimated to be an additional $400 and would need to purchase them before the project began. 
• Council approved closing out the American Rescue Plan Act account, which has a balance of $47.67, according to Johnson. The remaining funds will be transferred to the borough’s capital fund. 
• Council approved a bid from Landscapes by Dustin to provide snow-plowing service for the borough’s northside and a bid from Siebecker Property Management for the southside. Both companies are based in Cleona, which Wengert said gives them a leg up, as they already know the area. Both contracts will last until the 2028-29 fiscal year. 
• Council approved a bid from JVI Group to pave the alleys between Garfield and Christian streets. Paving costs $42,358 for East Union Alley and $39,175 for East Liberty Alley. Johnson suggested the borough use its Highway Fund and Liquid Fuels revenues to cover the cost of the project.
• Haley announced this year’s Fall Festival will not have a haunted walk due to a lack of volunteers. The festival will take place on Oct. 18 from 2 to 6 p.m. Haley said the planning committee wants to “do some different things” this year and they’re meeting to discuss the festival on Sept. 9. 
• This year’s last movie night will take place at Cleona Park on Sept. 20, according to Haley. The showing for “A Minecraft Movie” will begin at 7 p.m.

Cleona Borough Council will have its next regular monthly meeting at 140 W. Walnut St. on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.