This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
BELLEFONTE — Bellefonte Borough Council on Dec. 1 took another step toward adopting its 2026 spending plan, working through remaining questions on capital projects, utility funds and equipment purchases before voting later in the evening to approve a tentative budget for public inspection.
The proposed 2026 budget reflects balanced figures of $4,182,675 million in both expenses and revenue with no tax increase.
During a work session before the business meeting, Finance Director Lori McGowan walked council through the remaining funds that had not yet been discussed, starting with the bulk water sales fund. Half of the borough’s bulk water revenue — roughly $120,000 next year — flows into that account.
“It’s used mainly to match any kind of grant that needs a dollar match,” McGowan said, adding that it is also the source for waterfront-related expenses. “The waterfront still has a loan on it that goes through this fund, and the Water Street property, which is where Pelican’s is, is in this fund.”
The fund also carries the loan payment, the county’s 902 recycling grant for the compost facility, a 20 percent match for a flashing beacon at the D Diamond, half the cost of the traffic signal at Zion Road, a feasibility study for an ADA walking trail on Potter Street, donations to regional watershed organizations and the borough’s contribution to the Centre County Visitors Center.
A separate capital projects fund includes the other half of the Zion Road traffic signal, $50,000 for a partial roof replacement at 236 W. Lamb St., a forklift, a service truck moved out of the streets fund and $25,000 for a road surface survey.
The road survey line drew additional discussion. Interim borough manager David Pribulka told council a software-based system called RoadAI could allow staff to conduct their own road condition surveys for an annual license fee.
“You can comfortably reduce that to $9,500 and still be able to pursue this solution,” Pribulka said, suggesting the $25,000 placeholder be lowered. “If you decide it’s not something you want to pursue, we can always not buy it.”
Council also revisited a proposed $49,500 boom mower, a piece of equipment requested by the streets department. Council Vice President Doug Johnson argued the purchase should be held until grant funding might be available.
“I’m not supporting $49,500 for a boom mower, at least not this year,” Johnson said. “If we could get some 902 grant money to fund it, then I would probably support that.”
Council President Barbara Dann said she backed keeping the mower in the budget, citing safety and efficiency for staff.
“It’s something that he explained to us would save time with what they’re doing, and it may be safer for our employees, too,” Dann said. “I think it’s a very important part of our budget.”
McGowan said the current 902 grant is already dedicated to the compost facility and was unsure whether the program could be amended or whether the mower would qualify this round.
Later in the work session, McGowan offered a recap of all funds, noting that electric cost assumptions had been adjusted from a 100 percent increase down to 75 percent and that the only tax change is a one-tenth mill increase in the EMS fund, at council’s earlier direction. There is no general fund tax increase. Refuse rates will rise $1.20 per quarter — $4.80 per year — after the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority raised its tipping fee $3 per ton.
During the regular business meeting, council separated the consent agenda to address November meeting minutes tied to the controversial demolition permit for the Beaver Farmhouse. Council President Barbara Dann said the draft minutes heavily summarized one speaker while giving little space to others who commented.
“I would like to have that part redone so it reflects what really happened,” Dann said, asking that “a sentence or two from each speaker” be added. Council unanimously approved a motion “to amend the minutes of the Nov. 17 meeting to reflect comments from all those who made public comments for the demolition of the Beaver farmhouse.”
Council then voted to tentatively approve the 2026 budget for advertisement and public review.
In other business, council accepted an EMS third-quarter report that showed call volume up about 10 percent over prior years and unanimously approved hiring two new police officers — Thomas Snyder and Amanda Barnes — from the borough’s civil service eligibility list along with the recommendation of Chief Bill Witmer.
During final public comment, Marion Township resident Lisa Ford asked Bellefonte officials to pay attention to a proposed rezoning in her township near the Interstate 80 interchange that could open approximately 278 acres to highway commercial development.
Ford said the area lacks basic infrastructure and noted that residents depend on private wells and septic systems.
“We have no public water. We have no public sewage in Marion Township,” she said. “So if you take 278 acres at 70 percent impervious surfaces, that’s a lot of stormwater runoff.”
Ford referenced a July 18 letter from the Centre County Planning Office questioning whether the area could support such intensive development, citing high water use for a potential truck stop and the site’s designation as a high potential recharge area by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.
While acknowledging the project is outside borough limits, Ford said groundwater and streams do not recognize municipal boundaries and urged Bellefonte to use its seat on the Nittany Valley Joint Planning Commission to push for a broader discussion.
“My ask today is really to empower your representative to the Nittany Valley Joint Planning Commission to ask those questions and have those conversations with Marion Township and the other members,” Ford said.
Council took no formal action on the Marion Township rezoning but thanked Ford for bringing the issue to their attention before adjourning.
