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LH Council to meet in person on Nov. 2

2021 budget discussions to begin early

LOCK HAVEN — After nearly eight months of meeting strictly by remote broadcast, Lock Haven City Council will conduct business in-person starting Nov. 2.

The meetings will be held in room 425 at Lock Haven University’s Raub Hall and will run in accordance with the city’s 2021 budget schedule.

“Normally in the city the budget schedule begins during the second meeting in November,” City Manager Gregory Wilson told council Monday night.

Due to the need to meet in-person as well as have broadcast capabilities, Director of Community Life Kasey Campbell secured the room at the university.

“Because the university intends to close for the season at Thanksgiving, the budget schedule would be bumped up… to begin Nov. 2 with the first public hearing instead of the last meeting in November,” Wilson said. “So it really moves the schedule forward two weeks.”

The schedule follows:

— Nov. 2: 2021 proposed budget presented for council consideration and public review including the first reading of the 2021 budget ordinance fixing the tax rate for the next year followed by the first budget hearing.

— Nov. 2: 2021 proposed budget placed on the city’s website for public review and available in print by request in Wilson’s office.

— Nov. 9: Regular meeting including the first budget hearing.

— Nov. 16: Regular meeting including second budget hearing.

— Nov. 23: Regular meeting including the third budget hearing.

— Dec. 7: Adoption of the 2021 Budget Ordinance fixing the tax for the next fiscal year.

“I have been working feverishly to get the budget book completed … of course three weeks earlier than normal,” Wilson said. “Right now I am in a pretty good position to be able to put that out — hopefully by the middle of next week — to council so that it has time to review the book and ask questions prior to the meetings.”

All meetings will begin at 7 p.m. Members of the public who’d like to attend are encouraged to review LHU’s COVID-19 mitigation rules including the use of facemasks on campus and social distancing requirments at www.lockhaven.edu/FallReturn/index.html

A maximum of 15 residents will be permitted in the room at a time.

“If more people attend than are able to be in the room, we will have someone there ensure that people are able to come, make a presentation and then leave the room and let another person come in,” Wilson said.

Accomodations will be made for those with medical conditions that keeps them from attending the meeting in person.

All meetings will still be streamed live via the city’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

On Dec. 7, council will meet strictly virtual to consider adopting the final 2021 budget and tax ordinance.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business council:

— Heard from Wilson about the proposal for the multiyear Sunset Pines stormwater and paving project. Wilson said a presentation regarding the project will be available during the Nov. 2 meeting.

— Appointed Gerald Ward, Ronald Young Jr. and Shawn Kleckner as auxiliary drivers for city fire departments.

— Appointed Christopher Stanonis, of North Fairview Street, to fill the last vacant position on the Ross Library Board of Trustees.

— Approved a banner request by Downtown Lock Haven Inc. for “Small Business Saturdays.”

City Council will meet in person on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. in room 425 in Raub Hall on Lock Haven University’s campus.

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