Media Approves 2013 Budget with No Tax Increase

Media Borough Council unanimously approved the 2013 budget at its meeting Thursday with no mill change to residents.

The $9.2 million total budget brings no tax change to residents. The rate will remain at three mills, which is $375 for the average home assessment of $125,000, Borough Manager Jeff Smith said.

Breaking down the $9,206,845 million total budget, the general fund holds $7.62 million, capital fund $1.41 million, recreation fund $64,500 and liquid fuels fund $100,250.

A few of the larger expenditures projected for the 2013 capital fund are maintenance and updating at Borough Hall at $50,000, the purchase of a new police vehicle as well as computers and hand held radios for police at $40,000, maintenance to the parking garage and parking kiosks at $200,000 and upgrades to Houtman Park and Philip Green Park at $197,500.

The Public Works department is a larger expenditure at a total of $709,000 for the purchase of a trash truck ($142,000), maintenance, repair and installation of storm sewer piping and drains ($250,000), Third Street Project Design ($300,000), sidewalk reimbursement ($12,000) and maintenance to the Armory building or Trader Joe's building ($5,000). (View the photo gallery for more details.)

Council also approved $200,000 in the capital fund expenditures for the Media-Upper Providence Library building refresh project.

Council member Paul Robinson explained that council's approval of the library expenditure money was essentially moving the money from the capital reserve fund into a line item in the capital expenditure budget.

"It's not a commitment, it's not writing a check," Robinson said. "But I think it's important that those funds be there...to show (we) are committed."

In order to spend the earmarked $200,000, council would need to take an additional vote, Council Solicitor Robert Scott explained.

"This vote tonight is to budget it, it does not spend it," Scott said. "To write the check would require an additional vote of council."

Council member Kent Davidson said the approval is a budget planning tool, saying it's OK to spend the $200,000 but not yet spending the monies and council has the ability to modify the budget at any time.

The estimated $2.5 million library project would bring much-needed updates to the 100-year-old building, including bringing the library to two levels rather than six and adding an elevator making handicap accessibility easier.

Upper Providence Township Council, which was also asked to fund a portion of the shared-library upgrades, did not approve financing in its budget for the project, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.

Library Board President Fran Shields said at Media's Thursday meeting that although Upper Providence denied the funding in its budget there may still be some opportunities to re-allocate monies toward the library project.

"It's not over, they did present some changes to the budget that's currently been approved to try to re-allocate for 2013. But it is disappointing....we're going to aggressively proceed with any and all measures to try to make sure they fund in Upper Providence," Shields said.

Council President Brian Hall abstained from voting on the library line item within the budget due to the fact his daughter is a part-time employee at the library.