Sinking Spring Drafts $11.40 Trash Hike; Manager Retiring

Sinking Spring Borough's draft 2027 budget would raise each household's trash charge by $11.40 a year, push sewer bills up about 2%, leave the property tax rate alone and add a police officer, according to the minutes of Borough Council's Oct. 8 meeting, which the borough posted Friday, Nov. 13. The drafts "were presented for first review only" and "No action was taken" (pp. 4-5). The same night, council voted unanimously to accept Borough Manager Michael Hart's "Letter of Resignation/Retirement effective December 31, 2026," "with regrets expressed by Mr. Miller and all of Council and staff" (p. 3), and adopted Ordinance 672-2026, giving up part of the Broad Street right-of-way for the Village Greens development (p. 2).

The minutes are the first written record of the borough's 2027 budget drafts. They also describe a meeting that has since been overtaken: council was scheduled to meet again Thursday, Nov. 12, on an agenda that listed "Approve Trash and Sewer Rate Increases" and "Budgets – Review and Approve Advertising," with no amounts, as our Nov. 12 preview reported. As of Saturday morning, the borough has posted no minutes of that meeting, no vote and no budget document: the minutes listing stops at Oct. 8, the agenda listing stops at Nov. 12 and the budgets page says "No documents found." Whether council approved the increases Thursday is unknown.

Trash: $11.40 more per household

The general fund draft puts 2027 income at $3,911,156.10, against a 2026 year-end projection of $3,616,499.75, with "a proposed net income for 2027 of $83.10" (p. 4). "The main changes are an additional police officer and a 4% trash contract increase, equal to $11.40 per household annually," the minutes say, adding that Hart "said the contract does not allow price adjustments for fuel" (p. 4). The minutes do not name the hauler, the current charge or the officer's cost. If $11.40 is 4% of the current per-household cost, that cost is $285 a year by our arithmetic; the minutes do not state it, and the borough's trash and recycling page posts no household fee.

The draft also counts on about $170,000 more in real estate tax revenue. "In response to Mr. Metzgar, Mr. Hart attributed the roughly $170,000 increase in real estate tax revenue to the new assessment, largely Village Greens" (p. 4), the housing development whose developer got $570,540.54 of its escrow back the same night, most of it for completed final paving (below). A "modest buffer was added to general office staffing for the manager transition," and "Highway overtime and fuel reflected the back-to-back snowstorms" (p. 4).

Sewer: "less than a dollar"

The sewer fund is the draft's biggest swing. The 2026 year-end income projection is $2,379,547.57; the proposed 2027 income is $1,799,300.00. Projected net income falls from $667,753.02 this year to $38.36 next year (p. 4). Asked by council member Robert Metzgar, Hart "said the large current-year variance came from about $444,000 in tapping fees," the one-time charges developers pay to connect to the sewer system; "No tapping fees are budgeted for 2027, and the funds will be transferred to the capital fund" (p. 4).

"The proposed budget includes a 2% rate increase, driven mainly by electricity (about $40,000 over budget this year, with monthly plant bills averaging about $12,000) and chemical costs. The flat rate would rise about 50 cents and the cost per thousand-gallon charge would rise about 11 cents. Mr. Miller summarized that sewer bills would rise by less than a dollar" (p. 4).

What those cents land on is in Resolution 2022-16, the rate resolution linked from the borough's water and sewer page and the newest rate document posted. Adopted Dec. 8, 2022, it moved sewer billing to monthly as of Jan. 1, 2023 (p. 1). Its Exhibit A sets a residential "Base rate per EDU" of $25.00 plus a usage charge of $5.42 per 1,000 gallons of water used, and a separate "Flat Rate" of $47.50 per EDU (p. 2). An EDU, or equivalent dwelling unit, is one typical home's worth of sewage. Applying the minutes' approximations: the usage charge would go from $5.42 to about $5.53 per 1,000 gallons, and whichever line "the flat rate" means would go up about 50 cents, to about $25.50 if it is the base rate or about $48.00 if it is the $47.50 flat rate. The minutes do not say which. Our arithmetic favors the first reading: 2% of $25.00 is exactly 50 cents and 2% of $5.42 is about 11 cents, matching the minutes, while 2% of $47.50 would be 95 cents. On that reading, a home billed for 4,000 gallons a month would go from $46.68 to $47.62, 94 cents more, by our arithmetic. On the same reading, "less than a dollar" holds for homes using up to about 4,500 gallons a month; a 6,000-gallon month would rise $1.16, by our arithmetic. No new rate resolution is posted; the Nov. 12 agenda's rate item printed no figure.

No tax increase, with one line to watch

"No tax increase is proposed. Needed increases are placed on user fees rather than the tax base. No changes to the draft were anticipated" (p. 5). The county's 2026 tax table lists the borough at 7.66 mills, as does our rates guide.

One passage sits awkwardly beside that sentence. In the emergency services fund, where 2027 income is projected at $396,131.57 against a 2026 year-end projection of $370,557 and net income drops from $34,277.28 to $14,362.05, the minutes record Metzgar noting "that this reflects the increased tax for fire and ambulance," and Hart explaining "that the fire company restructured its fees under a five-year cost analysis. The levy was set at 1.21 and raised to 1.23 to cover dispatch fees. The fee steps up to 1.23 next year, which will eliminate the current small surplus" (p. 4). The minutes do not say whether the 1.21 and 1.23 are mills, whether that step is already in the 7.66-mill total or whether it counts as part of "no tax increase." The two passages are reported here as written; the record does not reconcile them.

Paving and the manager's exit

Next year's paving "will include North Hall, all of Gernant, and Blanbrid, funded with liquid fuels dollars," the state gas-tax money sent to municipalities for roads. "Liquid fuels use requires sidewalks and ADA ramps, which many streets at the north end lack, so budget dollars will be needed there," and Vice President H. David Miller "noted that future LSA grants could help" (p. 4).

Hart's departure was item E under new business. The agenda called it a letter of resignation; the minutes call it "Resignation/Retirement" (p. 3). Metzgar "thanked Mr. Hart for everything he has done for the Borough," council member Lisa Gantner said that when he came on board he "really got things in order," and Hart "thanked Council and described the decision as difficult" (p. 3). Under committee reports, Miller "reported that three preliminary interviews had been held by Zoom with favorable candidates and that two more candidates would be contacted. Candidates are grouped in tiers, and later interviews will include the full Council" (p. 5). The borough's officials page still lists Hart as Borough Manager, and also as zoning officer and residential building and plumbing inspector. In September, council set $123,271 in 2027 pension payments and approved a Verizon tower lease, as our recap reported.

What happens next on the budget

Solicitor Charles Haws "advised that the budget could be advertised for adoption at the December meeting, with notice of the ordinances and availability of the budgets. The budget will be placed on next month's agenda" (p. 5). Advertising is the step that opens a draft to public inspection before a final vote. That next-month agenda was Nov. 12's, which carried "Budgets – Review and Approve Advertising" under unfinished business. The borough homepage now lists the next council meeting as Dec. 10, 2026; council meets at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall, 3940 Penn Ave., and the office answers at 610-678-4903. Until minutes or a notice appear, there is no public record of whether the rates or the advertising passed Thursday.

Ordinance 672, the fire engine grant and two pension votes

Haws explained that Ordinance 672-2026 "had been advertised twice for a public hearing," opened the hearing and "stated that the vacation is consistent with the approved Village Greens development plans and narrows the right-of-way to satisfy setbacks," and that "the borough's separate easement agreement for maintaining the stormwater conveyance channel (the ditch) along the top of bank is unaffected." Miller invited comment; "None was offered." The ordinance, "striking the described portion of the Broad Street right-of-way from the topographical survey," passed unanimously on a motion by Gantner, seconded by Metzgar (p. 2).

Resolution 2026-08, "Authorizing the Request of a Statewide LSA Grant for WBFD for Fire Engine Replacement," passed unanimously (p. 2). The Local Share Account is a state grant program funded by gaming revenues; WBFD is the Western Berks Fire Department, which serves the borough. The minutes give no engine price or grant amount.

Two police pension items passed unanimously: Resolution 2026-09, "Authorizing the Police Pension Plan Amendment for 2027," which the minutes do not describe further, and an amendment to the borough's plan with PMRS, the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System, "reducing the employee contribution rate to 0.5% for 2027." Borough Secretary Elizabeth Eagelman "explained that the pension plan calls for a 5% employee contribution, which used to be waived per the Police Contract, but the new contracts now call for a 0.5% contribution. PMRS requires that the amendment be adopted annually" (p. 3).

Village Greens, Chase Bank and Krick Avenue

Council released $570,540.54 of the Village Greens developer's escrow, the fourth release for the project, unanimously, "consistent with the Engineer's recommendation" (p. 3). An escrow release returns part of the deposit a developer posts to guarantee site work. Borough Engineer Lowell Leaman of ARRO Consulting "reported that about $430,000 of the release was for completed final paving, with the remainder covering sidewalks and most of the trail. About 15% of the trail amount was withheld because of unresolved flooding near Broad Street and Reedy Road" (p. 3).

Leaman also said "they have a new design concept from Bowman for the Krick Avenue and Columbia Avenue intersection. Columbia would be widened slightly and the Krick extension would 'T' into it, which is simpler, better for traffic flow, and less costly than the original design. The concept has been reviewed with and accepted by PennDOT. Council had not seen the plans, and Mr. Miller requested that copies be distributed" (p. 3). The minutes do not say who "they" are. Across the line in South Heidelberg Township, supervisors took up a $2.37 million Krick Lane extension contract in September; the minutes do not say whether the two projects are connected.

Haws reported "that the developer of the Sinking Spring Chase Bank project has five unpaid invoices totaling about $14,880 for plan reviews, and inspections. After the borough threatened liens and a call on the surety, the developer stated that a check for about $6,000, covering the plan review, would be issued this week" (p. 5). The Nov. 12 agenda listed a Chase Bank escrow release of $35,763.86.

Parking, dust and a dog

• Cacoosing Avenue: council member Denise Stine "reported on a continuing conflict with a resident on the street," said she had given doorbell-camera video to the police chief, and asked that the no-parking hours be changed to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no weekend restriction. Miller "said the request could be considered but expressed concern that an 8:00 AM start would not cover the morning rush"; Hart noted school buses run about 5:25 to 6 a.m. The item stays under unfinished business; no action was taken (p. 2). It was back on the Nov. 12 agenda.
• Borough Hall parking: council member John Eagelman proposed more parking at Borough Hall and the library along old Columbia Avenue. Hart reported eight parallel spaces exist and reconfiguring would allow 14 on the Columbia Avenue side plus possibly two or three more; the work "should fall within budgeted line items and below the bidding threshold" and was expected to be done this year. "No Council action was required" (p. 4).
• Park Avenue and James Street: Eagelman raised dirt and stone tracked out at local businesses and airborne dust. Haws suggested starting with discussions requiring street sweeping or paved aprons; Hart mentioned an ordinance requiring commercial properties to pave back 50 to 75 feet. The matter "may be addressed through stormwater (MS4) requirements and will be pursued further" (p. 4).
• Mail delivery: Stine "relayed a complaint from elderly residents on a block where the Postal Service stopped mail delivery after a dog incident." Police Chief James Oxenreider reported the owner was cited for three state dog law violations, and a district justice "will determine whether the dog is dangerous." Hart said the postmaster told him the carrier would not deliver until the dog was gone or a cluster box was installed; Hart told the postmaster the borough has no authority over the dog and no right-of-way for a cluster box. Oxenreider was assigned to communicate with the Postal Service (p. 5). Berks Beat has not verified the residents' or the postmaster's accounts; they are reported as the minutes record them.
• Also: online payment for yard waste cards "is nearly ready" (p. 5); the Freight House open house on Sept. 19 drew fewer visitors than hoped because of weather, and Dick Barnett, 93, "who had been central to the original relocation of the buildings, attended" (p. 2); Western Berks Fire Deputy Chief Jason Stine announced an open house at the Wernersville station (p. 1).

Who was there

Miller, the council vice president, presided; President Tracy Peterson and council member Brian Hoffa were absent, leaving five of seven members: Miller, Stine, Gantner, Metzgar and John Eagelman (p. 1). The minutes do not list Mayor Gary Cirulli, who appears on the borough's council page. Council approved the Sept. 10 minutes, September bills and treasurer's report in one unanimous motion (p. 1). The minutes do not state where the meeting was held; the borough's Oct. 7 venue notice moved it to the Freight House, 900 Clematis St. The meeting adjourned to executive session at 7:57 p.m. and "would not return to open session" (p. 5). The minutes are signed by Eagelman as borough secretary and carry no "draft" or "approved" mark; their approval was item 3 on the Nov. 12 agenda.