Public Safety, Parking, Code Enforcement Budgets Discussed at City Council Meeting
By Christopher Miller
LOCK HAVEN – City Council heard from Police Chief Matthew Rickard, Fire Chief Tyler Woodling, and Building Code Official Cyndi Walker during last Monday evenings meeting to discuss their budgetary line items for 2026.
Lock Haven Police Chief Matthew Rickard mentioned that the city is looking into “mobile pay parking options” for the city.
“We might be able to have these installed and in place before the end of the year,” he told council.
“We are exploring pay kiosks simply because the old parking meters are antiquated and it is beginning to be harder to find parts to fix them.”
Public safety accounts for 51% of all General Fund expenditures, with a combined budget of $3 million.
“We also see Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the horizon in police work,” Rickard said.
The proposed budget for Lock Haven Fire Department, combining Citizens Hose and Eastside Fire Rescue, amounts to $575,470 in the proposed budget.
“We have a lack of safety educators,” Chief Woodling said. “We need to send people to the Fire Academy or Bucks Community College for training so we are ready for our next inspection in 2029,” he said.
City Manager Greg Wilson added that fire apparatus has been discussed at length for several years, and Chief Woodling has, “a good plan to update vehicles but nothing is finalized yet.”
“We need to look for opportunities to find funding to replace vehicles.”
The newest vehicle in the fire department fleet is from 2014 and the oldest is approaching 40-years old.
Building Code Official Cyndi Walker informed city council that through residential and commercial permits, over $4 million in projects occurred within the city in 2025.
The budgets for code enforcement and property maintenance rests at $124,483, $99,520 for zoning, and $1,292 for tattoo parlor health inspections.
The next meeting of City Council will take place on Monday, December 1 where the budgets for Community Life, Planning, and the Airport will be discussed.
