From Police Funding to Property Management: LH City Council Nears Final Decision on 2025 Budget

By Emily Wright

LOCK HAVEN— The Lock Haven City Council held its third budget hearing for the 2025 budget at its meeting on Monday night, and the council will vote to adopt its 2025 budget ordinance at its next meeting on Monday, December 16, 2024. If adopted, the budget will take effect on January 1, 2025, ensuring the city’s continued focus on essential services and infrastructure maintenance.

The proposed budget totals $13,659,082, which is allocated as follows:

• General Fund: $6,367,607 for day-to-day government operations.
• Water Fund: $2,692,436 to maintain and upgrade the city’s water systems.
• Sewer Fund: $3,820,695 for wastewater treatment and infrastructure.
• Airport Fund: $346,538 to support Piper Memorial Airport.
• Liquid Fuels Fund: $431,806 for road maintenance and related projects.

The proposed budget also sets new property tax rates for 2025. The tax rate is split into two parts: 

– 20 mills for land 

– 9.8 mills for buildings and improvements

One mill is equal to $1 of property tax for every $1,000 in assessed value. If adopted by the city council, these rates will take effect starting January 1, 2025.

The Lock Haven Police Department (LHPD) has a budget of $1.9 million. Of this, 85% is allocated to wages and benefits, 11% covers obligations and contractual agreements, and about $78,000, or 4%, is designated for the department’s operations and discretionary expenses. The police department’s budget accounts for 46 cents of every dollar spent from the city’s tax revenue, with 33 cents specifically allocated to the police department. The city maintains round-the-clock safety with a dedicated police force of 12 officers and a fire department comprised of three full-time firefighters, part-time staff, and over 60 volunteers.

In 2025, LHPD plans to hire new officers and implement a co-responder program. This program will enable a mental health professional to accompany officers during crisis calls to offer mental health support and follow-up services. The co-responder program is funded by a grant from the Center for Community Resources.

On Monday night, LHPD’s Chief of Police, Matthew Rickard, attended the meeting and shared the department’s key achievements in 2024, its recent grant-funded initiatives aimed at improving staffing, and the establishment of the co-responder program.

In 2024, LHPD was awarded a $14,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to recruit two additional officers. This was made possible with the help of Abigail Roberts, City Planner & Development Coordinator, who assisted in securing the grant. Chief Rickard noted that the department has struggled to find qualified candidates, as the first round of applications yielded only three suitable applicants. Of these, one did not attend the interview, and another failed the required physical test.

The PCCD grant enables the department to hire recruits without Act 120 training, which is required for all aspiring police officers in Pennsylvania, by sponsoring their attendance at the police academy. Chief Rickard announced that the application deadline for these new officer positions is January 17, with testing scheduled for January 25. The police academy training for the new recruits will begin in May.

Chief Rickard expressed enthusiasm about the grant’s benefits for the department, highlighting that it is a positive development for both the department and the city, as it will help alleviate their staffing challenges.

Chief Rickard shared more information about the co-responder program. “The co-responder will be assigned to an officer or a group of officers working on crisis calls,” he explained. “They’re trained mental health professionals, and it will alleviate a lot of the time that we spend trying to get them to the resources that they need, whether it be the hospital for a 302 or 201 commitment or whatever the case might be.”

He stressed that having a co-responder is particularly beneficial because part of their role involves following up with the individuals that police encounter during crisis situations. He explained that once a person is taken to the hospital and committed to a mental health facility, LHPD’s responsibility typically ends. However, with a co-responder, these individuals have the chance to receive further assistance through follow-ups. “I think that’ll reduce the rate of repeat calls that we get to certain individuals that are in crisis, so we’re really excited about that,” Chief Rickard said.

Chief Rickard expressed optimism about the program and announced that the department expects a co-responder to join within the next week or so.

Council member Steve Stevenson pointed out that the city’s police department budget for 2025 is $157,083 higher than the adopted budget for 2024. The proposed 2025 budget is $1,972,497, compared to $1,815,414 in 2024. He acknowledged that the police department has limited flexibility in its budget, with 85% allocated to wages and benefits, leaving little room for discretionary spending. Stevenson suggested exploring ways to manage costs and possibly reduce some expenditures while still providing essential services.

City Manager Greg Wilson emphasized that a significant portion of the city’s budget is dedicated to the police department, with most funds going toward personnel costs, leaving limited resources for other operational needs. He noted that some savings were achieved this year by delaying the replacement of an expired vehicle lease, although this vehicle will need to be replaced next year. He also mentioned that the city tries to maximize its resources by reallocating older vehicles to other departments when feasible.

Council member Dr. Jeff Brinker expressed support for exploring cost-saving measures, such as switching from individual parking meters to parking kiosks. He recalled that the council had discussed parking meters in 2023 due to the aging condition of the current meters. He gave an example of another parking meter system that is used by the borough of Bloomsburg and asked if a similar, more cost-effective solution could be implemented in Lock Haven. He encouraged the Chief to assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of transitioning away from the old meters and potentially reducing the amount of them in the city, suggesting multi-space kiosks as a more economical alternative.

Chief Rickard acknowledged past discussions about the parking meter issue and described the existing meters as “antiques” that are nearly impossible to source parts for. In the coming year, the Chief confirmed that he will explore options and obtain cost estimates from vendors for kiosk-based systems. “As far as looking into it, there are numerous companies out there that do the kiosks, and that’s kind of where my vision is, at least to begin with,” he said. “We need to come up with a plan for the downtown area now that would eliminate all the meters from the parking lots.” 

The next budget item the council discussed involved the city’s fire departments. For 2025, the budget is set at $557,298, reflecting a $25,118 increase from the 2024 budget of $532,180.

Greg Wilson explained that 73% of the two fire department’s budget is allocated to wages, 14% to obligations, and only 0.25% to training and education, as much of the training is funded by other sources. Approximately 12%, or $68,000, is designated for operations, which is the only area with some discretionary flexibility.

Lock Haven Fire Chief Tyler Wooding attended the meeting to highlight the department’s achievements this year. He also discussed the challenges posed by working with aging equipment and the possibility of pursuing insurance reimbursements for emergency services.

Chief Wooding shared the department’s accomplishments over the past year, noting that they maintained their Insurance Service Organization (ISO) Class 3 rating. This rating signifies that the community has a relatively high level of fire protection and that the fire department is well-prepared to respond to fires quickly. He added that only 3,000 out of 40,000 fire departments nationwide hold this rating, making it a significant achievement for a small city like Lock Haven.

Chief Wooding reported that 90% of the structure fires this year were confined to the room where they started. He also mentioned that the department held 34 public education outreach programs and that firefighters completed over 600 hours of training. “I want to point that out because I want you to see that we do a lot more than just go to structure fires,” he explained.

Wooding also reported that maintenance costs for the fire department have doubled over the past two years because of an increased call volume and an aging fleet of vehicles. He noted that three of the department’s fire apparatuses are 36 years old, surpassing the recommendation of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to retire the apparatus after 25 years. Wooding mentioned that the department is applying for grants to potentially replace some of the aging equipment and move toward more multi-use vehicles.

Regarding insurance reimbursement, Wooding said that the fire department has not pursued emergency service reimbursement funds available through residents’ insurance policies. He expressed interest in exploring this option and offered to meet with the fire advisory board to further research and present his findings to the council.

Vice President Steve Stevenson conveyed some hesitation about seeking insurance reimbursement from residents, stating his view that the fire department shouldn’t be “taxing our own,” since residents already fund the service through their taxes. However, Mayor Joel Long and other council members were receptive to Wooding’s proposal to gather more information about potential insurance reimbursements, even if they ultimately choose not to pursue it. The general consensus was that it would be wise to at least explore the option and get more information rather than leaving potential revenue on the table, as long as it doesn’t result in additional costs to residents.

The final discussion on the proposed 2025 budget focused on codes, zoning, and property maintenance, presented by Cyndi Walker, Building Code Official and Director of Permits and Licensing. She was accompanied by Property Maintenance Officer Caleb Rogers.

Greg Wilson explained that the budget for the codes, zoning, and property maintenance department allocates 85% of expenditures to wages and benefits, 2% to education and training, and 12% to obligations, leaving around $4,900 in discretionary funds for operations. He also noted that the department’s digital tools and software are being upgraded through a city grant. He emphasized the department’s crucial role in public safety by ensuring compliance with regulations for properties that maintain the community’s quality of life.

Walker provided an update on the rental inspection program, noting that the city achieved 100% compliance in the Second Ward in 2023 and is now focusing on the Third Ward. Of the 203 rental structures in the Third Ward, 145 have been inspected, leaving 58 to go. “The Third Ward is probably the biggest ward for rentals, so those numbers are, in my opinion, and based on years past, impressive,” Walker said. She mentioned that her clerk, Donna Jedrzejek, is instrumental in maintaining compliance, noting, “Donna, who is my clerk, my right hand, and the person who keeps the office running, makes a concerted effort at the end of the year to make sure that she makes phone calls that aren’t warranted or required, sends emails, and does her sleuthing to try to find contact information for these property owners in order to make sure that we do have 100% compliance.” Walker credited the department’s success in achieving 100% compliance in past years to Donna’s dedicated efforts.

Walker also spotlighted the implementation of the city’s Property Maintenance Program in 2023, through which 102 notices of non-compliance were issued, along with 36 ordinance violations and 11 condemnation orders.

She reported that the city was awarded a Renewable Community Initiative (RCI) energy grant from the International Code Council. This grant provides the city with digital tools to enhance enforcement and tracking of property maintenance, building codes, zoning, planning, Geographic Information System (GIS), and asset management. The city is funded for the first two years of the three-year program, with the option to purchase the system annually if it proves to be successful. Walker noted that Lock Haven is one of only three municipalities in Pennsylvania that applied for and received the RCI Energy grant, crediting Caleb Rogers and Abbey Roberts for their efforts in securing it.

Walker highlighted the successful sale of property at 37-55 Bellefonte Avenue, facilitated by the Redevelopment Authority, which resulted in a new commercial building that now houses a medical and dental facility. She reported that the medical facility has already relocated 1,400 patients to the new location, describing it as a “huge success” for the city and the Redevelopment Authority.

Additionally, Walker discussed the proposed redevelopment of the former Dickey Elementary School site into a 40-unit senior housing facility by Quandel Group. This $13 to $15 million project requires a zoning use variance as multi-family housing is not currently allowed in the residential low-density zoning district. A zoning hearing board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 17, at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall, 20 E. Church Street and Walker encouraged council members to attend.

The City Council will conduct the final budget hearing and vote to adopt the 2025 budget and millage rates at its next regular meeting on Monday, December 16, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are held in the council chambers at City Hall and are open for in-person attendance, or they can be viewed live online by visiting www.youtube.com/@cityoflockhavenpa1348/streams.