close

Mt. Lebanon Commission adopts 2020 budget, maintains real estate tax rate

By Harry Funk staff Writer hfunk@thealmanac.Net 3 min read
article image -

Mt. Lebanon’s real estate tax rate remains at 4.71 mills for 2020.

Along with approving an ordinance establishing the rate, Mt. Lebanon Commission on Dec. 10 also approved next year’s budget, which calls for $40.473 million in general fund expenditures.

The budget vote was unanimous, with Commissioner Kelly Fraasch acknowledging that she often opposed past spending plans because of money allocated for deer management.

“This has not been something that I have been supportive of, at all. I do feel that it’s morally and ethically not something that I would ever be able to approve,” she said, adding that she has advocated at the state level on behalf of nonlethal management methods.

The 2020 budget calls for a combined $20,000 for two line items, deer management and additional deer management, with the amount covered by unspent appropriations from prior years.

Fraasch cited positive aspects about the budget as the reason for voting in favor this year, particularly one addressing the future of Mt. Lebanon’s 15 municipal parks and related facilities.

“I think the parks master plan will be a legacy for this year’s commission, being able to give direction for years to come,” she said.

An amendment to the manager’s recommended budget, released at the start of November, provided for an $80,000 allocation toward developing a new plan that will emphasize accessibility and changes in use of the park facilities by the community. The current plan has been in effect since 2004, and updating it has been noted as the top priority for the municipal Parks Advisory Board.

The commission engaged in three work sessions following the recommended budget’s release to arrive at the version that was adopted. The format of the early version featured “service level rankings” of budget requests from all municipal departments, with a cutoff line determining which are to receive funding.

At that point, the parks master plan fell below the line, as did other items that received allocations in the final budget. Just missing the original cut, for example, was a recreation center feasibility study.

Now, $33,800 is earmarked toward investigation the viability of constructing a full-service community recreation and athletic facility. The Sports Advisory Board’s highest-priority project is to receive $16,900 in private contributions.

Other 2020 expenditures support the Vibrant Uptown initiative for Mt. Lebanon’s main business district, with $2.1 million for Washington Road public space improvement and $553,550 for improvements to Parse Way, the access point for the local light-rail station.

“It’s a great investment, and I think it sets up the next commission and the community for the future,” Commissioner John Bendel said. “So I’m very happy with where things have landed.”

Bendel, Fraasch and Stephen McLean, the 2019 commission president, were attending their final meeting as commissioners, none having sought re-election. New commissioners as of the Jan. 6 reorganization meeting are Mindy Ranney, Ward 1; Leeann Foster, Ward 3; and Andrew Flynn, Ward 5.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $/week.

Subscribe Today