Columbia Borough Council proceeding with $8.617 million budget

When: Columbia Borough Council meeting, Nov. 9.

What happened: Council members informally agreed to proceed with a 2024 budget of $8.617 million, up from $8.229 million for this year. In addition, council tentatively split $30,000 in donations to five local nonprofits.

Budget: The borough has enough cash to cover the $387,436 spending increase, Mark Stivers, borough manager, said via phone Nov. 10.

Quotable: "We have extra money," Stivers said Nov. 10. "It's just going to be tight."

Money: Columbia may use about $300,000 left over from the American Rescue Plan Act, and the borough's general fund can pay the remaining amount, Stivers said Nov. 10.

Donations: Under the current budget version, Columbia Public Library will receive $15,000, while the Columbia Historic Preservation Society and Mount Bethel Cemetery should get $5,000 each. In addition, council plans to give $4,000 to the Columbia Cat Action Team, while $1,000 will go to the Columbia United Veterans Council.

Next steps: Council plans to vote to advertise the budget at its Nov. 28 meeting, said Heather Zink, council president. A final vote should happen Dec. 12.

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