Politics & Government

Kinnelon Council Prepares to Adopt 2013 Municipal Budget

Mayor Robert Collins said spending plan's focus is maintaining quality services in the borough while ensuring funds are spent efficiently.

The Kinnelon Borough Council is set to consider the 2013 municipal budget for adoption at its meeting Thursday at 8 p.m. at the municipal building.

The spending plan introduced last month is expected to receive a final vote during the gathering. It includes funds for large projects, including field repairs and payouts for accumulated sick pay for police officers expected to retire in the near future. Taxpayers are expected to see an average annual tax increase of $77.

Total appropriations subject to the state-mandated spending cap came in at $7,959,359. This amount is about $1,570 less than the maximum allowable amount under the cap.

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Borough Mayor Robert Collins said that his primary priority is preserving the quality of municipal services for residents.

"Essential services such as police and public service, residents have an expectation for them," Collins told Patch. "We go to great lengths to gauge deficiencies through studying past budget practices."

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The mayor said this year's fiscal plan includes no growth in the number of employees at the borough.

"Our goal always is to ensure dollars are spent efficiently," Collins said. "Our biggest challenge, really, was health insurance benefits, and we're working on evaluating options there.

"This has always been an issue with Kinnelon, because we run so lean, addressing nondiscretionary expenses is always a challenge."

The Thursday Borough Council meeting will serve as a public hearing for the plan, and residents are welcome to participate.


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