Photo by Jacob Perryman Youngsville Borough Council passed a $2.55 million 2024 budget at its meeting Monday evening.

Taxes won’t be going up in Youngsville Borough for 2024, but water fees will.

At its meeting Monday night, the borough council passed a $2.55 million budget for the coming fiscal year with no increase to property or earned incomes tax rates.

Property tax rates in the borough stand at the existing nine mills. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, EIT rates stand at two percent for residents and one percent for non-residents. Additional taxes are levied by the county and school district

However, to balance the budget without tax increases, the council had to draw on capital reserve funds.

The borough did however raise water rates. The base rate was raised by $4. An additional $5 quarterly fee was implemented for capital project funding.

“Our system is becoming antiquated,” Borough Manager Wendy Wilcox said. “We’re hoping to build some capital reserves for that.”

Councilman Rick Brewster cited increased regulatory requirements, such as E. coli and copper testing.

“It drives costs,” he said.

Another item on Monday’s agenda drove home the need for capital reserves for the water system. The borough is currently trying to secure funding to fix a leak and perform upgrades at the reservoir.

The borough had requested all or part of $265,000 needed to fund the project from the county, but the request was denied. Monday evening, council approved Wilcox to resubmit the request when the new board of commissioners is seated next year. Wilcox noted the borough is also looking into other possible funding sources for the project.

Council also approved a formalized agreement with EmergyCare for ambulance service Monday.

Representatives from the company described it as a “standard agreement” matching existing agreements with other municipalities they service. Rates are based on call response volumes on the borough from 2022, the last year for which numbers were available.

Wilcox was appointed as liaison to the company.

The borough had been receiving service from EmergyCare through an informal agreement.

In another emergency medical service move, the borough approved an ordinance to join the county EMS commission.