So Long

My father, may he rest in peace, use to say "so long" meant goodbye, 'sort of '. The 'sort of ' he explained meant it may be temporary, I may be back.
Two years ago when I started this BLOG I stated "The purpose is to keep these people (a small group of friends) current on happenings of interest within community in a timely manner". The headline of the BLOG states "All posts on this Blog, by the author, are strictly his personal opinions or interpretations".
A lot has happened in the past two years that directly effect this BLOG and its reason for being.

I am now completing my second year on Borough Council.
The Borough now has a website full of news and references.
The President of Borough Council now issues periodic e-newsletters.
The Mayor now issues his own periodic e-newsletters.
And two years of Council have showed me that not all of my opinions and interpretations are correct or should be public. (I hope others learn this lesson as well. There I go again with an opinion!)

So for now, so long.
Wishing you and yours the Happiest of Holidays and Healthiest of New Years,
Paul

2012 Budget - 2

I'm sure that you have been waiting for the other shoe to fall, so here is the story from the Somerset Daily American:

http://www.dailyamerican.com/da-ot-indian-lake-proposes-21-percent-tax-increase-20111117,0,2044172.story

This story was also picked up by Johnstown TV, Channel 6. I did not know they knew we existed.

Please note that this is a preliminary budget. It will be advertised, available for public review at the Borough Office Building, and not voted upon until December 14th Council Meeting.

A few things that I would add to the reporting of this story, which I think is critical information to understanding the current situation;
-Your dam is stable, the remaining work, called Phase III, is to contain or pass the Maximum Possible Flood, a condition that might happen once in a lifetime, or longer, if ever. These requirements were changed and the two possible solutions are to contain the MPF by raising the height of the dam, or enlarged spillway capacity. Raising the height of the dam is by far the less costly option, however it requires signing of Flowage Easements by every water front property owner, Park Lots included. Your Council is fully committed to the first option and the budget is based upon that happening.
-In 2012 we will be moving from short term financing of the dam remediation to permanent long term financing. We have been living off a line of credit which requires us to pay interest only, in 2012 we will put in place a financing plan to pay off the borrowed money. Barring the unforeseen this should be the last tax increase due to this project.

2012 Budget

Writing and passing a budget for Indian Lake Borough is not an easy process and one that brings with it difficult decisions. For 2012 it is an especially difficult process.
By law the Borough must pass a balanced budget by the end of the year. Before that we must advertise our Tax Rate Ordinance and Budget. The tax rate must be submitted to the County Assessment Office by December 23rd.
Your Borough Council worked until midnight Wednesday evening and even then had to schedule another special session for next Wednesday. There was a second Council Meeting in October just to work on the budget. I cannot express our sincere appreciation loudly enough for all the work that our Borough Manager, Theresa, has done and continues to do for us on the budget.
The big ugly bear in the closet is the Dam Remediation Project. The Borough currently has a seven and one half million dollar ($7,500,000.00) line of credit with Somerset Trust. We presently have borrowed approximately five and a half million from this line of credit. We are obliged to pay only interest on the amount of money borrowed. This year we paid against the borrowed principle the money recouped from the sale of the excess 30" gate valve and the full amount of the 2010 tax increase, 3 mils. This line of credit expires in May 2012, we need to have an alternative in place no later than June.
Your Council has decided to bite the bullet and procure long term financing for the project now, as soon as we can. We will start paying off this debt, plus the cost of Phase III, in 2012.
Difficult decisions will have to be made in regard to the budget, taxes will definitely go up. There is no way to maintain the essential services to the Borough without both of these actions.
One big word of caution, all this is predicated upon obtaining 100% of the Flowage Easements from all waterfront property owners. Without these our cost for Phase III will rise another 2 to 2.5 million dollars. Please ask your waterfront neighbors if they have signed and submitted their Flowage Easements.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 is ELECTION DAY

Thanks to you, I have been serving this community as a member of Borough Council for a year and 10 months. It has been rewarding, it has been trying, but most of all it is work that needs to be done.
Your support of your elected officials is very important. You demonstrate support by first and foremost voting.
Therefore I ask you to vote this coming Tuesday. Vote for those candidates who stood up, ran in the primary, and are now on the November ballot. They have volunteered to work for you for the next four years, show them that you appreciate their willingness to work for our community by casting your vote tomorrow.
Thank you

Water Quality

For those of us on the water system consisting of the well on West Shore Trail and the storage tank on Buckstown Road we know we have been receiving very poor water. Now thanks to the efforts of a resident, the Borough Website will do a better job of keep us informed about what is going on.
Please go to the following link for an update:
http://indianlakepa.us/dotnetnuke/default.aspx
Return to the Borough's Website often for updates.
Thanks to Dennis Letham for pushing this situation and to Bob Hanson for posting the updates on the website.

Trash Pick-up Dates

For your reference, from Mike Reese, President of Reese's Sanitation:

"Up to the end of this year and including New Years the trash [at Indian Lake] will be picked up Mondays."

Trash

An old problems continues, and is getting worse.
Some of our neighbors refuse to sign up for trash pick and deposit their trash in private dumpsters! At the Lodge, the Marina, the Golf Courses, the condos, and the Borough Office Building.
With 'back door' pick up the same price as curb-side pick up, and with the new rates, there is no excuse for this. No reason to drag your trash to the road, no concern about an empty trash barrel sitting at the road, which is illegal.
And it is illegal to put your trash in a private dumpster, and all dumpsters within the Borough are private. It is 'theft of service', and anyone caught will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Your Borough Council is determined to put a stop to this illegal practice. Several ideas are being considered, including requiring every home owner to have trash pick, billed by the Borough, just like water is. Failure to pay could result in water shut off, or none issuance of boating stickers.
Lets not let a few bad apples ruin it for all. Spread the word. If you see someone dumping their trash, report it to the Borough Police, on their non-emergency telephone number.


Follow this link to story in the Somerset Daily American:

http://www.dailyamerican.com/da-ot-indian-lake-borough-cracking-down-on-trash-rules-20110914,0,5818809.story