Greensburg keeps property taxes steady, OKs cost increase for new fire truck

Greensburg property owners won’t see higher taxes next year, but the city is going to pay more for a new fire truck it originally ordered about 18 months ago.

City council Monday approved a balanced 2024 budget of about $12.9 million while holding the total property tax rate at 27.05 mills.

Councilman Randy Finfrock said the city is on track to end the current year in good financial shape — with revenues at 108% of what was budgeted at the beginning of the year and expenses at 92% of the budgeted amount, with less than a month of bills and payroll remaining.

Council on Monday renewed medical, prescription drug and vision plans for city employees. Finfrock noted there also was good news on that front: costs went up by just 5%, half of the increase the city had anticipated.

The tax bill for city property owners includes one mill each for supporting the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library and for covering public safety expenses.

One of the latter expenses — purchase of a new pumper truck for the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department — just increased by nearly $79,000.

The city initially approved purchase of the truck in April 2022 at a cost of $779,114. But Mayor Robb Bell said the manufacturer, Seagrave, experienced a cost increase for materials.

“We had to negotiate a cost increase on it,” he said. “They wouldn’t start production on the pumper until we agreed to it.”

The new fire engine is meant to replace a 25-year-old truck at the department’s Hose Co. No. 6 on West Otterman Street.

The new engine will have a lower rear bed so that firefighters won’t have to climb on top of the truck to reload the hose, according to fire Chief Tom Bell.

Garage demolition

The truck is among public safety expenses that previously would have been funded through revenue from the now-shuttered J. Edward Hutchinson Parking Garage.

The deteriorating garage had provided additional parking for adjacent Westmoreland Hospital. It was closed when officials decided that attempts to repair it would not be worthwhile.

Greensburg now is working on a plan to demolish the garage in cooperation with Independence Health, the regional health system that operates the hospital.

Council on Monday agreed to pay consultant Aspire Grants about $800 to help the city formally apply for permission to fund the demolition with state dollars. The city is proposing to redirect a $1.5 million grant awarded by the state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program that has not been used for the original purpose of developing a downtown hotel.

“We’re just trying to get all our ducks in a row so we can get that done this spring,” Robb Bell said. “We’re working in cooperation with Independence Health.”

Greensburg also is waiting until spring to decide what proposed capital improvement projects it can pursue in 2024.

That’s when the city expects to know whether it will be approved for several grants from state gambling revenue — for expenditures such as improvements to City Hall, replacement of two older police vehicles and purchase of public works equipment, including a new front loader.