HERNDON - Borough secretary Ann Botkin notified council members Monday night that the Northumberland County Tax Collection Committee has petitioned the court to appoint a tax collector due to a lack of quorum at a meeting held Nov. 2.
That was the first meeting held since a court ruling that the committee must adhere to weighted voting when making decisions.
Herndon representatives were among many from boroughs and townships not represented. President Joel Wetzel predicted similar situations in the future because, with the weighted vote, school districts will be able to override smaller municipalities, he said.
"It's useless to go" to the meetings, Wetzel said. "You won't have any say; you're just a pawn."
In October, Judge William H. Wiest ruled in favor of the plaintiffs - Shamokin Area, Line Mountain and Milton Area school districts, Shamokin City, Milton borough and Coal Township, which argued that weighted voting should be used to make major decisions and that such a voting method is what is dictated in the tax committee's bylaws. The defendants, made up of the remaining 38 taxing bodies in Northumberland County, had contended the non-weighted vote was the proper procedure to reach such a decision.
Weighted voting would give each taxing body a greater or lesser share of the vote in proportion to its population and tax collections. The plaintiffs had sought that a simple majority, 51 percent, would either carry or deny a proposal.
A state law, Act 32, required formation of similar committees in all Pennsylvania counties, with the goal of making earned income tax collection, distribution and reporting more efficient and uniform.
Earlier this year, a non-weighted vote - one jurisdiction, one vote - was held, with Capital Tax Collection Bureau, Harrisburg, winning the job and spurring the lawsuit.
Problem property
On another matter, Councilman Kurvin Batdorf said he inspected a Pottsville Street property that was the subject of earlier complaints, particularly about a spouting problem that is causing water to spill onto an adjacent property. The borough solicitor is reviewing the complaint.
After making contact with the mortgage company in possession of property, Botkin was informed the property is about to be sold, at which time it will be taken care of by the new owner.
Also in followup to last month's meeting, Botkin shared that three abandoned vehicles have been moved out of the area.
Botkin also had good news from an audit earlier this month with Insurance Services Office (ISO) Inc., which is in charge of the Community Rating System that the borough has been involved with since 2008. Borough residents will continue to receive 10 percent off the cost of flood insurance. Botkin is researching ways that additional savings could potentially be yielded.
In other business, a motion was passed to purchase three tons of salt from Jackson Township at a cost of $65.71 per ton. The 2012 meeting calendar was also accepted, with all meetings to remain the first Monday of the month, except for September, which will be the first Tuesday due to Labor Day.
A final motion was passed to approve a preliminary budget in the amount of $68,272. The proposed budget will be available for public inspection between Friday and Tuesday, Nov. 22, during set hours or by appointment. Final adoption of the budget is set for Dec. 5.