Clear Spring briefs

April 10, 2012

Tax hike may be needed to balance town budget

CLEAR SPRING — Clear Spring residents could see a small tax increase included in the town’s 2012-13 fiscal year budget, according to town officials.

To match revenues of the current year, the town’s tax rate would have to be raised by 3 cents, up to 28 cents per $100 of assessed property value, Town Clerk Juanita K. Grimm told the council Monday.

“We have to. We have no choice,” Mayor Paul D. Hose Jr. said of the potential tax hike.

Councilman Theodore Hovermale said he likes the idea of taxing a little more each year, rather than “dumping it on (taxpayers) all at once.”

Water and wastewater rates are expected to go up by about 2 percent, Grimm said.

However, nothing has been decided yet, and Grimm said she plans to roll out proposed budget figures at the Clear Spring Town Council’s next meeting on Monday, May 14, at 7 p.m.

Town council approves water system upgrades

CLEAR SPRING — The Clear Spring Town Council Monday night approved $1,344 in maintenance upgrades to its water system.

The money will be used to purchase and install new valves in the town’s seven-year-old system, which contains two units.

Mayor Paul D. Hose Jr. said the system shakes when it starts up, and the original valves are shot. New filters also will be installed, he said.

“If they need (to be) fixed, they need (to be) fixed,” Councilman Theodore Hovermale said.

A larger project to replace elbow piping in both units will be needed in the near future, but the five-member council agreed to budget the work in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

That project would cost $4,530 per unit, for a total cost of $9,060.

— C.J. Lovelace

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