The Chester County Budget Committee met Tuesday, April 7. Many items on the budget were discussed, but two main concerns were brought up.
The first item that was discussed in earnest was potentially closing some election precincts due to the rising costs of operation. Rising costs of postage have caused concern in the election commission. In order to try and stay within budget, the commission is considering closing the following voting precincts: Deanburg, Harmony first district, and Beech Springs. Voters in these areas would go to Montezuma, Sweetlips, and Friendship, respectively. This would leave Chester County with seven voting precincts and early voters. While nothing has been decided on this subject, voters should keep this in mind during the coming election season.
Major concerns were brought up when discussing the recently voted purchase of a new fire truck for Chester County. This truck would cost around $180,000. Those in favor of purchasing the truck advocated for its necessity in the continued safety of the county. They also believe that it would be a better investment than just replacing parts on old fire trucks. Not only were there concerns over money for this truck, but there were also concerns over space and water. This truck would not be able to fit within Station 1 without an expansion of the building, costing the county. There were also concerns raised over water supply for this truck as some areas in the county are already dealing with significantly decreased water supply after the use of one of the current fire trucks. The decision was made for this item to go through the purchasing committee and again through the budget committee before anything substantial was done.
