It appears money troubles for one borough in Lackawanna County could be getting worse in order to get better.
Dunmore officials heard from the state at a regular meeting Monday night on ways to recover financially.
While it may not be a surprise to anyone in Dunmore, the borough is in serious financial trouble. That's why council members met with a representative from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to discuss options for keeping the borough financially afloat.
People who attended the meeting call it a step in the right direction.
"We are in trouble and they've got to look at everything. They've got to look at everything," said Connie Graft. "They really are putting their heads together and we'll see what happens."
Matt Domines with DCED presented council and the public with three choices:
Option One: Early Intervention, which is an initial form of assistance.
Option Two: file for the Act 47 Law and become a distressed municipality, such as the city of Scranton.
OPtion Three: declare federal municipal bankruptcy or Chapter Nine.
'We try and bring municipalities in at the early intervention level, which the municipality still has the control. We looked at Act 47 as more for an acute crisis," said Domines.
On a voter referendum in May, borough council asked residents to vote on a property tax hike to help fund Dunmore's fire department.
That referendum was overwhelmingly voted down and since then council has been considering options including filing for Act 47. However, council questioned whether a distressed status would negatively impact the borough.
"For the Act 47, is there such things that our property values would go down? Is there anything like that? Why would people want to come to a distressed city or a distressed town?" asked council member Eugene Ruddy.
No decisions were made at Monday's meeting on a financial plan for Dunmore, but some lay-offs were made. Council voted to lay off a part-time clerk as well as a ticket enforcement officer.
Dunmore officials heard from the state at a regular meeting Monday night on ways to recover financially.
While it may not be a surprise to anyone in Dunmore, the borough is in serious financial trouble. That's why council members met with a representative from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to discuss options for keeping the borough financially afloat.
People who attended the meeting call it a step in the right direction.
"We are in trouble and they've got to look at everything. They've got to look at everything," said Connie Graft. "They really are putting their heads together and we'll see what happens."
Matt Domines with DCED presented council and the public with three choices:
Option One: Early Intervention, which is an initial form of assistance.
Option Two: file for the Act 47 Law and become a distressed municipality, such as the city of Scranton.
OPtion Three: declare federal municipal bankruptcy or Chapter Nine.
'We try and bring municipalities in at the early intervention level, which the municipality still has the control. We looked at Act 47 as more for an acute crisis," said Domines.
On a voter referendum in May, borough council asked residents to vote on a property tax hike to help fund Dunmore's fire department.
That referendum was overwhelmingly voted down and since then council has been considering options including filing for Act 47. However, council questioned whether a distressed status would negatively impact the borough.
"For the Act 47, is there such things that our property values would go down? Is there anything like that? Why would people want to come to a distressed city or a distressed town?" asked council member Eugene Ruddy.
No decisions were made at Monday's meeting on a financial plan for Dunmore, but some lay-offs were made. Council voted to lay off a part-time clerk as well as a ticket enforcement officer.
