In addition to passing its 2015 final borough budget with no tax increase, Walnutport Borough Council voted down an ordinance that would have signified its intention to organize a regional recreation authority with both Slatington and Washington Township.

After a lengthy, and sometimes heated, discussion first with Advanced Disposal, the borough's waste collectors, council opened the floor to the audience in regard to the hearing about the regional recreation authority ordinance that was up for adoption.However, first solicitor Michael Corriere said that putting the question on the May ballot as a referendum, as council had been researching, was not permitted.Council members, including William Turk, asked several questions about joining the authority."I would like to know exactly what good would that do for the people in Walnutport if we cooperated and went with it?" Turk asked.He said that the borough has enough recreational opportunities for its residents, often funded by grants, and that there are too many unknowns right now in regard to the authority.Both residents Ron Bauer and Tim Dennis said they, as taxpayers, were not in favor of having the borough join in the recreation authority if that meant higher taxes. Resident Debbie Paules also expressed concerns about "the community center."Visitor and neighboring Councilman Dave Schnaars of Slatington said he hoped the council members understood that a regional recreation authority would be about more than just a community center but rather about obtaining grant money for all three municipalities to have money to conduct their own recreational programs as well.Schnaars said that, as a council member himself, he appreciates how tight budgets can be but that "I think it's important that we move together as a group." He also said that if money is the only issue preventing Walnutport from joining the regional recreation authority, he knew of a group willing to kick in at least the first year's amount for the borough.Later, President Matthew Newhard said he would like to "step away as being president for a second" to make a comment."I just don't want to be, in 20 years down the road, going 'We should have,'" said Newhard, "and I just would like council to think about that."Vice President Michael Gaston then asked if there was any chance Walnutport could join in with the authority in the future.Schnaars said he was not certain.Ultimately, council unanimously voted to deny the ordinance.Afterward, and without much further discussion, council unanimously approved its version of the 2015 budget, at $1,656,598.76.Newhard said the budget was balanced and that there was no need for a tax anticipation loan.After the meeting he also said that, unlike what had been expressed at last Thursday's workshop meeting, the proposed half-mill increase was never solely about the recreation authority.Later in the evening, discussion was again raised about an incident brought up at last Thursday's workshop meeting in which Councilwoman Patrice Hunsicker asked whether or not council would approve money to replace her mailbox post, which she said was within borough regulations but damaged during leaf collection.Hunsicker had asked that the post, costing less than $150, be replaced by the borough.However, after what became a heated discussion involving Hunsicker, two borough road crew members and council, no members made any motion to approve that expenditure.Hunsicker eventually said she did not want to waste another half-hour discussing the issue and that she would cover the cost of it herself.