At Walnutport Council's workshop meeting held Thursday, Michael Wentz, who is the borough's grant coordinator, said that he's been getting questions about Council using borough money for the Walnutport Playground Improvements Project and that he wanted to clear this up.

Wentz said that Council is not using borough money for this project. Walnutport received a $337,000 grant for the project, which they are only allowed to draw from a total of six times. Council took out a line of credit so they could pay the project's bills until they get the grant money to pay off the loan."It was the only way we could handle it. There's no borough money involved," Council President William Turk said.In other business, Council worked on next year's budget. Councilman Michael Gaston asked Secretary Annette Lacko to recalculate the budget for 2011 with two changes: pay freezes for all non-uniform police department employees and the layoff of two full-time police officers. Council is looking at making these changes to save the borough from a two mil tax increase."A two mil increase to this borough would be devastating," Turk said.Police Chief Joseph Pennisi asked for Council to work with department heads to try to come up with alternative solutions."Everyone sitting here has to know that this town is landlocked," Gaston said. "If we didn't have a reserve account, we'd be laying off everyone but one person."Council took no action on the budget at this meeting. They are going to meet with the police department to discuss alternative solutions. Council has to pass next year's budget at next week's regular meeting.Council voted to postpone their Recreation Committee selections until next week's meeting.