With a new regiment in place, Lehighton has opted to re-examine this year’s spending plan.

On a 6-1 vote, borough council on Tuesday agreed to reopen the 2024 budget.

Councilwoman Rebecca Worthy cast the sole vote in opposition.

That came after newly-seated Councilman John Kreitz, who was named vice president at council’s reorganization meeting held earlier, made a motion to reopen the budget.

Council will review the budget when it meets at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 11.

Kreitz, along with newcomers Steven Hawk and David Zimmerman, won seats in November’s General Election.

Last month, borough council at a special meeting adopted this year’s budget with no millage increase, which left the millage rate at 10 mills.

Earlier last month, borough Manager Dane DeWire told council that the borough still faced a $388,000 deficit.

At that time, DeWire shared five possible scenarios with council.

Ultimately, council settled on the option with no tax increase, which includes the garbage rate to double from $25 to $50 a month, an increase in the sewer collection up to 5%, and the transfer of $1.15 million from the borough’s Light & Power Department.

The 2023 budget had no tax increase as well.

Reorganization

Grant Hunsicker will once again preside over Lehighton Borough Council in 2024.

On a narrow 4-3 vote, Hunsicker was reappointed as president of borough council at Tuesday’s reorganization meeting.

Voting in his favor were Councilmen Ryan Saunders and Steven Hawk, along with Councilwoman Rebecca Worthy and Hunsicker. Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky, along with councilmen John Kreitz and David Zimmerman were opposed.

Council then appointed Kreitz as vice president on a 6-1 vote, with Worthy opposed.

Before that, several councilors were sworn in, including newcomers Kreitz, Hawk and Zimmerman, as well as incumbents Hunsicker and Worthy.

Later in the meeting, council unanimously agreed to table the appointment of its borough officials and officers until a later date.

Other appointments:

• Appointed Ryan Saunders to the Lehigh Canal Recreation Commission.

• Appointed Rebecca Worthy to the library board.

• Appointed John Kreitz as council representative for the police pension committee.

• Appointed Cathy Smith and Brenda Kreitz as voting delegate and alternate for the Carbon County Tax Collection Committee.

• Appointed Rebecca Worthy and Ryan Saunders as delegate and alternate for the Carbon County Council of Governments.

• Granted authorization to update bank depositories and signatories for all borough financial transactions.

• Approved a resolution designation Grant Hunsicker and Ryan Saunders as voting delegate and alternate for PSBA annual conference to be held June 2-5 in Hershey.