Walnutport officials focused on money matters at their workshop meeting last night.

The discussion included a possible .5- to 1-mill tax increase and rental income from a portion of borough hall housing a new day care."Since we have the funding there to pay this year's debt service, I was looking to make it easier on everybody, including us," said President Matthew Newhard about a possible .5-mill tax increase.Newhard explained that any increase stems largely from the need to cover the borough's debt service, or bonds taken out to cover such things as a $270,000 repair to the borough hall roof, damage from Hurricane Irene to Lock 24 and more. The debt was restructured two years ago, he said, and refinanced last year, plus more money was taken out.Last year the borough council had agreed to a 2-mill increase over the course of two years to cover those costs, Newhard said.However, because of the loan refinancing, nothing needed to be paid this year; instead, this year's debt service was put in the back end of the loan, he said. The 2014 budget might only call for a .5-mill increase in 2014 and another .5-mill increase in 2015.Adoption of a preliminary budget was set for the upcoming Walnutport Borough Council meeting next Thursday, Nov. 14, with the final budget to be adopted some time in December.In addition, Newhard added that a new day care center, Y2Kids Child Care Center, might soon be providing taxpayers added income via rent paid to the borough for use of a portion of borough hall.Northern Lehigh Community Center President Paul Gass visited to encourage the council to attend the next proposed regional recreational organization meeting on Wednesday, November 20, at Rep. Julie Harhart's (R-183) office at Slatington's borough hall."We were told that there's a pot of $26 million just for this state for a group like this to draw from," Gass said."Unfortunately, that pot never stays there," Newhard noted, referring to an "unfunded mandate" in the proposal after five years' time.However, he agreed that since the discussion is still in its early stages, there was no harm in attending the meeting.It was agreed that Vice President Michael Gaston and Councilwoman Laura Stauffer would represent the borough council. In addition, audience member Donald Eckhart, a member of the Walnutport Recreation Board, also volunteered to attend the meeting.