Weatherly Borough Council on Monday adopted a tentative $7.98 million budget for 2026 that calls for a 1.25-mill tax increase along with increased utility rates to fund numerous infrastructure upgrades.

The millage rate would increase from the current rate of 10.3 mills to 11.55 mills, which is 0.25 mills lower than originally proposed and discussed at a workshop meeting earlier this month.

Taxes were last raised in 2024, when they went up 4 mills.

The tentative budget also calls for 20% increases in both electricity and water rates, and increasing the sewer rate by $5 a month.

Last year’s budget also had increases in utilities, but there was no millage increase. Electricity went up 15%, water, 25% and sewer, $5 a month.

Borough Manager Harold Pudliner told council members that since this is an election year, they could reopen the budget in January and make changes, if they choose.

Solicitor Jim Nanovic explained that if they reopen the budget at reorganization, they would then have to have an approved budget by Feb. 15.

Councilman Michael Bellizia said that council is dealing with unknowns regarding wages, as they work toward a contract with recently unionized workers.

“I would like to see any wages frozen until such a time as we have a signed, sealed union contract,” he said. “So we know what our costs are actually going to be.”

Bellizia cautioned that they don’t know what their actual costs are going to be, and he wants to make sure that borough can afford any changes that may be coming.

“I’m not trying to make any trouble,” he said. “We all know what the financial situation is, and I just think we should relax until that is a definite, and then we can make an informed decision.”

Mayor Norman Richie said that he is not against anyone, but didn’t feel a consultant would be feasible at this time, referring to the borough’s retiring manager.

Council accepted Pudliner’s retirement letter, stating he will work through the end of the year. He has served as borough manager for more than 28 years, being hired in January 1997. His last day will Dec. 31.

“We are financially strapped right now,” Richie said.

The borough is looking at numerous infrastructure projects that need to be done, including a $100,000 substation upgrade and issues with location of utility poles on North Street on the electricity side, Pudliner told council earlier this month.

For the water system, the borough needs $50,000 for a chlorine contact tank, numerous cast iron pipes in the system need to be replaced and already-acquired generators need to be tied into the wells, which will cost $35,000, he said.

Pudliner also explained during the budget workshop that the borough also needs to look at infiltration and inflow systems for sewers to prevent rainwater from getting into the system through manholes and seeping into old pipes.

The wastewater control board is also outdated and needs to be replaced, he said.

Richie was the lone vote against the tentative budget, which passed 6-1. The borough must formally adopt the 2026 budget at its December meeting, Nanovic said.

Bellizia pointed out that council is looking at its second proposed budget in two weeks due to questions after the workshop, but the borough needs the increases to fund infrastructure upgrades.

He asked if they could rehash the budget in January, and Nanovic said that they could reopen the budget in January, if they have more information and need to make changes.

Council also gave the OK for the manager and solicitor to seek rates and begin paperwork for a tax anticipation loan, which can be acted upon at reorganization in January.