DUBOIS- Wednesday saw the first regular meeting of the New City of DuBois take place With a new City Council made up of City Mayor Barry Abbott, Vice President Shirley Dahrouge, Council members Bill Beers, Sam Mollica, Mike Piccirillo, Mark Sullivan, and Dick Whitaker.

The meeting opened with a prayer from Whitaker, who is also a pastor, asking for guidance and wisdom to make DuBois a great city again.  A place where people can find jobs.  A place where the youth can stay instead of seeking employment elsewhere.

Budget

Going into the first regular meeting of the New City of DuBois the budget was opened for revision.  Even in the waning days of the Old City of DuBois and Sandy Township the elected officials faced pressure over the amount taxes were being raised by the City alone.  Following Clearfield County announcing its own real estate tax increase several elected officials expressed a desired to change the budget.

Interim Co-Manager Lisa Hagberg stated that a few council members had approached her about changing how the timber sale was allocated.  The latest brought in around $300 thousand.  As the timber sales occur on City owned property allocated to the water system, the original plan was to allocate all of the timber sales to the water funds.  After debate last year, the joint governments of the DuBois area voted to split it 50-50 between the water fund where the timber sales would only benefit water customers and the general fund which goes towards things that benefit the entire City.  As $150 thousand is roughly the equivalent of half a mill, reallocating all the timber sale income to the general fund would allow the taxes to be lowered.

The Police Minimum Obligation was something Hagberg cautioned about.  The final number isn’t known yet as negotiations are ongoing over the police department’s retirement funds.

The Government Finance Officers Association recommends municipalities have 2-3 months worth of cash for cash flow reasons.  The City of DuBois currently has enough money to account for one month’s worth of spending.

“I really want you to understand this budget, that we put together, isn’t about anything excess.  There are some surpluses built into there for capital projects, but there isn’t anything in there about saving hundreds of thousands dollars, yet,” said Hagberg.

Reducing the budget risks dragging out the City’s financial dire straits for years longer.  The staff is currently under orders as to not spend anything.  To focus, employees are paid first before other expenses.

Beers likened the current budget and consolidations as equivalent to buying a first home with over buying when the City doesn’t know what it actually needs vs what everyone says it needs. 

With 110 jobs lost to DuBois recently and Penn State ending the Penn State DuBois campus ending in 2027 leading to declining revenue, Beers proposed that the City of DuBois begin leasing land to natural gas drilling,  potentially buying out older employees to encourage older employees to retire sooner, budget cuts for the fire departments, and looking at budget cuts and expense postponements for the police department.

The collective tax increases were also a concern for Beers.  Taking into the account Clearfield County’s 2 mill increase and his expectation the DuBois Area School Board will also increase taxes the City’s residents will be hit hard. 

Under the current budget former Sandy Residents were looking at a 6.63 mill and beyond increase between the three governmental entities.  Former city residents at 4 mill and beyond increases.

Whitaker said he agreed with some, but not all, of Beers’ comments.  That the budget does look inflated.  He wanted to know if some of the department heads could postpone any planned new vehicle purchases. Whitaker said he was in favor of moving the timber sales entirely to the general fund.

Mollica asked if anyone had looked into how much the water system was worth noting places that had sold their water systems had received tens of millions to put into the bank.  Not that he was for selling the water system as there would likely be a 25% rate increase.  DuBois rates will likely be less than Aqua’s customers in Treasure Lake.  He asked if Treasure Lake and DuBois’ systems could be unified to equalize rates.   

Kafferlin said most municipalities that sold their systems came to regret it.

Mollica then asked if the City would somehow institute a rebate where senior citizens could receive a rebate to offset the tax increase they would pay.

Sullivan said he believed not enough people on council were for selling the water system to entertain a vote.  It would be a one time infusion of cash but would be income that was forever lost.  He agreed with moving all the timber sales to the general fund and trying to postpone large purcahses.

DahRouge had looked at the 40% range of the budget going to the police department and found it within the typical 30-50% range for Pennsylvania.  She was in favor of trying to reduce costs, large purchases, and the timber sale change.

Hagberg stated that the cash assets from combining the two municipalities’ bank accounts currently leaves $750 thousand not already earmarked for specific projects.  It is looking like to make cash flow and payroll the City will need to technically borrow money from itself within the first three months until the 2026 taxes begin flowing in.

“Every dollar you cut from taxes will stretch that out,” said Hagberg.

	2025	Original 2026 Budget
Old Sandy Tax Rate (total)	9.125	4.625 mill increase
Old DuBois Tax Rate	11.75	2 mill increase
New DuBois Tax Rate		13.750 mills

Abbott pushed a desire to see the tax increase to 4 mills. 

Kafferlin asked for input on a potential new budget ahead of a special meeting this Wednesday.  He did echo Hagberg’s caution.  Long term the tax increases will be needed to get DuBois out of its hole.  “Taking it on the nose” may allow no new taxes in 2027, but pushing to lower taxes than already planned for 2026 will likely be just deferring the inevitable. 

Kafferlin stated the management team, at the joint board’s request, already asked the departments to cut their budgets.  There likely won’t be any more volunteerly made budget cuts.  So, he wants direction on where to force budget cuts on the departments if that is the city council’s wish.

Sullivan said he couldn’t go lower than anything below 13 mills.  A maximum of cutting 0.75 mills from the 2026 budget.  Saving around $50 a year for the average Treasure Lake household, still a $250 increase from 2025.  Beers stated he was dead set on 2 mills even under the previous DuBois Manager Shawn Arbaugh.  Meaning 11.125 mills for the old Sandy Township residents.  A slight tax decrease for former City of DuBois residents.

Abbott stated that the DASD and Clearfield County have the highest tax rates in the region in that order.

Whitaker blamed the tax increases on previous City Councils not raising taxes in decades.  Taking into account moving the timber sale funds, he was fine going down to 13 to 13.25 mills.

Business Improvement Districts

With clear emphasis on keeping taxes reigned in, Interim Co-Manager Ben Kafferlin proposed looking at “Business Improvement Districts”.  Districts will cover a geographic area to oversee certain projects such as lighting, curb cuts, etc.  To fund these districts an extra fee will be charged on top of property taxes to pay for the projects. 

One potentially could be focused on downtown DuBois.  Other options being commercial districts such as the Beeline. 

New Old Comment System

Following the tradition set by the previous two old City Councils of DuBois, a renewed attempt at enforcing a time limit on public comment was announced.  As with the previous two Old City Councils the limit is officially three minutes per agenda topic, but over time they would become increasingly lax.  As well as asking for the public to be respectful of everyone in the room.

The New City Council is aiming to enforce the time limit by having Administrative Assistant/City Clerk Korbi Slocum keeping track with a timer.  At the 2.5 minute mark Slocum will raise a yellow card.  At the three minute mark, Abbott will signal the time to conclude comments with his gavel.

“At the three minute mark I’ll gavel you.  Please don’t get mad at me.  Just conclude and we’ll move forward.  I’ll respect that,” said Abbott.

Boards and Authorities Needing Volunteers

 Anyone interested in any of the following boards are requested to inform the City of DuBois.  

• Zoning Board
• Building Board Code of Appeals
• Property Maintenance Board of Appeals
• Recreation Authority