Exeter Borough Council voted Monday to remove treasurer duties from the job description of borough Manager Kendra Radle, who is also a member of Luzerne County Council.
Borough solicitor Raymond Hassey said the move would eliminate any potential conflict between Radleâs roles with the county and the borough.
County Councilman Stephen J. Urban noted last week that state law prohibits an elected county official from serving as treasurer of a municipality.
Exeter council hired Radle as borough manager on Jan. 5. Until late last week, her job description was listed on the borough website as âManager-Secretary/Treasurer.â
Once the potential conflict came to light, Exeter officials decided it would be best to eliminate any reference to âtreasurerâ or âassistant treasurerâ in Radleâs job description, Hassey said near the start of the meeting, conducted remotely.
Municipal tax rates increased in 14 of Luzerne Countyâs 76 municipalities this year, according to the county treasurerâs office.
Millage rates in the other 62 municipalities will not change. Slocum Twp. is the lone municipality in the county that does not impose a municipal property tax.
The increases range from 0.10 mills, in Dallas Twp., to 4 mills in Penn Lake Park borough.
A mill is $1 for every thousand dollars of assessed property value, which means the annual municipal tax bill for a $100,000 property will increase by $10 in Dallas Twp. and $400 in Penn Lake Park.
Municipal officials gave a range of reasons for the need to raise taxes this year, from increased general expenses to public safety and infrastructure improvements.