Kuhn's borough hall zoning job cut

MILFORD — With a $75,000 loan to pay off for last year and a new $300,000 tax anticipation note approved on Monday night, it was a certainty that some changes would be made at the tax revenue -bereft borough hall. Borough President Matt Osterberg announced Monday that Duane Kuhn, was being replaced as borough building and zoning officer. Kuhn who has served part-time for 16 years as zoning officer and the past five years, full-time in building and zoning office, served his last day on Monday. “We just can’t afford to have someone sitting upstairs (in the borough hall office) anymore,” Osterberg said following Monday’s borough council meeting. Kuhn’s duties will be split. Bob DiLorenzo, the borough’s sewage officer will also take on the zoning duties, while a Wayne County contract firm, Code Inspections Inc., will handle building ordinance work. Osterberg said the change will save the borough about $20,000. “That $20,000 is one mill. We just had a 6.6 mill tax increase. If we hadn’t done this it would have been 7.6,” he added. Kuhn is not leaving borough employment. Senior Street Department worker Don Potter has announced his February 12 retirement and Osterberg said Kuhn will then join the street department. Noting that there will be a salary cut in the move, Osterberg said, “We were happy to have another position to offer him.” Library considering building options In a Dec. 28 response to a borough council query, the Pike County Public Library has reported that planning for an alternate building or construction project remains in the early stages. Those plans could include the Biondo Trust Building on Broad Street or another building design for the planned East Harford Street site. “We wanted to be a part of it early, so if there is any issues, they can be worked out,” Osterberg said. In other business Monday the borough council reorganized. With Councilman Robert “Bo” Fean’s election as mayor, a vacancy was created, which was filled with the appointment of James Price. Price, who was defeated in the last election, was competing for the vacancy with Mark Stevens.