STONE HARBOR – Councilwoman Jennifer Gensemer has reported to the Borough Council that work on the 2026 municipal budget was “ongoing and on schedule.”

Gensemer, chair of the council’s Administration and Finance Committee, also said that the new budget faced “challenges” with the state spending cap.

The borough has had problems staying under the state-imposed appropriations cap in its last two budgets, narrowly avoiding the need to apply to the state for a waiver of the cap limit.

The borough began a series of annual struggles with the spending cap when it transitioned its all-volunteer fire department to a mixed career-and-volunteer department. The addition of paid firefighters began in 2021 in response to rising response times to emergencies.

The then all-volunteer department was hampered by the rising land values in the borough, which did not permit most members from living in the municipality they protected.

On Nov. 3 Gensemer told the council the borough was “awaiting a meeting with the volunteer company” on a plan to reorganize the fire department in ways that would make more use of career personnel. Calling the department “one of the most impactful” areas of the municipal budget, she said resolving the questions about its organization were critical to setting expense demands in the general fund budget.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, career firefighter Josh Otten said the career firefighters have been operating without a contract and under an expired employee handbook. The firefighters unionized in 2023.

Otten said a rank and structure plan prepared in January 2024 has now gone 21 months without action being taken, and in that period the paid department has fallen below staff strength, given unfilled vacancies, one of which was filled recently.

Councilman Ken Biddick said the borough was prepared to address the rank and structure issues of the department, but he asked Otten to understand that a total resolution to the reorganization of the department, including the role of the volunteer company, is needed as part of that response.

Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.