Petersburg’s borough-managed assisted living facility might be getting more expensive. That’s after the Borough Assembly voted in favor of an ordinance to raise fees at Mountain View Manor at its meeting on October 21.
The facility’s rates haven’t changed in several years, despite rising inflation and utility expenses. The borough has already spent close to $2 million from its general fund to keep Mountain View Manor afloat since the facility opened about 20 years ago. And in this year’s municipal election, Petersburg residents voted down a ballot measure to increase the maximum amount of sales tax the borough can collect, which would have further supported the facility.
Borough Manager Steve Giesbrecht says the borough’s only option left is to increase fees for residents. But, he says many of those fees would only be levied on new residents.
“It’s not going to happen right away,” said Giesbrecht. “We’re grandfathering these folks in, who are already up there. But [raising fees] a start in the right direction if we want to try to make that facility whole and keep them from having to take money from the general fund.
The ordinance would charge new Mountain View Manor residents a one-time fee of $2,000, as well as a pet registration fee and a security deposit. And, it would require that two-bedroom units be occupied by two residents — but residents who are already living in a double room won’t have to get a roommate. It would also increase the facility’s food costs for all residents from $350 to $450 per month.
Assembly member Jeigh Stanton Gregor said he doesn’t like to impose rate hikes on borough services. But in this case, it’s necessary to keep the facility functioning.
“Not to put it in such black and white terms, but if we want to actually keep this facility… I am no mathematician, but I also saw no other way […] besides raising fees on that,” said Stanton Gregor.
The borough assembly voted unanimously on the rate hike. The ordinance has two more readings to go before the new fees go into effect.
