West Mayfield Borough, PA

09/07/2026

We Salute Our Municipal Labor Force

On this Labor Day, we recognize the hard work and dedication of all who work for and on behalf of local government.

It takes a lot of people to make local government work. Currently, the Borough of West Mayfield manages 16 paid positions on its payroll to assist with routine managerial, administrative, public safety, and public works operations. These include the Borough Secretary, Code Enforcement Officer, Emergency Management Coordinator, Planning-Zoning Officer, Solicitor, Public Works employees, and elected officials.

Although elected officials (councilmembers, mayor, real estate tax collector) are not considered Borough employees, they are a de facto workforce managing municipal affairs; their compensation is administered through the municipal payroll system and they are subject to many of the same workplace personnel policies and human resources directives as the Borough's regular staff.

Additionally, the Borough employs several professional-services contractors to assist with specialized municipal operations, such as financial bookkeeping, municipal auditing, engineering services, computer services, and website administration.

The Borough is a Public Employer

It's important to remember that the Borough of West Mayfield is a local public-sector employer governed by the Pennsylvania Borough Code and other state and federal labor laws. Council has the authority to fill and create employment positions and to set the terms and conditions of employment: required duties and responsibilities, standards of professional development and training, and compensation/benefits.

It is the duty of Council to ensure that the municipal labor force is well managed, resourced, competent, serves the needs of municipality and community, and upholds the trust and confidence of our citizens.

Citizen Oversight and Accountability

Concerned citizens who would like to assist and advise Council on municipal employment and labor issues are welcome to become citizen-members of Council's General Administration oversight committee. Please reach out to Council President Kevin Farkas to learn more about this important opportunity.

09/06/2026

UNIFIED MUNICIPAL SCHEDULE OF FEES

Service user fees allow the Borough of West Mayfield to cover the administrative and operational costs of providing localized, direct services to residents--costs that would otherwise be a financial burden to taxpayers and the General Fund.

Created by Council Res. 2025-04-10-02 and amended as necessary to meet the needs of the municipality, the Borough maintains a comprehensive Unified Municipal Schedule of Fees (UMSF).

The UMSF outlines the costs for various local services, permits, and legal penalties, such as administrative charges, zoning permits, and construction fees for both residential and commercial projects. It also details financial consequences for code violations, including issues related to traffic, animal control, and property maintenance. Additionally, the schedule of fees specifies rates for renting public facilities, obtaining official records, and securing utility connections like sewer taps.

Go to Unified Municipal Schedule of Fees
https://www.westmayfieldborough.us/borough-fee-schedule/

09/05/2026

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PREPAREDNESS

Like so many other municipalities, West Mayfield has been experiencing intensified weather-related events such as more frequent flash-flooding, downed trees, and storm-related power outages. If these patterns hold, we must take action to better prepare ourselves for emergencies.

In response to recent severe rain and windstorm damage experienced in the Borough and throughout neighboring municipalities, Council is reviewing the adequacy of our specific hazard response preparedness in this area.

Read more
https://www.westmayfieldborough.us/improving-west-mayfield-emergency-response-preparedness/

Photo: Jake Tate, September 28, 2024

09/04/2026

09/02/2026

Council's Water & Sewer Enterprise Fund Task Force

Activities & Update

April 8, 2026: Council creates task force to address revenue issues with the municipal Water & Sewage Enterprise Fund

June 23, 2026: Task force holds online community Zoom meeting to discuss sewer rate revenue problem

August 4, 2026-08-04: Task force holds online community Zoom meeting to discuss sewer rate problem-solving

August 18, 2026: Task force obtains sewer user data set (accounts, usage, billing info) and fund financial records for analysis

September 1, 2026: Task force holds its 3rd and final community meeting to discuss in-person various sewer rate increase proposals, including impacts on Water & Sewage Fund revenue and consumer billing

2026-09-09: Task force intends to offer 2 legislative items for Council's consideration:

1) Resolution requiring quarterly review of Water & Sewer Enterprise Fund & biennial reviews of sewage rates

2) Resolution setting sewer rates, effective January 1, 2027, and to uphold provisions of Ord. 1040-A (1998) providing for the collection of charges and liens on property for unpaid sewer bills

09/01/2026

The agenda is now online for the September 2, 2026 Council Work Session meeting.

Meetings, Agendas, Minutes SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 2026 Meetings View Borough Calendar Unless specified otherwise through public notice, Council Work Session meetings will be held at 6:00pm on the f…

08/31/2026

SALDO (Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance) is the set of rules that guides how property can be divided and developed in West Mayfield. SALDO helps ensure new development is safe, coordinated, and consistent with the Borough's adopted standards.

In consideration of the data center issues affecting municipalities across the region, especially in Big Beaver Borough, Council is being proactive in reviewing SALDO to ensuring that property owners' rights are upheld consistent with all applicable laws, and to make sure that every application for land use is reviewed according to the same adopted rules for everyone. If a land use proposal meets the requirements of the Borough's ordinances, it has the right to move through the approval process.

Council is also committed to considering the views of concerned citizens of West Mayfield.

This is why Council created a data center task force open to all citizens who want to help shape SALDO so that the community's interests and wellbeing are always front and center when it comes to land development in the Borough.

08/23/2026

PROCEDURES & POLICY MANUAL FOR COUNCILMEMBERS

Council is the elected legislative and governing body of the Borough of West Mayfield, deriving its power from the Pennsylvania Borough Code, which authorizes Council to make and adopt all ordinances, bylaws, rules and regulations deemed necessary for the proper management and control of the borough in order to maintain good government.

Where not specified by state statute, the Borough Code gives Council broad latitude to regulate itself by creating its own administrative and operational policies and procedures--such as written rules of decorum for public meetings; clearly defined descriptions of oversight committees; a set of agreed upon duties, responsibilities, and expectations for each councilmember; and basic job descriptions, professional development and training requirements, and other personnel policies for municipal employees, and elected and appointed municipal officials.

MANAGEMENT REVIEW & COUNCIL LEADERSHIP

A recent study conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development pointed out that the Borough lacked many of these basic managerial and administrative policies and procedures that regulate council and local government. By any measure, this is a critical weakness in local government.

However, the current Council is showing strong leadership on this issue. It is using its power and authority to create proper municipal management controls such as administrative policies and standard operating guidelines "deemed necessary for the proper management and control of the borough in order to maintain good government."

Currently in development is a practical procedures manual for West Mayfield councilmembers.