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Wilkes University alumnus Marlon James wins Man Booker Prize for novel

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Children’s Advocacy Center planning cocktail party

DUPONT &#8212; The borough council held its first proposed 2016 budget meeting and considered other town issues during Tuesday&#8217;s regular meeting.As of the first preliminary projections into next year&#8217;s finances, the borough will have a general fund balance of $543,750 contrasted by anticipated expenses of $604,956. The current tax rate of 1.2235 mills is expected to remain unchanged.Borough officials downplayed concern over the discrepancy between the expenses and general fund, noting numbers will be reviewed strenuously before a final budget is adopted in December.Another preliminary reading will likely be held during the regular November meeting.In other matters, the council and residents were addressed by off-duty Dupont police officer John Urbanski who recently became one of only 25 statewide applicants to gain acceptance into Pennsylvania&#8217;s &#8216;Top Gun&#8217; Drug Law Enforcement Class.Urbanski stated the week-long class, held at no cost to the borough, will give him greater abilities to perform activities, such as surveillance, undercover operations and drug raids while he serves the municipality.His only request from the borough is that he still be paid the roughly $485 he would otherwise make while working for a week for the police department. As a part-time employee, he is not normally entitled to paid time off.Borough officials did not make a decision during the meeting.The borough also welcomed representatives of E. Blake Collins. The funerary company will convert the vacant Train Air Conditioning building to a pet crematory.Local zoning approval has been granted and the company is now waiting final clearance from state department of environmental protection. Addressing the borough council was part of the D.E.P. mandated process.After hearing there was no anticipated community impact, council president Stanley Knick Jr. remarked that he is excited to see one business occupy space vacated by another.Dupont holds its next regular council meeting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>by B. Garret RoganFor Times Leader</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242.</shirttailMeta></div>

Dupont Borough officials downplay discrepancy between expenditures and general fund balance