When Borough Manager Kenneth S. Weaver assumed his post in January, Greenville was broke and staring at an insurmountable debt.

The borough was in dire financial straits. To balance the books, the original budget proposal for 2002 called for a tax increase of almost 15 percent.

Reopening the budget in January, council reduced that proposal to a raise of 4.6 percent this year to meet the legal 5 percent cap. Taxes had risen 15 percent in 2001 and 18 percent in 2000.

Next year, they won't rise at all.

Instead, the borough will depend on an increase in the earned income tax to get money flowing into its coffers.

With $660,000 of Act 47 money in the bank and a 10-year financial recovery plan almost in place, the fiscal outlook of the borough, if not positive, is not as grim as it was a year ago.

"When a person comes in to shift the paradigm, challenge the system and create change in a lot of areas ... it's going to ruffle feathers," Weaver said.

"I am sorry if people didn't like me personally. I apologize for that," Weaver said. "But what I did was the job I had to do."

To correct Greenville's myriad of problems, Weaver said, "Changes have to be made."

"Anyone who takes this job is going to have to deal with the (borough) employees' unions," he said, referring to unpopular decisions and proposals over the past year.

Some of those decisions and proposals, he said, centered around the future of the police, fire and sewer departments. The Act 47 plan calls for sweeping changes in those departments, including the possible sale of the sewer department, a staff reduction in the police department and changing the paid fire department, which employs seven full-time firefighters, to a volunteer department.

To balance budget shortfalls, municipalities either have to reduce services or raise taxes, Weaver said. Neither of those decisions, he said, would be popular.

"Regardless of what you personally may think of the man, he did his job," council Vice President David P. Henderson said at a meeting Friday during which council decided not to offer Weaver a contract for next year.

Henderson's comments were applauded by borough residents in attendance. In the past, Henderson has attributed Greenville's successful bid for Act 47 status to Weaver's efforts.

Many of Weaver's ideas have been implemented already. In fact, he said, about half of his ideas for saving Greenville money can be found in the Act 47 plan. Weaver said he did not tell the people preparing the study about his ideas so as to maintain the independence of the study.

"When I took this job, (the accountant) told me I had no idea how deep the problems went," Weaver said. "At the beginning of the year, we had no money. Now, if council stays on budget, we should be all right."

In a statement read Friday by Councilwoman Pamela S. Auchter, council said the decision to oust Weaver was made because he had not moved his family to Greenville from their home in Tennessee.

"At the time Weaver was hired in January of this year, it was represented, and therefore a requirement, that Mr. Weaver move his family to Greenville sometime this past year. We have addressed with Mr. Weaver the fact that his wife and son have not moved here. ... Accordingly, we should not renew his contract."

The fact that his wife and son do not live in Greenville helped him do a better job, Weaver said.

"It would not have been fair to them," he said. "Since my family did not live in Greenville, I was able to spend longer hours at work. I was able to take work home and concentrate completely on the problems that needed to be solved."

The non-renewal comes after a month of controversy surrounding the borough manager. News of his personal bankruptcy five years ago and also of a letter from borough employees calling for his resignation have been the matter of public discussion for several weeks.

The embattled borough manager's contract expires Dec. 31. After that, he plans to go home to Tennessee, get reacquainted with his family and "de-stress and rest," Weaver said.

"I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted," he said.

Even with all that has happened during his time in Greenville, Weaver said he is not bitter.

"I've met some wonderful people here, and council is one of the best councils I've worked with," Weaver said.

"My goal was to leave Greenville in a better situation than when I received it," he said. "I think I've done that. I wish the borough nothing but success."

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Amanda Smith-Teutsch at: ateutsch@sharonherald.com