The Mercer County Regional Council of Governments Executive Board on Wednesday approved 2009 budgets.

The general fund budget does not raise operating assessments to the 27 member municipalities, which are calculated by multiplying 0.1641 by the population from the 2000 census. Mercer County pays the most, $13,769, followed by Sharon, $2,679. New member East Lackawannock Township will pay $279, and Jackson Center pays the least, $36.

Office staff employee pay will go up from 3 to 4 percent, depending on the employee, with Executive Director Thomas R. Tulip’s pay rising by 4 percent to $69,350.

The COG board also approved these budgets:

• Shenango Valley Animal Shelter, $89,199 ($87,350 this year), which includes a 5 percent assessment hike to member municipalities Sharon, Hermitage, Farrell, Sharpsville, West Middlesex and Wheatland.

• Shenango Valley Regional Lockup, $101,300 ($101,700), and Greenville Regional Lockup, $53,450 ($52,550), both of which contain no hike in the $10 hourly incarceration fee, and is the first budget under a new union contract with lockup attendants.

• TV sewer line inspection and sewer-jet cleaning, $4,800 ($5,800).

• Lakeland Area Police Communications Committee, $2,200 (same.)

• Lackawannock-Shenango-West Middlesex Swimming Pool, $26,650 ($27,650).

• Shenango Valley Softball/Recreation Complex, $9,600 (same.)

COG also runs the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service and Mercer County Community Transit, but their budgets run mid-year to mid-year.