On July 14, the Chester Township Board of Trustees held a special meeting for a public hearing on the 2016 township budget. As part of this meeting, the board discussed the budget planning process. Because there are expiring levies on the ballot this fall, revenues from those levies cannot be used as part of the 2016 budget plan.
Without a levy passage, if a department would be showing a deficit, the general fund could transfer monies because a debt is not allowed by law. Such is the case for the Chester Road Department. As part of the temporary 2016 budget, the general fund is appropriating about $270,000 to cover the revenue from levy and an additional $100,000 from the general fund to support routine road department operating expenses.
Trustees also discussed the need for an additional new road levy of approximately 2 mills that would allow for resurfacing existing roads. Without a new levy, the board will be unable to fund future resurfacing projects.
If the levies pass in the fall and are certified, those revenues from the levies (police, fire and road) will be added back to the budgets of each department and the $270,000 transfer from the general fund would not occur. These actions would be part of the final budget appropriations, which are typically passed in early March of each year.
Fiscal Officer Richter provided several suggestions based on discussions with Road Superintendent Pealer for the general fund and these were incorporated into the final budget, which was approved unanimously by the board. As approved, the 2016 budget includes spending as follows: General Fund – $1,494,494; Road/Gas/Motor Vehicle – $1,739,600; Police – $1,764,809; Fire/EMS – $1,307,110. The total, including some other miscellaneous funds, is $6,370,530.
On July 16, at a special board meeting, the trustees passed motions relating to routine financial transactions including direct deposit and withholdings. They also accepted bids for the sale of the 2001 F250 and the 1989 E350 sign truck that had been advertised on GovDeals.com.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Ken Radtke, Bud Kinney, Mike Petruziello, Craig Richter
Chester Township Officials