Franklin reviews budget, says no millage increase next year

In what has become customary practice, Franklin Township residents won’t see a millage increase next year.

However, they can expect a small rise in their garbage bills based on dialogue at Tuesday’s board of supervisors budget workshop.

In going over each budgetary line item, supervisors reviewed various scenarios in its attempt to shape the 2020 spending plan.

While residents won’t see a tax increase, they can expect a slight uptick in their garbage rates.

Township secretary Brenda Neeb noted that the township hasn’t increased its garbage bills in quite some time.

Supervisor Barbara Beltz said she believes the township should do so to combat anticipated increases elsewhere. Those include the rising costs of health care, unfunded state mandates (MS4), and repairs to older vehicles/trucks.

“I think we should raise the garbage,” Beltz said. “The cost is going up with recycling, and insurances.”

Supervisor Robin Cressley agreed with Beltz.

“I think we did pretty good for all these years,” Cressley said.

The board noted that the township is owed about $225,000 in delinquent garbage fees.

As a result, supervisors said they were in favor of a $10 increase in the garbage rate next year, which would equate to an .83-cent per month increase for residents.

Earlier in the workshop, township police Chief Jason Doll went over his budget with the board.

Doll said the department’s most pressing need is staffing, and presented the board with scenarios for four, five and six full-time officers.

At present, he said the department has four full-time officers.

“Personally, I think staffing, we should be at six full-time officers,” Doll said. “Honestly, my push would be for the six full-time officers.”

Doll cited the proposed St. Luke’s Carbon Campus, as well as the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21 building that recently opened, as examples that the department could use additional manpower.

“A hospital this size is probably going to put us behind with four (officers),” he said. “Hospitals create police work.”

Supervisors estimated that it would cost the township about $93,579 (wages and health benefits) per officer.

Doll noted that former township police Chief Thomas Beltz in 2005 asked the township for a fifth full-time officer, but his request was turned down.

He added that if the need was there for a fifth full-timer nearly 15 years ago, then the need for a sixth full-timer is here now.

If the board were to approve additional staffing, Doll said his budget could be flexible.

“Everything can be tweaked,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to see much money at all for part-timers.”

Supervisors plan to grant tentative adoption to the 2020 budget when they meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The board expects to grant final budget adoption on Dec. 17.

In December, supervisors adopted this year’s budget with no millage increase, which left the millage rate in check at 7.64 mills.

Of that, 6.3 mills was for general purposes; 0.537 for the capital reserve building fund; and 0.800 for the fire hydrant fund for properties within 780 feet of fire hydrants.

There was also no increase in the garbage or sewer rates.

The last time residents saw a tax increase was in 2010, when taxes were raised by 1.5 mills.