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Bethel Township supervisors unanimously approved their 2025 budget with no tax increases at their monthly meeting on Thursday, Dec. 12.
The municipal property tax rate remains at 0.6 mills. That means a homeowner would pay about 60 cents in property tax levied per every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.
The township supervisors also unanimously approved two tax levy resolutions covering general purpose, fire hydrants and street lights, and one for the township occupational privilege tax, the latter remaining at $10. (Here’s Lebanon County’s 2024 tax guide from July 1 through Dec. 31.)
The tax rate for street lights is $1.05-front footage and 20 cents for vacant lots, and 9 cents for fire protection.
“There are no tax increases, everything is remaining the same as last year,” said board chairman Richard Rudy.
The 2025 budget highlights include a cash carryover of $3,221,924, expected 2025 receipts totaling $1,982,503 and expected expenditures totaling $4,134,651, leaving total reserve funds at the close of 2025 at $1,069,676.
Top expenditures budgeted for 2025 are $2,835,075 for highway projects, $672,915 for general expenses, and $370,109 for insurances and the township’s pension plan.
The township’s recreation board’s budget includes a cash carryover of $385,500, expected receipts of $71,550 and anticipated expenditures of $235,000, leaving a reserve fund balance at the end of 2025 of $222,050.
The township’s building fund has a cash carryover of $406,599, expected receipts totaling $63,350 and expenditures of $320,300, leaving a reserve fund balance at the close of 2025 of $149,649.
In a separate matter, the board announced that an executive session was held at the close of their Nov. 14 meeting to discuss personnel matters regarding working hours for the township’s maintenance crew.
Township solicitor Andrew Morrow also announced that an outstanding invoice for Sherwin Williams totaling $567.57 for professional fees would be paid in the near future. Morrow had been previously directed to send a letter to Sherwin Williams seeking payment of the overdue invoice.
In other business, supervisors voted to:
- Pass a no parking for snow removal during snow season ordinance for Village, Vista, Shirk, Creek, Elizabeth Run, Horizon and Weaverland drives.
- Issue two deeds for temporary construction easements for the superstructure replacement project of the Camp Strause Road bridge over Monroe Creek from Aletta Schadler and Andrew Whitehill, members of Camp Carson LLC. Construction bidding ends Jan. 8, with a special meeting to be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 15 to award the contracts. The plan is to start construction in the spring and conclude the bridge replacement project by the end of summer.
- Conduct a traffic study concerning the speed limit on Chestnut Hill Road, which will be held in conjunction with one on Mill Road that was approved in November.
- Pay bills for the following departments: American Rescue Plan account: $6,522.75; park and recreation fund: $351.34; special equipment account: $25,507.53; street lighting account: $3,249.50; and general fund: $60,986.45.
- Hire the certified public accounting firm of Garcia, Garmen and Shea to examine township accounts for 2024.
- Approve and advertise the board of supervisor’s, parks and recreation and planning commission 2025 meeting schedules.
- Authorize the purchase of a traffic management solutions LED shield radar speed sign totaling $5,600 from All Traffic Solutions.
- Provide a sewer planning exemption for Travis & Holly Berger’s minor subdivision plan.
- Give Lynford Steiner agricultural operation waiver and time extension requests until April 13.
- Grant a time extension request for the Hoover/Brubaker plan to April 30.
- Extend Donnie Zabinski’s time request until June 30.
- Agree to a deferral request for Jay and Miriam Weaver’s subdivision plan, with multiple conditions.
- Approve the Lehman sketch plan 61 W. Rosebud Road deferral request.
- Receive the December roadmaster and Fredericksburg Sewer and Water Authority reports.
- Amend the township’s Right-to-Know policy to reflect recent changes made by the state Legislature, effective Jan. 1.
- Authorize the 2025 traffic signal maintenance agreements.
- Approve the minutes of their Nov. 14 minutes and financial report, as presented.
The next regularly scheduled township supervisor monthly meeting is Monday, Dec. 30, at 10 a.m. at the township municipal building at 3015 S. Pine Grove St., Fredericksburg.
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