North Cornwall Township supervisors begin review of budget for 2026

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The North Cornwall Township Board of Supervisors began to review the drafted 2026 budget at its meeting Tuesday.

Supervisors went over expenditures, with 2026’s expenses estimated at $5,005,955. This year’s budget was $4,298,077.

Items with noteworthy increases include the following:

• Maintenance and repairs: Expenses are up from $318,250 this year to an estimated $825,000 next year, largely due to the $550,000-estimated paving project (as opposed to a $75,000 project this year). Both years also included expenses for the 22nd Street bridge realignment project ($200,000 this year and $225,000 last year).
• Debt principal, loan payments: In addition to an annual payment of $75,000, the township also plans to pay an additional $55,000 toward the loan for the administrative building in hopes of paying off the building before interest rates increase.
• Traffic signs, upgrades to existing signals: The township plans to spend $30,000 to go toward traffic signal upgrades at the Rocherty and Cornwall roads and State Route 72 and Isabel Drive intersections.
• Salary increases in multiple categories.

Chair Mike Wahmann explained that the contribution for the Lebanon County Regional Police Department has increased by 2.6 percent (from $2,216,754 to $2,275,302) despite 3 percent salary increases for officers, noting that overtime has gone down significantly since the regional department was formed at the start of the year.

Wahmann said that no tax increase is planned for next year, though the township plans to transfer $700,000 from reserves to the general fund to accomodate for higher costs in maintenance in particular.

The budget has not yet been finalized and will continue to be reviewed by supervisors, with chances for public input from residents prior to adoption.

In other news, the board:

• Unanimously approved the land development plan for 770 Norman Drive, Eye Consultants of Lebanon to include a 5,887-square-foot building addition and parking additions.

• Unanimously approved a resolution to apply for a Community Development Block Grant of around $100,000 to add ADA-compliant ramps to Gloninger Woods Park.
• Unanimously approved a pay application of $560,026.35 and a change order of $21,120.95 for the Dairy Road Pump Station project, which will be shared between North Cornwall and Cornwall Borough, West Cornwall Township, and Cleona Borough.
• Unanimously agreed to a reduction of bond of $91,875.90 for Phase Two of North Cornwall Commons for site improvements, leaving around $300,000 in the bond.
• Unanimously approved a final bond reduction of $6,200 for the Chick-Fil-A at 1147 Quentin Road.
• Unanimously approved an audit proposal of $14,725 from Garcia, Garman, and Shea following the retirement of the township’s previous auditor.
• Unanimously approved a time extension for 700 E. Penn Ave.
• Heard reports and unanimously approved minutes.

North Cornwall Township meets the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.