Bethel Twp. announces 2026 budget, pays law firm, discusses speed humps

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

Bethel Township supervisors in November unanimously approved advertising their tentative 2026 budget, held a discussion concerning speeding on two roadways, and made payment to an international law firm hired to represent them in a legal matter involving personnel. 

The proposed budget presented at their Thursday, Nov. 13, meeting includes no tax increase for township residents, according to board chairman Richard Rudy. 

Rudy said the budget will be available for review at the township building beginning on Nov. 19 and until their next regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Dec. 11. The budget is expected to be formally adopted at their December meeting. It can also be viewed online on the township’s website and here:

The proposed budgets include the general, building and park and recreation funds, according to the township’s Nov. 13 meeting agenda. 

International law firm representation

At their Oct. 9 monthly meeting, the township unanimously approved a motion to hire law firm Clark Hill to “serve as the township labor and employment law attorney, retroactive to Sept. 23, 2025.”

Read More: Bethel Twp. supervisors mum at meeting on hiring of international law firm

While that statement is broad, the standard agreement between the law firm and the township notes that they were hired for “this matter” or “the matter” within the contract that was signed by township officials on Sept. 29.

LebTown acquired the contract (PDF) after filing a Right-to-Know request with Bethel Township on Friday, Oct. 10. 

Besides being hired for a singular legal matter, the contract notes that the firm is representing Bethel Township and not a “lawyer-client relationship between the firm and any of the Client’s elected and appointed officials, officers, employees, agents, or other persons or entities unless we specifically agree in writing.”

Clark Hill representative Joe Rudolf wrote in the contract that the firm’s standard hourly billing rate for the lawyer expected to work on this engagement is $415, and that his standard hourly rate is $745. He said the firm agrees to discount their “standard rates to be a blended hourly rate of $365,” adding that “our billing rates are subject to change from time to time.”

The contract does not include a set amount paid as a retainer fee. The township has not detailed what the legal matter may be other than saying it is a personnel issue.

During their meeting on Thursday, supervisors agreed to compensate Clark Hill PLC a total of $2,591.50 for legal fees through Nov. 13, which would equate to a bit over seven hours of work since the engagement began.

Speed study

Supervisors also discussed a speed study on Chestnut Hill Road for the potential installation of temporary speed humps on that roadway and Mill Road to discourage motorists from exceeding the speed limit.

Township engineer Matt Mack said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is not supporting the township’s request to install temporary speed humps on those roadways. 

Township supervisor Bruce Light said he opposes installing the humps because if they put them there, then that would provide opportunities for other residents to make similar requests.

“I am afraid that once you do it on one road, then the next neighbor is gonna want it on their road and soon we’ll have the whole township (in) speed (humps),” Light said. 

Supervisor Michael Saphore said that speeding has to be stopped somewhere, and Light replied that he believes supervisors should be a little bit careful and “not open a can of worms” for others to want humps on their roads, too.

Supervisors passed by a 2-1 vote to ask PennDOT officials to examine the Chestnut Hill Road area to brainstorm possible solutions while they are there inspecting road work occurring on Camp Strausse Road. Light voted against the measure.

Just prior to the vote, Mack said there is no guarantee that anything will come out of having PennDOT officials examine the Chestnut Hill area where motorists are speeding.

Electric substation update

Supervisors also received an update concerning construction of a new substation in the 200 block of School Drive following a LebTown enquiry about it in September. That discussion can be read via a separate article highlighted in the link immediately below.

Read More: PUC jurisdiction supersedes township ordinances in construction projects

Other township business

In other township news, supervisors unanimously voted to:

• Approve Lebanon-based Garcia Garman & Shea PC to perform the 2025 audit of the township’s financial accounts at a cost of $10,000, according to an engagement letter with the township. The township hired the same firm last year for $9,853.80 to perform the 2024 audit.
• Accept separate motions for the Bell & Evans’ transportation center project, including the stormwater management & easement plan and the preliminary/final land development plan. They also voted to accept a check for $71,106 for sidewalk improvements but agreed not to deposit it while a new plan to install a sidewalk is being developed. 
• Approve waiver requests for the preliminary/final plan and another for pipe size requirements for the Bell & Evans cold storage facility project at 241 Blue Mountain Road.  
• Grant a time extension to Lebanon Solar 22 solar projects to Dec. 21 and approve the preliminary/final plan. 
• Provide a time extension to March 12 for the Seth and Janet Oberholtzer minor subdivision plan. 
• Grant four waiver requests for Dew Mist Farms’ dairy operation. Those waivers are: preliminary/final plan submission; establish a landscape buffer zone; pipe size requirement; and a partial waiver for one section of pipe to not require the protective bars on the headwall.
• Table a waiver request pertaining to stormwater management for the Greenview Tractor pavement expansion project.
• Give a planning module exemption for the Jay and Miriam Weaver on-lot sewer project. 
• Authorize an updated traffic letter for Rettew Engineering for the Mountain Drive and Camp Strausse intersection improvement project.
• Make official the purchase of a back-up camera for the skid loader at a cost of $2,178.02 on the township’s Bobcat vehicle. The device was installed on Oct. 30.
• Release a $100,000 fire escrow account to Donald and Carol Bashore.
• Approve the financial report, and pay monthly invoices.
• Announce that Pictures with Santa will be held the first weekend in December at the municipal building.
• Name Nolan Burkholder as a Fredericksburg Fire Company special fire police member.    
• Approve the Oct. 9 board meeting and Oct. 15 budget workshop minutes. 

The next meeting of the Bethel Township Supervisors is scheduled for Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. in the township building at 3015 S. Pine Grove St., Fredericksburg.