Bethel Twp. officials formally adopt 2026 budget with no tax increase on residents

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

Bethel Township supervisors formally approved the 2026 budget at their Thursday, Dec. 11 meeting, which does not include a tax increase. 

The following millage rates remain the same as in 2025:

• .6 mill municipal real estate
• $10.00 occupational tax
• .09 mill fire hydrant tax
• $1.05 street light tax and .20 cents for vacant lots based on front footage

In addition to passing the budget, board chairman Richard Rudy also asked for motions to adopt the occupation privilege tax and the tax levy for general purpose, fire hydrants and street lights. 

The proposed budget that was approved includes the general, building and park and recreation funds.

The budget had been available for review at the township building following their November meeting through last night’s regularly scheduled December meeting.

International law firm representation

As part of paying monthly bills, one line item in the general fund included a payment of $7,847.50 to law firm Clark Hill PLC for legal fees.

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 November meeting, supervisors agreed to compensate Clark Hill PLC a total of $2,591.50 for legal fees through Nov. 13.

The township has now paid in total $10,439 in legal fees, which equates to just over 28.5 hours of work since the engagement began.

Last supervisor meeting

December’s meeting was the last for Bruce Light as a township supervisor. Light did not seek reelection in the municipal election earlier this year. 

Rudy read a proclamation from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township supervisors that celebrated and thanked Light for his service to the community.

Light will still be involved in the township’s business as a member of its planning commission. Light and Dave Brubaker are switching places since Brubaker was elected as a township supervisor and Light is replacing Brubaker’s seat on the planning commission. 

It’s likely that Brubaker will continue to serve on the planning commission as the township representative to that board, a role held by Light. A decision concerning the township supervisor representative to the planning commission will be announced at the township’s reorganization meeting in early January.

Light, who said he is uncomfortable in the spotlight, accepted the citation from PSATS and asked Rudy to move along to the next item of business on the agenda without offering any additional comment.    

Other township business

Speaking of township business, the supervisors unanimously voted to or learned during the meeting that: 

• Pay the bills in the general fund totaling $165,214.09; parks and recreation fund totaling $329.24; and street light fund totaling $3500.65.
• Ratify a resolution to send incoming supervisor David Brubaker to the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ Boot Camp for Township Officials at a cost of $239. Brubaker is a new township supervisor in 2026, having replaced Light who decided not to seek reelection.
• Grant a time extension to Feb. 28, 2026 for the Bell & Evans’ cold storage facility at 241 Blue Mountain Rd.
• Progress is being made on updating the township’s zoning ordinances. 
• Provide a time extension to Dew Mist Farms’ ag plan to March 30, 2026.
• Give a partial waiver request to allow a two-foot widening requirement along the frontage of the Dew Mist Farms property on Chestnut Hill Road. Other waivers accepted for this project include: installation of required right-of-way for sidewalks and curbing, and erecting street lights.
• Allow a time extension request to Feb. 21, 2026 for the Lebanon 22 Solar project. 
• Table the sidewalk waiver for the Bell & Evans’ Cook Facility plant plan.
• Sign the sewage planning facilities planning exemption module application mailer on behalf of the sewer authority.
• Approve the roadmasters, recreation, sewer authority, and financial reports. 
• Accept the highest bid offers for the following township property and the following amounts: 1987 Champion 720A Grader, $4,200 by Dennis Snyder; straight plow, $950 by Brian Hendricks; and a Honda EB6500X Portable Generator, $575 as submitted by Jacob Lapp. It was announced that there were zero bids for a V-Plow owned by the township.
• Provide a time extension until Feb. 12, 2026 to the property owners at 2288 South Pine Grove St. for a single-family subdivision plan.
• Table a pavement extension request for the Greenview Tractor project. 
• Give the following waiver requests to Seth and Janet Oberholtzer for their commercial project located at Freeport Road and State Route 343: requirement for a major subdivision plan; updated contour map around the current greenhouse; street improvements on existing parcels of properties to be subdivided; construction of additional right-of-way, shoulder widening, and installation of street lights; surveying an existing right-of-way; installation of concrete blocks at the project site.
• Release a $90,000 escrow balance to Raul and Susan Quanbeck with the stipulation that they pay any outstanding township fees before the funds are released.
• Grant box cards for Mount Zion Fire Company.
• Renew the bi-annual contract with SMRTGUYS, LLC in the amount of $600.
• Name Tim Showers to serve on the township’s planning commission to fill out the term of former member Bev Martel through the end of 2028. Earlier this year Martel moved out of the township.
• Accept preventative maintenance contracts with C.M. High, Inc. for the following projects and their respective amounts: Route 22 and 343; $425; Route 22 and Fredericksburg Road and Route 22 and Legionaire Drive totaling $800; and at Route 22 and Blue Mountain Road for $375.
• Pay the first installment totaling $233,224 for the Treeline Avenue project from the escrow account to Chalfort-based Dali Construction Corporation.
• Set employees 2026 wages and the manager’s compensation. 
• Close the American Rescue Act fund accounts.   
• Approve the minutes of their Nov. 13 meeting and Nov. 20 special meeting. Additionally, it was announced that the board held an executive committee meeting on Nov. 25 to discuss personnel issues regarding 2026 wages, and another executive session on Dec. 8 to discuss personnel issues.

The Bethel Township supervisors meet the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the conference room of the municipal building at 3015 S. Pine St., Fredericksburg. However, the next regularly scheduled meeting is to reorganize the board and will be held on Monday, Jan. 5 at 3 p.m. at the same location.

Rudy noted near the end of the meeting that it is unknown at this time whether the year-end meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec 30. He told LebTown after the meeting that session is generally held to only pay all outstanding invoices by the close of the calendar year.