Township Council Taxes

A plan for a “family friendly” Catalpa Park – slightly different from what was approved last year – is making the rounds before relevant committees before its official public debut. The plan is being shepherded by Township Manager Robert Vornlocker. Earlier this month he took the plan to the Advisory Recreation Council for its input, and on April 18, Vornlocker …

Bonding and capital ordinances appropriating more than $11 million for purchases and capital improvements were introduced by the Township Council at its March 28 meeting. The ordinances will have a public hearing and final vote in April. Among the biggest-ticket ordinances are $3,459,600 for water utility projects and $3,324,000 for the 2017 phase of the township’s road resurfacing project. The …

The Township Council gave the green light March 7 to a sidewalk program that will affect about 150 property owners around Franklin Middle School. The council met in a special session to consider the project, during which a number of area residents spoke in favor of or against the plan. The $750,000 program will install new sidewalks on parts of …

The $59.3 million budget introduced Feb. 28 by the Township Council carries something that hasn’t been seen in quite a while: a decrease in the local portion of the property tax rate. The decrease is slight and varies depending upon whether a property has been reassessed in the last year, but it’s a decrease, nonetheless. The proposed $59,306,412 spending plan, …

Township officials anticipate the 2017 budget will allow them to do a little more with a little less. As in, a little more in services with a little less spending. And that’s even after creating one new full-time position, increasing a current part-time position to full-time, and adding another part-time position, at a price tag of about $145,000 in salaries. …

The Township Council Feb. 14 introduced ordinances earmarking more than $650,000 to purchase two pieces of property. The ordinances will have a public hearing and final adoption vote at the council’s Feb. 28 meeting. One ordinance allocates $511,600 from the Open Space Trust Fund to buy a lot on Bunker Hill Road known as the Craig Property. Township Councilman Ted …

The Township Council held the first of two scheduled budget hearings on Feb. 13, with a handful of department heads on hand to make the case for their budget requests. The second budget hearing is slated for Feb. 21, and the council is expected to introduce the 2017 budget later in the month. Presenting their requests on Feb. 13 were …

Update: Ordinances approving the purchase and allocating the money for the purchase were approved on final reading Feb. 14 by the Township Council. Original Story: The township will pay about $14 million to buy the Consolata Missionaries property on Route 27. The Township Council introduced ordinances to further the purchase at its Jan. 24 meeting. The total price will be $14,090,000 …

A $160,000 playground system for Inman Park was among the more than $360,000 in good and services purchases authorized Dec. 13 by the Township Council. That contract – totaling $160,699 – went to MRC of Spring Lake. The council also authorized: A $12,460 contract for four portable radar signs from All Traffic Solutions of State College, Pa. A $17,900 contract …

The Township Council at its Oct. 25 meeting voted to purchase $194,245 worth of goods and services. The items contracted for were: A one-year extension of the contract to print the township newsletter with Hawk Graphics of Mt. Freedom, at a rate not-to-exceed: $40,000. A one-year extension of the contract for portable veterinary services for the Franklin Township Animal Shelter, to …