Final Budget Meeting December 16, 2004
The stated meeting of the Board of Commissioners of
Abington Township for the purpose of adopting the
Final Budget for 2005 was held on Thursday, December
16, 2004 at the Township Administration Building,
Abington, PA., with President Stanford Gross
presiding.
CALL TO ORDER: 8:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners
AGOSTINE, MYERS,
WACHTER, DIJOSEPH, TURCO, ZAPPONE,
CARLIN, O’CONNOR, WEILHEIMER, LUKER,
MCGRATH, LYNOTT, GILLESPIE, RING,
GROSS
Township Manager CONWAY
Township Solicitor HERDER
Finance Director MATIZA
Township Engineer POWERS
Director of Public Works MICCIOLO
Director of Code Enforcement MATTEO
Director of Parks & recreation WENDELL
Superintendent of WWTP LEBER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ANNUAL BUDGET FOR 2005
President Gross announced that each Commissioner
has been furnished with the proposed Preliminary
Budget for the year 2005, and he called on Township
Manager Conway who gave the budget statement.
Following is a summary of the proposed Budget that
will be considered this evening:
The proposed Budget totals $33,629,060, and the
Sewer Operating Budget is $6,662,708. The Budget
addresses the following priorities for 2005:
Economic Development Program - Year X
Baeder Creek Flood Mitigation Project
(purchase of 26 homes with federal funding)
Capital Improvements (bonding capacity for
$3.5 million flood control projects)
Final Budget Meeting December 16, 2004
Open Space - County grant $2.95 million
Complete Hillside condemnation appeal process
(80 acres)
Trails System (Roslyn and Ardsley Parks)
2006 Centennial preparation
Variable Rate Trash Collection for 2007
McKinley Fire Company - complete transition
to self-sufficiency
Update Comprehensive Plan
Continue working with PennDOT on:
Old York Road signalization improvements
Edge Hill Road/Tyson drainage improvements
There will be no increase in the General Purpose
tax rate for the 14th year in a row. There
will however be increases in the following areas:
an increase in the Refuse fee from $200 to
$230 per household, which will now cover 89% of
the cost providing this service;
an increase in the Fire Tax from .26 to .47
mills (an increase of $31 per year for the
average household);
a 1.5% increase in the Sewer rates (about $3
per year increase for the average household).
This is the first Sewer rate increase in 14
years.
Commissioner Carlin raised questions about the
methodology used in applying the increase to the Sewer
Rate Structure.
Commissioner Gross suggested reviewing this matter
at a workshop in March.
Resolution #04-028 - Establishment of Refuse Fee
Rate for Year 2005
Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by
Commissioner Ring to adopt Resolution No. 04-028
setting the rate of fee at $230 per dwelling unit for
residential refuse collection for the calendar year
2005 and thereafter.
Roll Call resulted in motion being passed 13-2.
Commissioners McGrath and Zappone opposed.
Resolution 04-028
Final Budget Meeting December 16, 2004
PUBLIC HEARING - Ordinance No. 1919 - Setting
Annual Sewer Rate or Rental, Amending Ordinance No.
1883
Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by
Commissioner Ring to adopt Ordinance No. 1919
establishing table of rates to provide for annual
sewer rate or rentals amending Ordinance No. 1883.
Commissioner Gross opened the Public Hearing at
8:35 p.m.
Commissioner Gross asked for any comments from the
Commissioners. There were none.
Commissioner Gross asked for any public comments in
favor of this ordinance. There were none.
Commissioner Gross asked for any public comments in
disfavor of this ordinance. There were none.
Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by
Commissioner Turco to close the Hearing.
MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0. The Hearing was closed at
8:36 p.m.
Roll Call resulted in motion to adopt this
ordinance passed 12-3. Commissioners Carlin, Zappone,
and McGrath opposed.
Ordinance 1919
Ordinance 1919
Final Budget Meeting December 16, 2004
PUBLIC HEARING - Ordinance No. 1918 - Establishing
2005 Tax Millage and Budget Appropriation for various
Township funds.
Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by
Commissioner Ring to adopt Ordinance No. 1918
establishing tax and levy for appropriation for
various funds for the fiscal year 2005.
Commissioner Gross opened the Public Hearing at
8:40 p.m.
Commissioner Gross asked for any comments from the
Commissioners. There were none.
Commissioner Gross asked for any comments from
staff.
Mr. Conway stated it was previously mentioned that
we saved $45,000 in the joint bus program that will be
implemented with Cheltenham Township on February 1,
2005. Rather than adjust the budget, we transferred
those savings into the contingency account.
Commissioner Gross asked for any public comments.
There were none.
Commissioner Gross made a MOTION, seconded by
Commissioner Ring to close the Hearing.
MOTION was ADOPTED 15-0. The Hearing was closed at
8:41 p.m.
Commissioner Gross read the Tax levy into the
record:
Tax rate for General purposes 1.83 mills
For Fire purposes .47 mills
For Debt Service purposes .4 mills
For Parks and Recreation .25 mills
For Library purposes .43 mills
For Permanent Improvement purposes .15 mills
For Ambulance purposes .01 mills
Total Millage 3.54 mills
Final Budget Meeting December 16, 2004
Summary of Appropriations and Receipts for
following funds:
General $33,629,060
Sewer Fund $ 6,662,708
Highway Aid Fund $ 1,086,700
Workers’ Compensation Fund $ 430,500
Tuition Reimbursement Fund $ 14,000
Roll Call resulted in motion to adopt this
ordinance passed 15-0.
Ordinance 1918
Ordinance 1918
Ordinance 1918
Ordinance 1918
Final Budget Meeting December 16, 2004
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None.
REMARKS OF COMMISSIONERS:
Commissioner Gross thanked Susan Matiza, Finance
Director for her excellent work and preparation of the
2005 budget.
Commissioner Wachter commented the staff does a
good job preparing the budget.
Commissioner Gillespie commented this is the 14th
year in a row that we did not have a property tax
increase.
ADJOURNMENT: 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Burton T. Conway, Secretary
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