Foster Township supervisors passed a 2018 budget during Monday’s meeting with no increase in property taxes or sewer rates.
The board adopted a property tax rate of 5 mills on each dollar assessed, or .005 cents on each $100 assessed.
The budget itself estimates revenue and expenses each of $6,334,667.19.
Supervisors also passed a resolution prohibiting Category 4 licensing facilities — a slot machine “mini-casino” — within the township. Earlier this year, Pennsylvania lawmakers authorized the licensing of 10 such facilities and gave all municipalities the option to prohibit them.
Before the budget was passed, a heated discussion took place during the public comment portion of the meeting that touched on several alleged incidents taking place over the past several years.
Jim Connelly, a former township supervisor, asked about a township employee who was “caught stealing a load of gravel in a township truck on township time.”
According to the discussion, the employee received a 10-day suspension and is still employed in the township. No charges were filed.
Supervisor Chairman George Hocker explained the supervisors talked to the township attorney, who provided two ways it could be handled, and they “took the avenue that was most beneficial to the township.”
Hocker further explained that the materials that were taken could not be used back on the road; it was material that was being offered to the residents if they wanted it. The issue had been that the employee took it without asking.
Connelly also brought up an incident where an officer’s gun accidentally went off in the building, causing damage but not hurting anyone — the officer kept his job — as well as an incident where another officer lost his job because he was behind on his property taxes.
After several minutes, Supervisor Dale Phillips said, “I think we’re done. It’s been five minutes.”
Each resident is asked to keep comments to five minutes during public comment.
Connelly continued talking.
As Connelly talked about the right-to-know requests he filed on the topics, one resident in the crowd chirped, “Sounds like he’s campaigning.”
After several more minutes of vague allegations against both sides were mentioned, with comments from the crowd and employees, a resident, shouting at this point, said the discussion does not belong in the meeting and told them to discuss it afterward.
With that, the supervisors moved on to the next item on the agenda.
Supervisor Gus Crissman noted near the end of the meeting, “We still have a few address signs that are not in our township, and I think it would make a nice Christmas present if you give one of these to your neighbor or your mother-in-law.”
Hocker added that people can still purchase address signs through the Derrick City Fire Department.
Connelly chimed in, saying the current board of supervisors “inherited this problem. I congratulate all three of you for enforcing this ordinance.”
Hocker also updated the group on the plans for two bridges that will be fixed, one on Fairview Heights and the other on Harrisburg Run. He indicated they are still early in the planning stages and explained township officials will meet with the township’s engineer to discuss types of bridges and cost.
Hocker said the township will be sending surveys to Fairview Heights residents — many of whom are retirees with fixed incomes — in an attempt to receive more funding for the project. He is hopeful residents will return take the time to fill out the surveys in order to keep costs down and suggested he might go door-to-door to talk to individual residents about it.
Regarding sewer and water line repairs for 2018, Hocker said the township has budgeted a certain amount of money; however, officials are going to apply for state grants, so he is hopeful the township will receive money to be able to complete more repairs than initially planned.
The work session scheduled for Dec. 21 will be canceled. The next public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 2. The meeting is being held on a Tuesday due to New Year’s Day.
