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Perry Township supervisors approve budget

By Rebekah Sungala 3 min read

PERRY TWP. – Perry Township supervisors adopted a $607,155 budget for the 2007 fiscal year Wednesday and announced that taxes will not be raised. About $85,000 of the budget will be used to pay for the water system, leaving the township with an operating budget of $522,000, supervisors said.

Supervisor Janet Galla previously said 22 percent of the $522,000 operating budget, or about $115,000, would be set aside for road improvement projects such as paving.

The millage rate in the township is set at 1.167 mills, which means area landowners pay $11.67 for every $10,000 in assessed value, or $58.35 for every $50,000 in assessed value.

Since taxes were not raised, the millage rate will remain the same.

Supervisor A.J. Boni commended Galla for balancing the budget without having to raise taxes.

“We work within our means,” he said.

As for other business, the supervisors voted to give $1,000 to the Frazier Community Library in Perryopolis.

Representatives from the library originally asked the township to make a $2,000 donation, saying that 36 percent of the library patrons are township residents.

Perryopolis Borough Council budgeted $7,000 for the library in their 2007 tentative budget. A spokeswoman for the library said 48 percent of library patrons live in the borough.

Boni said he and Galla realize the library is a “good cause” but said the supervisors have to worry about keeping 30 miles of road paved and cleaned in the winter, in addition to paying for other expenses.

He said the borough doesn’t have as many expenses as the township does, saying they have only 11 miles of roadway to care for.

“The next thing the borough is going to expect us to do is pave their roads because our residents drive on them,” Boni said.

Nonetheless, Boni said supervisors will support the library financially, within reason, as long as the budget remains balanced.

In unrelated business, Boni announced the C.A.R.R. gun club will no longer be shooting obsolete weapons on a piece of private property located in a valley between Routes 51 and 201 heading toward Connellsville.

The club used the property to shoot machine guns and set off small explosives.

Boni said the property owner decided “he no longer wants to sponsor such an event on his property” after several residents complained about the noise.

As for other matters, Boni said anyone who has a problem with township workers or workers driving township trucks should contact either him or Galla.

“Come to us if you have a problem,” he said.

Supervisors also conducted the following business:

– Announced the reorganization meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 2. The regular monthly meeting will be held directly after. Supervisors also announced the auditors reorganization meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 3.

– Asked for public input before passing a resolution that would ban the use of tobacco products at the township’s parks and playgrounds. The resolution is supported by Steps to a Healthier PA’s “Young Lungs at Play” initiative.

– Voted to install a fence at the Star Junction ball field at a cost not to exceed $3,850.

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