The Caernarvon Township Supervisors met Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. to pass the proposed 2015 budget and tax resolution and to address township issues, which included a proposed “blighted property” ordinance, the appointment of a deputy tax collector and unpaid permit fees.
The proposed 2015 budget reflects total revenue and expenditures of $2,251,945, an increase from the 2014 budget’s revenue of $2,132,585 and expenditures of $2,079,575.
This increase comes mostly from small additions in many subdivisions of the budget, but large additions for 2015 include road master/crew salary totaling $49,500, weed control totaling $19,300 and clerk health insurance totaling $22, 795, none of which were reflected in the 2014 budget.
The board unanimously passed the proposed 2015 budget after some discussion about reorganization of the tax resolution for 2016.
John Greisemer, Township Treasurer, stated that four taxes, library, road machinery, recreation and rescue, are “vanity taxes” and should be combined in the tax resolution for 2016.
The township’s tax collector, Deanea Vivola, agreed to pass along a letter from the township to notify the county of the desired changes for next year’s resolution.
In other news, the board carried on a long discussion about a draft ordinance, which states that any property vacant for more than 90 days is subject to being taken over by the county.
The goal of the ordinance is to identify blighted properties and enforce safety regulations and ordinances in order to eliminate any threats of hazard to the community and its residents.
However, the wording of the ordinance proved unacceptable to the board.
“It identifies every property that’s been vacant for 90 days in this ordinance,” said Scott Moyer, Board Supervisor. “There’s no exclusion.”
The board agreed that the 90-day stipulation is too general and is unfair to residents.
“What about residents that go to Florida for three months over the winter but keep their property immaculate?” Moyer asked. “There’s got to be something other than a time frame to identify blighted properties.”
The board agreed that the draft ordinance needs work.
“We’re looking for imminent danger to public safety,” said William Witman, Township Engineer.
Witman agreed to take on the duty of having changes made to the ordinance, and the board will revisit it at next month’s meeting.
The board also passed two other motions at Tuesday’s meeting.
The first motion addressed the appointment of a deputy tax collector who would work with Deanea Vivola.
Vivola stated that for the last eight years, this has been a suggested in the audit, although it is technically mandated. She offered several suggestions for deputy, and the board passed a motion to appoint Vivola’s husband as Deputy Tax Collector with Township Manager Randy Miller as a backup, in case of family emergencies.
Surety must accept this proposal, and a letter will be sent to address the need for a deputy tax collector.
The board also addressed the issue of permit fee payment within the township.
The process for authorizing a permit requires approval from both Technicon, which covers systems, and Great Valley, which covers zoning and building. While the review is in process, applicants are going ahead with projects.
“What’s happening is the people are doing the work already,” said Miller. “They complete the work, and then they never come back to pay for the permit.”
The township, however, is required to pay Technicon and Great Valley for their services, which is causing them to lose money on these deals.
The board’s solution was to pass a motion that requires applicants to include a deposit, based on estimates, with their applications.
Miller will also send out letters to applicants who have not paid their permit fees.
The next meeting will take place on Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
