Amity >> The Amity Township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a .5 millage increase for 2017 – the township’s first tax increase in 10 years.
Board members also approved to increase quarterly sewer rates from $90 to $100.
The increases are included in the township’s 2017 preliminary budget of $4,616,737, and would be effective Jan. 1, 2017.
If the current preliminary budget is approved, taxes will increase from 1.95 mills to 2.45 mills.
Properties with an assessed value of $100,000 will pay an annual tax bill of 245.
The preliminary budget is now a public document and can be reviewed at the township building, 2004 Weavertown Road.
Township Manager Troy Bingaman said new expenses include $100,000 for a new full time police officer, $700,000 to settle outstanding parks and recreation debt, and $1 million to establish a capital reserve fund.
He said a capital plan will provide necessary future funds for the township’s vehicles, buildings, computer servers, retrofitting its LED lights, bridge repairs, and playgrounds.
The township’s fund balance will be $1 million.
The board’s last millage increase was .3 mills in 2007 to fund paid drivers for the Amity and Monarch fire departments.
Supervisor Terry L. Jones said the township has “robbed Peter to pay Paul” the last 10 years, and now it is time for a tax increase.
“We made it through the worst (the last 10 years),” said Jones, adding, “No one likes to raise taxes, but we have eaten it every year for the last 10 years, and everything has gone up, medical, etc.”
“Our police department has also not been at full strength for five to six years.”
Jones said Union Township’s 3.65 millage rate is higher than Amity Township’s rate.
“They don’t have a police department,” said Jones.
The 2007 tax increase was also used to fund repairs on some of Amity’s 69 miles of roads.
Township Roadmaster Allistair Howell-Clarke said the township pays $1 million to repair/pave one mile of road.
Richard Martino, a Daniel Boone Area School Board member and the board’s finance committee chairman, applauded the supervisors for 10 years with no tax increase.
“Until this year, the school board did not raise taxes for four years,” said Martino, “but we are the highest in the county.”
“School board members don’t believe that high taxes are driving away developers (from the Daniel Boone School District’s three municipalities of Amity, Union, and the Borough of Birdsboro).”
“I seek the township’s help to get that message to school board members,” said Martino.
“We are in the position now of [dealing with] ‘past mistakes,’ but need to convince board members.”
In other news, Amity Police Chief Andrew J. Kensey said the department has received Aggressive Driving Grant money of $1,225 to participate with the Pennsylvania State Police in a speed enforcement program.
That program began Oct. 24.Kensey said he will discuss with Daniel Boone School District Superintendent James P. Harris the establishment of a School Resource Officer.
That officer would visit each school on a daily basis.
The officer cost is $100,000.”If something happens in any of the schools, our response would be reactive, instead of proactive [with an established officer],” said Kensey.
“It’s about knowing how to collectively respond, the ingress and egress [of each school], and how to set up a perimeter. We need to do something. We have log books in all the schools. That shows our presence, but we need a police officer in the schools.”
Martino said the high school currently has a contracted security service.
Supervisor Richard L. Gokey was absent from the Nov. 2 supervisors’ meeting.