RANSOM TWP. — The proposed 2016 budget, including no tax increase for Ransom Township residents, is available for public review and copies were distributed at the regular meeting Monday.
The board of supervisors will vote on the budget at a special meeting set for at 2 p.m. Dec. 28 at the municipal building on Hickory Lane.
The totals for both revenues and expenditures are $985,715. If the budget is passed, $468,700 will be spent on highways, roads and streets; $151,415 on general government expenditures; $125,500 on pension and insurances; $120,600 on public safety; $100,000 to debt services; 18,000 on recycling and $1,500 on recreation.
According to the treasury report, the current balance in the township’s general fund is $212,540.30 and $1,417,1238.52 in the liquid fuels fund.
In other business, the township is looking into installing a solar farm at the municipal greenspace property to help generate income.
Supervisor David Bird explained he and Supervisor Jerry Brown scheduled a preliminary meeting early this week with Sustainable Energy Management to explore the possibility.
“It’s just a question of availability, if the property is facing the right way, and we need somebody to buy the energy,” said Brown. “It has to be cost effective for the township. We have to get something out of it. So, it’s just a preliminary meeting. We have to wait to see what he says.”
Bird added if this option doesn’t work out, the board plans to seek other ideas to earn revenue via the property.
The next regular township meeting and reorganization meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 4, 2016 at the municipal building on Hickory Lane. Chairman Dennis Macheska noted all regular meetings, beginning in January, 2016, will now start at 6 p.m. rather than the former 7 p.m. start time.
