N. Lebanon Twp. supervisors pass 2024 budget, eighth straight year without a tax increase
The North Lebanon Township Board of Supervisors finalized their 2024 budget that will not include a property tax increase for residents.
Supervisors approved a $4.8 million general fund budget for 2024 on Monday. The municipal real estate millage rate will remain at 2.01 mills, requiring no increase in local property taxes for the eighth year in a row. The millage rate includes .42 mills for fire protection.
The annual property tax payment for a resident owning a home with a market value of $150,000 will be $302.
Township manager Lori Brooks noted that the same homeowner will be paying at least $2,604 to the Cornwall-Lebanon School District based on the 2023-2024 millage rate and $584 for county real estate taxes based on the 2023 millage rate.
The greatest share of the budget will to the police department at $2,247,295, which is slightly less than the amount budgeted for 2023. The total amount allotted to the highway department, including road maintenance, signals and signs, vehicle maintenance, and snow removal is $928,324.
Other projected expenses include $394,388 for administration, $335,282 for the fire departments, $151,261 for recreation, and a fee of $91,352 charged by the City of Lebanon Authority for any needed maintenance of fire hydrants in the township. Supervisor Gary Heisey had asked the authority this year to reduce the fee, but no reduction was made.
The main sources of revenue to the township are expected to be $1,841,170 from real estate taxes and $2,125,373 from Act 511 taxes, which include the earned income tax, local services tax, and real estate transfer tax. Being the host municipality for the landfill will bring in $165,000 for the township and revenue from license and permit fees is projected at $217,209.
The township still has $566,000 of the approximately $1.8 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds it has been awarded by Congress since 2021. Planned use for those funds in 2024 include a driver license reader for the police department, the cost of the fee for inspected hoses, ladders and pumps in the fire department, and repairs to a retaining wall along Jay Street.
Other business
Brooks reported that an application for a Marcellus Shale grant has been prepared by assistant manager Molly Lum and will be submitted to the county commissioners during the week ahead. The township is applying for $25,000 towards the cost of planting additional trees in Lenni Lenape Park, installing new trash and recycling containers, and purchasing additional benches for multiple parks.
Supervisors also approved the hiring of Rich Evans, who formerly retired from the highway department, to help with snow plowing in the township on an as-needed basis. Supervisors Ed Brensinger and Ardy Snook, who are both retired from the highway department, agreed that Evans is the best snow plow driver who ever worked for the township, but Brensinger said it is rare that the regular highway crew cannot handle a snowfall on its own.
Snook also commented that the township has been fortunate to have competent people fill positions that became vacant during the past two years. Tim Knight filled the position of police chief vacated by Harold Easter, assistant manager Lori Books took over for former township manager Cheri Grumbine after her retirement, and Jared Balsbaugh was promoted to roadmaster after Brensinger's retirement earlier this month.
The board's annual reorganizational meeting will be held on Jan. 2 at 2 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: N. Lebanon Twp Pa. officials OK another year without a tax increase
