Nov 25, 2013 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Franklin Township supervisors approved a tentative 2014 budget Monday that includes an increase in spending from the current year but does not raise taxes.

The proposed spending plan of $1,540,886 is about $89,000 greater than the current year budget. They will adopt the budget at their meeting Dec. 9.

The township levies a 1.28 mill property tax. Of that, 0.75 mill is earmarked for the general fund, 0.17 mill for machinery and 0.36 mill for fire protection.

The township has not raised taxes since about 1987, when it adopted a tax for fire protection following a ballot referendum. The supervisors also have decided again next year to keep the local service tax at $10. The tax is collected from each person who works in the township and, by law, can be as much as $52.

The budget is fairly similar to this year’s budget, said Carol Kraft, township secretary. The increase in spending next year is primarily attributed to spending on roads. This includes money that will be paid by companies whose trucks have used township roads and who, under heavy hauling agreements, are required to repair any damage.

Road maintenance and road supplies are the largest expenditure in the budget and totals $1,081,581. Others areas of major expenditures include $201,000 for medical insurance, which is expected to increase about 2 percent from this year; $155,000 for engineering for roads and for updating the township’s comprehensive plan; $153,870 for administrative and office expenses; $91,200 for fire protection; and $50,000 for machinery.

On the revenue side, the budget lists $800,000 from earned income taxes, $365,000 from property taxes, $236,509 in liquid fuels funds, $60,000 from real estate transfer taxes, $50,000 from the local service tax, $50,000 from building permits and fees and $43,000 from the street light assessments.

The township also expects to receive about $350,000 in Act 13 natural gas impact fee revenue, all of which will be used for roads.

One mill in the township is expected to generate $310,386, which is down slightly from this year because of a decrease in township’s total taxable value. The drop in taxable value resulted from a decrease in coal value.

In other business, the supervisors granted conditional approval for plans by Dominion Transmission Inc. to expand its compressor station on Route 188 at Kennel Road.

The expansion will involve construction of a new building and an addition to an existing building. A temporary construction site also will be developed on the Morgan Township side of Kennel Road, in an area away from the homes along the road.

The plans had been approved by the township planning commission last week with a dozen conditions that must be met before final approval is granted.

The conditions include submittal of a storm water management plan, site plans detailing storm water management facilities, contours and property lines; proposed building drawings, driveway permit and lighting plan; and verification of an approved erosion and sedimentation control plan and sewage module.

The company also must provide the township with noise level readings and comply with the industrial performance standards of the township zoning ordinance.