Nov 23, 2014 By David Singer 2 min read

The $19.8 million Peters Township draft budget for 2015 stays real estate taxes at 13 mills, which has remained the same since 2011. Council will hold a hearing on the budget Dec. 1 and vote on it Dec. 15.

“We start the 2015 year with a fund balance of $10,734,033, which is $2.2 million higher than we anticipated in 2014. We expect a 2015 year-end fund balance of $8,860,555, which is approximately the same (that) we budgeted for 2014,” township manager Michael Silvestri said.

The budget shows $1.2 million more in expenditures and $900,000 more in revenues over 2014. Earned income tax and grants account for the majority increase in revenues, while more funds allocated for road repair and storm water management led the increase in expenditures.

“We try to get five miles of road done each year. This is the second year we’ve fully-funded roads … we’re also looking to hire one full-time and a couple part-time public works employees to help in those projects, as we’ll also have our own street sweeper for the first time,” Silvestri said.

One of the biggest single capital improvement projects is replacing an amphitheater at Peterswood Park at a cost of $603,801.

“And that’s dependent on us receiving a state grant ($250,000), which we’ll find out near the end of January, early February. Council has said if we don’t get that gaming funds grant, it won’t go forward as planned,” Silvestri said.

Another allocation is $90,000 for the public library to install new flooring and convert an area of the library to a cafe and “maker’s space” for 3-D printing, tech designing and community projects like sewing and art work.

Silvestri said residents will also see the start of a new automated recycling program that picks up curbside reusable refuse after the township was awarded a grant.