Find out what else you missed at this week’s council meeting
Burlington Township Council met with its auditor Feb. 14 to assess its five-year budget overview, which projected 2018 would be yet another good year fiscally.
Kevin Frenia, the township’s auditor and vice president of Holman Frenia Allison, P.C., reported that while his projections are not guarantees, the township’s excellent tax situation allowed for $1.3 million to be put back into the surplus. The funds were accumulated by excess tax collections, or collections over and above what is needed to pay the schools and fund budgets.
In addition to the $1.3 million, about $1.5 million left over from 2016 and $500,000 in miscellaneous revenue from 2017 will cover the 2018 debt service, which went up significantly from previous fiscal years. This leaves the township’s fund balance at an $800,000 increase.
Not included in the 2018 budget was the township’s PILOT money, which was set aside as short-term revenue and will be used to fund one-time improvement projects around the township. Council passed an ordinance appropriating $655,000 from the capital surplus to fund purchases for various departments and township projects, including a plow and dump truck. Another ordinance allows for $138,000 from the surplus to be used for the reconstruction of Neck Road and micro-resurfacing of 17th and 18th streets.
“We’re utilizing those PILOTs for improvements in the town, which I think is a really good strategy,” Frenia said.
The township is projected to keep the 2018 municipal tax rate at a 0 percent increase with a possible 20-cent increase in 2019, which would amount to $3.14 per $100 of assessed value for the average Burlington Township home price of $234,510.
Salaries and wages for township employees, in addition to several other minor expenses, will see about a 2 percent increase, but these costs are canceled out by the fund balance.
“We try to keep it at a bare minimum to fund what we can and live within our means,” Mayor Brian Carlin said. “This year, there are minimal increases, and they are offset by the revenues that are coming in, so we will most likely not being asking taxpayers for anything more on our general operating budget for 2018.”
In other news:
• Council accepted a letter of retirement from Sgt. Scott Estelow, who served on the police department for 23 years. He thanked the mayor and council for the numerous professional and personal development opportunities they provided over the years.
“Scott Estelow was an outstanding addition to the police department and a dedicated and loyal officer. I wish him the best in his future endeavors,” administrator Walter Corter said.
• Council resolved to support the Burlington Township Green Team’s application for the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program, which would award $2,000 to further the Green Team’s sustainability efforts.
