Mayor Chuck Watson said there will be no tax increase to residents.
At this week’s meeting, Medford Township Council added a new council member and introduced the 2019 municipal budget.
After prior Councilman Chris Buoni’s resignation at the Feb. 5 meeting, mayor Chuck Watson stated the council was sent three names of potential candidates by the Burlington County Republican Committee.
After interviewing each candidate, they selected Lauren Kochan, who was sworn in at the March 5 meeting.
Following the swearing-in of the new councilwoman, Watson reviewed the highlights of the introduced 2019 municipal budget totaling approximately $20,358,000, with no tax increase to the residents.
Watson stated the retiree health benefits were decreased by about $475,000 and debt service was reduced by about $567,000.
He said the budget contains capital improvement appropriation for the down payment of debt totaling about $329,000.
This down payment supports the capital improvement plan that includes about $2.5 million in road improvements, $250,000 for a new ambulance, $2.7 million for the purchase of property and renovations for Fire Station 252, $175,000 for a rolloff truck, $90,000 for a roadside mower, $30,000 for a key fob and camera system for park bathroom buildings and other miscellaneous items.
Watson said $96,000 had been raised from the budget from Storm Quinn that took place in March 2018 due to an emergency appropriation to provide for the collection of brush.
He said this is the first year the township is responsible for the cost of the live streaming service offered on the township website, totaling about $10,500.
The police operating expenses were increased to include funding for new mobile vision cameras and for weekly IT services.
The tax office operating expenses increased to allow for the purchase of three desks.
Emergency management operating expenses increased to purchase cots, blankets and pillows for sheltering operations and to purchase computers, monitors and WiFi routers for the emergency operations center.
Watson said there was a slight increase in the celebrations budget for food truck events and the addition of a band at the Memorial Day parade.
He said there were promotions in the planning and zoning department, along with four full-time EMT positions, promotions in the fire department and the hiring of a full-time helper for the neighborhood services department.
The full budget introduction can be viewed online at medfordtownship.com.
In other news:
- Township Manager Kathy Burger said brush pickup will begin on April 1.
The next regular council meeting will be held on March 19 at 7 p.m. at the Public Safety Building located at 91 Union St.
