Noting special thanks to the public works department, Tinicum Township supervisors have adopted their no-tax increase budget for 2019, which leaves the real estate tax at 8.5 mills, including 1.5 mills for fire protection, 0.5 mills for EMS, and 0.5 mills for open space preservation.
Earned Income Tax (E.I.T.) remains at 0.75 per cent, including 0.25 per cent for open space preservation.
The action was taken at the Dec. 18 public supervisors meeting. While the board and staff exchanged compliments on their efforts to maintain services at current levels without a tax increase, Township Manager Teri Lewis offered a special shout -out to Public Works Director Doug Skelton and his crew, Roger Margot, Rob Kallenbach, and Calvin Trovinger, for their innovative vehicle replacement efforts.
Their help with finding low-mileage used vehicles, effective replacement parts, and stripping out and rebuilding, was credited with saving the township about $100,000 by avoiding purchase of a new vehicle in one case, and significantly extending service life for another.
In an enhancement of current township services, the new Tinicum Township Police Foundation finished its first full year of operation with receipt of a donation that covered the purchase of an automated external defibrillator (A.E.D.) for the township police department. The device is considered to be an especially valuable tool toward the critical need to minimize the time required to start treatment for myocardial infarctions (heart attacks).
The $1,000 donation was received as a formal presentation from Tinicum Civic Association President Sue Walsh to Tinicum Police Chief Matt Phelan.
After the meeting, Phelan explained that the idea for the new foundation had derived from a similar move by the Central Bucks Regional Police Department, and allowed those who wished to make a police department donation to do so through a “501c3” entity. He added that a summary report on the first full year of the foundation was planned for the Jan. 22 public board of supervisors meeting.
Also during the Dec. 18 meeting, Solicitor Stephen Harris read a draft of a new formalization of a township policy covering the recording of township meetings and public comment at those meetings, matters which have previously proceeded through informal understanding.
Under the proposed formal policy, which is expected to be on the agenda again for the Jan. 18 supervisors’ meeting, copies of the audio recordings would be available for $25, with the master erased after minutes were approved. Public comments during meetings would be limited to one speaker from each group, and non-residents would speak at the discretion of the meeting chair.
Supervisors approved $122,000 toward the purchase of a conservation easement for the 25-acre Keller property on Stagecoach Road in Pipersville. Another major contribution is to come from the Tinicum Conservancy, with the county not participating in this one.
