Richland Township this month responded to complaints from residents about a potential safety hazard on a local road it controls, and congestion on a state road that it does not.
It has invested in direct action to address the former, while promising continued contact with state officials to address the latter. Both were discussed at the Dec. 11 board of supervisors meeting.
On the local road, officials responded to resident concerns about “sliding when wet” on a curve on East Pumping Station Road near Depot Lane. While investigation by township officials indeed showed the road was slippery when wet, driving within the speed limit did not result in sliding.
Nevertheless, supervisors accepted a recommendation from the staff to apply a skid-resistant treatment to the pavement, and a thermoplastic “Slow-Curve” legend to the approach. For best results, the actions are to be taken in the spring at a total cost of about $13,000.
But on state Route 309, township officials have much less control. There, they have promised contact with their elected state officials and PennDOT to address complaints about traffic backing up at the left turn arrow from northbound Route 309 onto Pumping Station Road. The contacts will confirm if the situation has made it onto PennDOT’s list of things to do, and if so, could it be moved up in priority.
Also at the Dec. 11 meeting, supervisors adopted Richland’s 2024 budget, as it was approved for advertising at their Nov. 13 meeting.
Acting to counter a fire and rescue service deficit for the new year and beyond, the township approved a 2.25-mill increase in its dedicated “fire tax,” bringing the new total for it to 3 mills, up from the present dedicated 0.75 mills. The increase is understood to be dedicated to funds for equipment and apparatus for the volunteer fire companies serving the township.
It is the first tax increase by the township since 2013, when 1.8 mills was added to the total real estate tax to allow for expansion of police services to 24/7. In 2008, 6.75 mils had been added, including 0.25 for fire.
No change was proposed to meet real estate tax support for the balanced, general fund portion of the budget, which remains at 10.55 mils. Thus, the present total of 11.30 mils for real estate and fire will rise to a total of 13.55 mils beginning in 2024.
The township’s “open space budget” to support land conservation easements is to remain as the .1% “surcharge” to the separate 1% Earned Income Tax (E.I.T.), a method that was recently renewed by voters in a referendum. Real estate tax support for the township’s public schools is handled separately via the Quakertown Community School District.
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