Solebury departments budgeting for no new taxes

Budgeting for the new year is underway in Solebury and the administration and public works departments told the board of supervisors Tuesday, Oct. 1, that their budgets call for no new municipal tax hikes.

This follows the parks and recreation and police departments’ 2020 requests, made last month, which were “almost identical to this year.”

Dennis Carney, township manager, said new for public works is $200,000 for a new truck, replacing a 20-year-old vehicle and $87,484 (net) for a compact track loader.

At a cost of $325,000, the 2020 road repair program of tar and chipping, milling and paving will be for Reeder Road, Bedford Road, Estates Drive, Yorkshire Road, and Ely Road from Phillips Mill Road to River Road. Paunacussing Creek Road will be improved with other township funds.

Michele Blood, assistant township manager, said 2020 administration plans include purchasing sound equipment for the meeting room, paving work in Laurel Park, recycling events, and a groundwater and stream-flow monitoring study update.

The supervisors plan to vote on final adoption of the 2020 budget on Dec. 10, said board Chair Mark Baum Baicker.

In other business, the supervisors unanimously approved the acquisition of a $355,000 conservation easement on two Chapel Road lots owned by Nikoli and Karen Gasiorowski.

Baum Baicker noted that the township’s land preservation and easement funds will be used up by the end of the year and urged the public to support the Nov. 5 referendum asking residents to approve $12 million for new land purchases.

“The referendum is critical or we’re stopped in our tracks” when it comes to preserving land, he said.