Janice Meyers, administrator, presented a draft of the 2018 budget to the Heidelberg Supervisors at their Sept. 21 meeting.

Real estate taxes will cover $260,178 of income. The transfer tax and earned income are $470,000.

There are neither federal nor state grants included at this time. Fireman’s Relief is $24,000 and the state pension contribution will be $23,000.

Total income will be $1,028,903 with $50,000 added from fund equity to make the total amount available $1,078,903.

Listed under expenses to run an office is $45,725 for the zoning assistant secretary, administrator, secretary, treasurer is $80,000, engineering services is $10,000, fire company is $155,000 of which $115,000 is the fire tax, ambulance cost is $32,600, planning and zoning will be $7,820, highway maintenance is $367,448, winter road maintenance is $54,800 and insurance at $42,000. Total expenditures are $1,035,253.

Mark Smith gave the ambulance report.

There were 22 calls with one answered by another corps. Personnel put in 10.4 hours a day on average.

Response time was from immediately to 7.2 minutes. They have been getting nuisance calls - one a day for the past week. Supervisor Steve Bachman said Smith should ask at the upcoming roundup what other municipalities do about it.

Bachman said the Northwestern Recreation Commission had a lower profit because of the rain which shortened Night in the Country.

Miller-Keystone Bloodmobile had its greatest day ever at a “Night” celebration.

The road crew has been helping the other three townships.

Mowing is finished and the crew is trying to keep clean stone for reuse. They have been hauling anti-skid.

The hopper has been cleaned on the sweeper and the box was found to be seriously rusted. A replacement cost is $76,000 with $2,500 for delivery.

A drainage box is to be put in front of the fire station approximately in the location of Smoky.

Meyers said for the pension audit the township will provide all materials rather than having the auditor come to the township.

Engineer Ryan Christman said a new map will be made for the MS4 plan which the state wants revised.

This is the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System which includes the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting.

The Environmental Advisory Committee is looking for someone to present a workshop on gardening.

Meyers was authorized to attend a Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference which will provide information on MS4.

Cargill received the joint salt bid for $53 per ton delivered. Lower Macungie submitted the request for bids.

The budget draft will be updated by information received from the board in a workshop meeting. There will be $43,000 in the contingency fund.

A PowerPoint presentation prepared by Zoning Assistant Dawn Didra was shown.

The presentation titled, “Heidelberg Township, a Community of Distinction” is entered against three others for the planning commission gala.

Included are a map, information on officials, comprehensive plan, bridges up to standards, that they pave one mile of road a year, and the Blue Mountain Preservation Zoning to protect that area.

The township has 10 percent zoning to keep farms from becoming housing developments.

There was information on agriculture, both the history and future. New farms are coming into the township. Businesses remain in a family for generations and the Northwestern Recreation Commission works with the four townships.

There is information on Teena Bailey’s Red Cat farm, The Mill in Germansville and the multi-muncipal partnership in which six townships meet quarterly and that they share equipment and manpower. Goodwill Fire Company, Germansville, and Northern Valley Ambulance were mentioned. Zoning is working with the planning commission to find areas for growth.

There were four nominees with Heidelberg coming out ahead. Awards will be presented at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Gala on Oct. 17.

Didra’s admission will be paid. Anyone interested in attending should contact the Heidelberg office.