Borough Manager Ellen Koplin presented township supervisors with a draft 2018 township budget at the Oct. 19 Lower Milford Township Supervisors meeting.

There is no real estate tax millage increase proposed in the draft document.

The draft budget reflects the salary for an assistant secretary/manager at $50,000.

There is an approximate 9 percent increase for employee benefits from a budgeted 2017 amount of $72,939 to a 2018 amount of $90,969. Also in the draft budget is a 3 percent increase in commissions for the township tax collector.

Supervisors receive a monthly stipend of $156.25 or $1,875 for the year. That amount remains unchanged.

With an expected beginning cash balance of $818,401, the total projected income for 2018 is $1,861,604, with expenses of $1,861,604, which includes ending cash of $615,630.

Supervisors will vote on a final budget at the December meeting.

Southern Lehigh Public Library Director Lynette Saeger presented a report of library services and financial support. Upper Saucon Township, the borough of Coopersburg and Lower Milford all provide financial support to the library. Saeger requested a 5 percent increase in support from Lower Milford, from $24,911 in 2017 to $26,157 in 2018.

Supervisor John Quigley asked what the percentage of library card holders is for residents of Lower Milford Township. Of the 10,306 card holders, 11 percent are residents of Lower Milford Township.

Saeger said the library building is 14 years old and is in need of repair. Planned projects include replacement of carpeting in meeting rooms with regular flooring, carpet replacement in the children’s room and the teen space and repair of insulation above the ceiling throughout the library.