South Whitehall commissioners approved the township budget for 2020 with the millage real estate tax rate set at 2.84975, the same as 2019.

The fire tax rate also remains unchanged at 0.47.

In documents presented by Finance Manager Steve Carr, general fund revenues are anticipated at $19,843,884 and expenditures at $19,686.530.

The capital reserve fund lists $3,395,378 in both receipts and expenditures.

The fire fund forecasts $1,764,802 in revenue and $1,145,794 in expenditures.

“We have no property tax increase in 2020,” Carr said. “We are going to earmark $50,000 for Wehr’s Dam.”

Residents, however, will pay more for trash and recycling.

“There is a significant increase in costs,” Carr said. “This is the only place we had to increase cost to residents.”

South Whitehall awarded a three-year contract to Advanced Disposal. a different hauler than the previous one.

Residential property owners will be billed $95 for every quarter or $380 for the year.

In other business, commissioners awarded a bid of $177,000 to Derstine Co., Souderton, for the Brickyard Road storage tank mixing system project.

The purpose of this work is to inject chlorine at the reservoir to improve water quality.

Public works staff report the tank mixer prevents the water from becoming old and avoids deterioration of the chlorine residual.

The board awarded a bid of $89,868 to Pro Max Fence Systems for installation of fencing and gate motorization at the Cornerstone, Dorney, and 41st St. water stations.

The project is expected to begin early this year.