By MICHAEL HIRSCH

Special to The Press

South Whitehall Director of Finance Scott Boehret presented a second reading of the proposed 2022 budget to township commissioners on Dec. 15. Commissioners Setton and Long were not in attendance.

“In the general fund we have projected revenue of $6,965,444 in property tax,” Boehret said. “Our real estate transfer tax, which is half a percent on each sale of real estate in the township, is projected to be $700,000 for 2022.

“For our local services tax we are projecting $600,000. For our earned income tax, we are projecting $3.5 million dollars in 2022. For our business privilege tax, we are projecting $2,350,000.

“For our admissions tax, we are projecting $1.3 million, which is mostly revenue from Dorney Park.”

Commissioner Michael Wolk made the first comment.

“I make a motion commissioners provide direction to revise the 2022 budget to reduce expenditures to eliminate the 2022 budget general fund deficit, which is currently the $172,000,” Wolk said. “Continual annual general fund deficit will ultimately create the need to raise South Whitehall township taxes and we must eliminate the general fund deficit to avoid increasing taxes in the future.

“This motion is consistent with my comments during the budget workshop meetings and the finance committee meetings when we touched on this subject during the past several months. Thank you.“

Commissioner Christina “Tori” Morgan responded.

“I do not think we are in a position where we can cut any more expenses without threatening services to some degree,” Morgan said.

Boehret responded.

“I understand that,” he said. “I also see the work that we’ve done coming from two prior years of deficits that are budgeted of $506,000 down to $172,000.

“You know, I think for us to go to zero would be a great thing. But also for us to go to $172,000 from $600,000 from prior years is a good step in the in the right direction.”

The motion failed.

There was one resolution for consideration and possible action.

This was changing the seller from David T. Davis to David T. Davis and Joanne S. Davis and ratifying and confirming agreement of sale and purchase date Nov. 23, for acquisition of land consisting of approximately 26.87 acres at 1036 Springhouse Road.

The motion carried.

This unique property is going to be preserved as open space.

Coordinator of the MS4 program Mike Elias then addressed the board.

“Another exciting sewer planning module is planned for Kratzer Elementary School.”

The school at 2200 Huckleberry Road is expanding with an addition for 200 students, eight teachers and staff.

The additional flow will be 850 gallons per day.

He asked for a resolution approving added sewer flows. The motion carried.

During the open session, two members of the public spoke.

The first was Paul Dickinson who worked in the South Whitehall Police Department for 17 and a half years.

“I want to voice some respect and thanks to Tori Morgan,” he said.

“So, congratulations to having your free Wednesday nights.

“On a personal level, I appreciate everybody who helped me in the last 30 to 40 years.”

The second speaker was Ray Piveson.

He gave an example of a neighbor who takes a tree down but leaves a tall stump, or high weeds growing up around a camper, and tractor trailers kept in a driveway and sticking out beyond the curb and unto the street.

He wanted to know what could be done.

Township Manage Randy Cope responded.

“One of the forums we do offer here at the township is a request for an investigation,” Cope said.

“Forms can be found on our website very easily. Just type it into the search function at the top of the website.

“It’ll pull up the form and you simply fill that out with the address of where the investigation would need to occur for a property maintenance issue.

“That will go to our code enforcement officer who can let you know; then get it added to his list and actually go visit the site and see if there is a violation of some sort.

“OK, that’s our corrective action process.”