November 14, 2005

The budget session of the Supervisors of Franklin Township, held in the 
Township office, was called to order at 0800 hours by Chairman John Sachar.  
Present were Sachar, David Henderson and Gary Truitt.  Jarrett Miller was 
absent.

REVENUES
Board reviewed the comparison of revenues and expenses from 1993 to the 
2006 proposed budget.

Henderson – over the years, we’ve had dramatic increases in expenses and 
we’ve absorbed the increases.  I should have pushed the purchase of two new 
trucks and an anti-skid building last year.  With the interest rate increases, the 
delay cost us $20,000 in a year.  We have done some major improvements over 
the years, paving almost 5 miles of roads, two new bridges, some major 
graveling, plastic cross pipes.  This budget is balanced but it leaves us with no 
cash flow.  I will recommend not approving the revenue side without a tax 
increase.  Discussion.

Henderson – I have realigned the millages by pushing money into the equipment, 
municipal building and permanent improvement funds.  It is restructured where 
the dollars go.  Reassessment and interim tax dollars have finally caught up with 
us.  We had a shift this year in EIT taxes.  We received more this year but the 
normal amount will be received next year.  I budgeted the average amount for 
2006.

All revenue line items were reviewed.

Sale of Two Trucks – Dave reported that he is proposing the sale of trucks 5 
and 6 and borrowing $180,000 for two new trucks plus $100,000 for an anti-skid 
building.  We would use $50,000 of fund balance for the purchase.

Bridge Construction – the Falls Road Bridge #1 replacement will cost 
$349,895.  We will receive $279,916 from the State and carry cash forward at the 
end of the year of $24,000 Emergency County Liquid Fuels money, $10,950 
County Liquid Fuels and $35,029 from the Township to pay our share of the 
bridge.

Revenue for 2006 is projected to be $1,038,684 with one-time large revenues 
(bridge) and $343,319 without one-time large revenues.

EXPENSES
401/General Government – the Erie Zoo is asking for funding of $1.00 per 
resident ($1,609).

Henderson – I don’t know what other townships are doing.  I feel the County 
should fund the Zoo.  Statistics show attendance is 15% from out of the area and 
the remainder is ½ and ½ from the City and County.  The only way open to us for 
a funding increase is through a real estate tax increase.

Sachar – if they pursue funding through individual municipalities, some will fund 
them and some won’t so it will be out of balance.  That’s not fair.

Henderson – if the County funds it as a regional asset, what else will they have to 
fund as a regional asset?  It could be problematic, what are regional assets?

Truitt – this seems like a guilt trip to me.

Zoo expense will be deleted.

DocStar Document Storage – this service preserves documents off-site as 
electronic document storage.  If we had a fire, we would not loose everything.

Henderson – the expense could be reduced if we could get many municipalities 
to go together.  It would be best to do it on a countywide basis.  I talked to 
several of our neighbors and Fairview wants to do it.  Washington Township and 
Edinboro Borough are not negative.  Discussion on costs.  Hardware cost is 
where the money is; the monthly cost is $200 a month.  DocStar’s proposal is 
supplying the hardware and a special rate monthly fee.

Sachar – will the price go up?

Truitt – would you destroy the paper copies?

Henderson – we would keep the paper documents for the time we’re required.  
We would also get a CD-ROM.  We can send the originals to the PA Historical 
and Museum Commission.  You would still have the CD-ROM.

Sachar – I can see the price increasing next year and every year.  The key 
question is what is the normal cost.  This special offer won’t last.

407/Data Processing – a new office computer is budgeted.  We replace one 
every two years.

409/Building and Grounds – this includes the cost of an anti-skid building, 
$100,000.  The proposed Cover-All Arch Cover was reviewed.

Henderson – it’s a horse apiece with making the blocks ourselves or having them 
made.  The cost difference is in the transport from the cement plant.  The 
building would sit where the cinder pile is located facing east.  That pile will be 
used up this winter.

411/Fire – includes $2,100 for two dry hydrants.

430/Highways General – a sizable increase was budgeted for fuel costs.

Henderson – I am proposing the purchase of two single-axle dump trucks at 
$120,000 each at State bid; Internationals complete with stainless steel box, 
wing-plows, front hitch, hydraulics and stainless steel spreaders.

431/Ditching and Driveway Pipes – Henderson asked whether we should get 
out of driveway pipe installation.

Truitt – charge what it is costing you.

Sachar – charge $300 excluding pipe.

The Supervisors agreed on a driveway pipe installation policy of $250 plus $25 
permit fee plus the cost of the pipe for a standard 20ft. length; for installation of 
each additional 10ft. length, $125.

433/Signs and Sign Posts – by PennDOT order, all road name signs must be 6” 
letter size and converted to high intensity.  We will convert over time.

436/Bridges and Under Road Pipes – cross pipes are a major expense.

Henderson – next spring we will write a project for cross pipes for our County 
Liquid Fuels, $12,663 is our allotment.

437/Repairs to Equipment – discussion on the cost of our trucks, parts and 
supplies versus the cost of new.

Henderson – the reliability goes down as they age.  The trucks are 1992’s.  They 
have relatively low miles but high hours of use.  When the new trucks come in, 
we need to do something with our parts inventory, does it go with the trucks.  We 
can try to get Five Star to buy some of it back.

438/Maintenance to Highways – includes $3,000 for seal coat on Hawthorne 
Ridge Rd. with Fairview Township.  Gravel is projected to cost $12/yd. next year.

487/Employee Benefits – cost-of-living increase is 4.8%.  The cafeteria plan 
goes up 4.5% ($179 per month per employee).

Discussion on a tax increase of 1/10th of a mill on real estate and instituting the 
Emergency Municipal Services Tax.

ADJOURN
Sachar called the meeting adjourned at 1010 hours.

Bonnie J. Bernhardt, Secretary