The Harford Supervisors have already had 2 meetings on the budget – aside from their regularly scheduled business meetings.  The first dealt with the state and sewer components of the overall budget.  The second, on October 22nd, concentrated on the township’s own part of it.  The Harford Township budget is divided in the 3 parts because of the way they are funded: the “state” budget, used almost exclusively on the roads, is financed by the state liquid fuel subsidy, and some money from roads that have been “turned back” to the township; the sewer budget is funded from sewer system subscriber fees and is gradually paying off the loan that helped create the system almost 20 years ago.  The “township” budget is everything else, and is paid for out of property, earned income, per-capita and transfer taxes, plus a number of smaller sources.

And there will be yet another budget meeting on Monday, October 28, to iron out some details here and there in the numbers worked up so far.  It may also be designated a “general purpose” business meeting.  Supervisor Garry Foltz has always wanted to schedule 2 meetings each month, but his colleagues so far have resisted.  So, as with the budget, he gets around that as chairmain by calling for “special” meetings.

This time Supervisor Doug Phelps and his brother, Roadmaster Jim Phelps, attended, along with part-time township Secretary Carolyn Jennings, standing in for Supervisor and also part-time Secretary Sue Furney.

They didn’t decide on any final numbers.  That will come at the regular November business meeting when the budget is formally proposed for public scrutiny.  But it looks like they expect to take in a total of about $366,000 for the township part of the budget next year.

Mr. Foltz noted that income from fines from the District Justice and the State Police has been trending sharply downward.  He also worried about the annual “cleanup” program, which doesn’t bring in enough to cover expenses.  It “costs us a few thousand,” he said, but he called it a “necessary evil … for the community.”  The program offers to pick up unwanted metals and other materials for a per-load fee in early June.  The township tries to recover its costs by selling the metals for scrap.  Otherwise, township revenue from most sources is expected to rise modestly.

Mr. Foltz guided the meeting through the expense budget sketched out by Ms. Furney line by line, closely questioning and analyzing each item.  In the end, there weren’t many significant changes.

As usual, the largest increases can be expected in health insurance premiums for the township’s employees.  With the head count fluctuating dramatically over the past few years, predictions from past experience are difficult.  The township shifted from a Blue Cross plan to a Geisinger plan a couple years ago, which has saved considerably.  Workmen’s Compensation premiums stay high because of some recent claims, one of which, according to Mr. Foltz is a “healthy claim … [and is] still open.”

Discussing employee wages and benefits, Roadmaster Jim Phelps said that the road crew had agreed to an “internal” arrangement to try to minimize overtime when possible, by quitting early, say, when a snowstorm is expected overnight, or by coming in late after an overnight outing.  “We’re not looking to rob the bank,” he said.

The “impact fee” income from Act 13 of 2012 helps to fill in the gaps in the budget.  Mr. Foltz would like a breakdown of where that money has gone so far.  The township used some $11,000 to purchase a GradAll machine.  Some of it has been spent for additional road materials and dust control chemicals.  Last year some of it was used to cover a deficit in the sewer budget.  Harford Township so far should have received a total of $332,701.68 from the impact fees assessed against the natural gas companies ($128,246.76 in for 2011 and $204,454.92 for 2012).  The special fund created to account for this money as of this month contains about $229,000.

Mr. Foltz does not want to use impact fee money for the sewer again, although it appears so far that sewer fees will not be raised again next year.  He prefers to use the money to benefit all 1,425 citizens of the township, rather than the subset served by the sewer system.  He is proposing to purchase a new (or gently used) truck next year, and perhaps a replacement for the loader, whose engine may be shot.

More details are expected to be forthcoming at the meeting on the 28th, as well as the November meeting on the 12th.  The meeting on the 28th will also be used to open bids for a project on Oliver Road left over from the flooding of a couple years back.  That one will start at 6:30pm.  Regular meetings generally begin at 7:00pm.  All of them take place at the township office on Route 547.  It’s your loss if you miss ‘em.

The following are to appear for Jury Duty at the Courthouse in Montrose, PA on November 4, 2013 at 9:00 a.m.

Apolacon Township: Fred Demann.

Ararat Township:  Melissa Gwynne Warring.

Auburn Township: Mary Bonavita, Janet Saravitz, Terri Siracuse, Anthony R. Tyler.

Bridgewater Township: Shenan Bennett, Stuart Kaufman, Robert Linden, Victoria Mulligan, Mary Wheaton, Ashley Woodruff.

Brooklyn Township: Christopher Bishop, David A. Yohe.

Clifford Township: Pauline Baron, Harold Cooley, Sandra Haberle, Donna Jacoby, Catherine Kilmer, Flora Kracke, Amy Mushala, Jesika-Lyn Ransom.

Dimock Township: Susan Birtch, Robert Gregory, Kenneth L. Hancock Jr., George Sobeck, Alfred Wilkes.

Forest City 1st Ward: Francis Graytock.

Forest City 2nd Ward: Richard Curtis, Pamela Green.

Forest Lake Township: Dan Acker, Art Donato, Richard Jindra, Mary Smith.

Great Bend Borough: Jamie Morse.

Great Bend Township: Karen Makosky.

Hallstead Borough: Kelly Ann Goff, Andrew Kovitch, Kathleen Marvin, Gerald Remick, Delores Thatcher.

Harford Township: Joanne Connolly, Alice Gow, Laurie Scott, Noreen Wallace.

Jackson Township: Frances Garrison.

Lanesboro Borough: Judy Lair, Roy Agnes.

Lathrop Township: Ralph Brenneman.

Lenox Township: Robin Kilmer, Henry Pospieszalski, Michael Schmidt, Eliza Vagni.

Liberty Township: David Bailey, Judy Chauncey, Cary Simon, Cory Valentine.

Middletown Township: Richard Weise.

Montrose Borough 1st Ward: Richard Catlin, Debra Earley, Frederick Thomas.

New Milford Borough: Maryann Warren.

New Milford Township: Joseph Cicon, Zachary Edwards, Pamela Janine Hall, Dean Holbrook, Gary Sickles, Jaime Thurston.

Oakland Borough: Barbara Ballard.

Rush Township: Donald Herman.

Silver Lake Township: Curtis Reed Conigliaro.

Springville Township: John Phillips.

Susquehanna Borough 1st Ward: Carl Hall, Mary Stackowitz.

Thompson Township: Andrew Hubal, Richard Lambertson.

Union Dale Borough: Nicole Tedesco.

The Susquehanna County DOMESTIC RELATIONS Section has outstanding BENCH WARRANT’S for the following individuals as of 10:45 a.m. on October 25, 2013: William D. Barton, Allen S. Bowman, William J. Casey, Anthony M. Choplosky, Thomas D. Earley, David J. Fischer, John S. Frisbie, Jr, Jon W. Hanson, Douglas R. Heath, Timothy M. Holmes, Kay L. Knolles, Todd J. Layton, Charlie J. Legere, Derrick J. Lezinsky, Matthew S. Miller, Ronald N. Mitchell, George M. Moran, III, Frank T. Perera, Jeffrey A. Ransom, Anthony Reed, Jose A. Rodriguez, Scott A. Russell, Bruce A. Schurr, David J. Shiner, Eric J. Snell, Nathan C. Strohl, Frederick Swingle III, Timothy T. Towers, II, Robert J. Twilley, Kathleen M. Visavati, Steven G. Warner, Jack A. Welfel, Corey L. White, Kyle D. Wilbur, Richard D. Williams. Please contact the Domestic Relations Section at 570-278-4600 ext. 170 with any information on the location of these individuals.

Chester Thomas Chilewski III, 35, of Jackson, PA to 4 months to 2 years minus 1 day in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $750 fine, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay cost of prosecution, not to have contact with the victim for Simple Assault in New Milford Township on October 20, 2012.

Murlyn John Blaisure, 45 of Montrose, PA to 5 days to 6 months home confinement, pay $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 CAT surcharge, pay $100 Act 198, pay $100 EMS fee, receive drug and alcohol treatment, attend safe driving school program, subject to ignition interlock law program for Driving Under the Influence in Montrose Borough on June 20, 2012.

Brock Raymond Scott, 37, of New Milford, PA to 30 days to 6 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $750 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 Act 198 fee, pay $100 CAT Surcharge, $10 EMS fee, attend safe driving school program, receive a drug and alcohol evaluation for Driving Under the Influence in New Milford Township on November 24, 2012.

Sherry L Wilcha, 55, of Meshoppen, PA to 5 days to 6 months home confinement, pay $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 CAT Surcharge, pay $100 Act 198 fee, pay $10 EMS fee, attend safe driving school program, receive a drug and alcohol evaluation for Driving Under the Influence in Rush Township on May 6, 2013.

Michele Decker, 43, of Lanesboro, PA to 18 months probation, pay restitution to the victim, pay $200 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, not to have contact with the victim, not to have contact with anyone on supervision for Theft by Unlawful Taking in Hallstead Borough on November 4, 2012.

Nathan Taylor, 27, of Hop Bottom, PA to 5 days to 6 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 act 198 fee, pay $100 CAT Surcharge, pay $10 EMS, receive drug and alcohol evaluation, attend safe driving school program for Driving Under the influence in Rush Township on June 23, 2012.

Lance William Youket, 26, of Binghamton, NY to 5 days to 6 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $100 Act 198 fee, pay $100 CAT Surcharge, pay $10 EMS, attend safe driving school program, receive drug and alcohol evaluation, abide by Ignition Interlock Law for Driving Under the Influence in Liberty Township on March 12, 2011.

Joseph J Carter, 26, of Vandling, PA to 9 months probation, pay $200 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, maintain employment, perform 25 hrs of community service for Theft by Unlawful Taking in Forest City Borough on May 12, 2012.

Jennifer L Thatcher, 32, of Great Bend, PA to 2 months to 23 ½ months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $200 fine, pay cost of prosecution, not to have contact with the victim in this case, not to have contact with co defendant for Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle in Clifford Township between January 7, 2013 and January 27, 2013. Ms. Thatcher also received 6 months to 23 ½ months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $300 fine, pay cost of prosecution, pay $50 Criminal Justice Enhancement Act fee, pay $250 DNA testing fee and submit sample, pay restitution to the victim, not to have contact with the victim for Theft by Unlawful Taking in Bridgewater Township between January 28, 2013 and February 5, 2013. Lastly, Ms. Thatcher received 1 month to 12 months in Susquehanna County Correctional Facility, pay $150 fine, pay cost of prosecution, perform 50 hours community service for False Identification to Law Enforcement Authorities in New Milford Township on March 11, 2013.