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Good evening, everyone.

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I want to start by thanking everyone

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for their attention to the
presentation I'm about to give this

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I'm here to present the proposed 2026
annual budget for Willistown

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I believe it is screen sharing to
Zoom, but I might intermittently

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to make sure that everything is
proceeding properly there.

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So tonight I will begin with
highlights of the past year,

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then discuss the taxes that are
levied in the township, detailed

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township funds for the coming year,
and provide initial information

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preliminary sewer rates. Please hold
your questions to the end of the

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presentation when the board chair
will open the floor to the public.

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So again, as I said, we will begin
with a look back

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at 2025.

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Beginning with roads and
infrastructure that most Willistown

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I'm pleased first of all to share

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that the Garrett Mill Road bridge,
which has been closed since the

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of 2023, is expected to reopen before
the end of this calendar year.

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Our roadway resurfacing program this
year paved approximately 3.26 miles

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and our public works crews filled
over 100 potholes after a rough

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Intersection striping was conducted
at three intersections along Paoli

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as well as long line restriping
throughout the township.

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And while you've been traveling
through the township, you might have

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one of our new township street signs
there in the middle.

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Uh, which are gradually being
replaced, uh, throughout the

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And then of course the Public Works
Department also completed regular

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our dirt roads, um, and emergency
weather operations in order to keep

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motorists and other road users safe.

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And then finally the historic Bartram
Covered Bridge also underwent

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year, which Willistown funded in
partnership with Newtown Township,

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That bridge spans both of our
municipalities.

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Moving ahead to sanitary sewer. Uh,
in addition to regular routine

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maintenance, significant efforts were
made this year to address problems

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A crucial part of that is the
televising, um methodical televising

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about earlier this evening. We're on
track to clean and televise 95,000

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halfway through as Mr. Hagan noted.
Um, as you might know, the Township's

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sewer collection system has
experienced breaks and needed

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several years, and I'm sorry to say
2025 was no exception.

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We experienced a break on Eisenhower
Drive as you might recall.

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Um, you can see that failed sewer
pipe there in the center photograph,

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It's like I am screen sharing, that's
good.

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Uh, fortunately this was already
scheduled for repair, this particular

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uh, grant funding for it that had
already been awarded that we were

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that repair. Additional planned
repairs that uh Mr. Hagan talked

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right away and on Cobblestone uh were
begun and are are ongoing.

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Uh, and then finally following 2024's
sewage management study, a dedicated

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volunteer group of sewer users, some
of whom are here this evening, uh,

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Wastewater Authority Advisory
Committee this year. And that

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develop recommendations for the Board
of supervisors regarding the

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I'll note that an authority has not
yet been established and as such, the

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the current sewer funds.

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Stormwater management, a vital issue
that the Board of supervisors has

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few years. This is another part of
our township infrastructure that is

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Uh, our public Works crew completed
inlet and pipe repairs throughout the

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pipe was replaced. You can see some
of that work on Radner Road in the

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photo on the left. Uh Spring Road
remains closed due to the culvert

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right. We continue to work towards a
solution to make that repair, but the

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by the commencement of litigation
against the township by an adjacent

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Stormwater engineer, HRG, completed a
township wide stormwater study in

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study form the basis of the projects
that have been and will continue to

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the Forest Lane and Chetlin Road
projects that are currently being

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And then in the center photograph,
you see the uh crews completing

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the improvements to Storm water
infrastructure at Mill Park.

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talk more about those later.

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And then in addition, a stream
restoration project along uh Crum

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Our summer outdoor program for kids,
Go Wilma,

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that was uh identified will meet some
state mandated pollution reduction

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is now in its 14th year.

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Uh we had 567 adventurers

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join in on the fun during this
summer, which was the highest

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number we've seen since uh before the
pandemic, actually.

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Uh participants visited 18 parks,
preserves and historic sites

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in Willistown and the surrounding
municipalities.

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Um, the Owl Prowl in Oka Hoking,

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I'm glad I said that, got that out
that tongue twister,

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has become a seasonal favorite.

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Uh, we sold that one out.

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Attendees got to see some and hear
wild screech owls

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at Oka Hoking preserve during their
hike.

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Other free programs that we offered
this year included

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uh meditative hike, a tour of the
Serpentine Barons

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and a wildlife walk.

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We got a lot of positive feedback for
these expanded offerings

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of free daytime, mostly daytime
events

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geared toward adults to learn about
our parks and preserves

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and the nature all around us.

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Um and our park parties continue to
be a hit.

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Uh the end of summer country
Willistown Country Fair

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had over 350 attendees this year.

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Um, and then at this year's recycling
events for residents,

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at e-waste, we recycled 19,915 pounds
of e-waste

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and seven, almost 8,000 pounds of
paper at our spring shredding event

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and don't forget our shredding event
coming up.

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that will also include that pilot
program for battery recycling.

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And then we did also continue our
partnership with CRC,

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our local Water sheds Association.

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um on two projects, a spring stream
cleanup at Oking

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removed 1,000 pounds of trash and two
tires out of Ridley Creek.

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And then earlier this month, we uh
partnered with CRC on a tree giveaway

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And that was a grant funded program
that was incredibly well received

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that we're hoping to repeat in future
years.

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Parks and preserves, we made some
needed improvements to township parks

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New swing set and security and camera
upgrades down at Rita Reeves

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uh Memorial Park.

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Our very popular Gaga Ball pit

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at Greentree Park as well as a new
drinking fountain with a

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water bottle water bottle filling
station

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at Greentree.

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Um, we updated trail signage in Oking
Preserve,

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And as for park planning, demolition
of the house located at the site

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of the future Monument Road
Neighborhood Park and Bird Sanctuary

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And I'll speak more about that park
later in this presentation.

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Uh, we also had field use and
pavilion rentals increase in 2025.

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The Public Works Department purchased
a uh ABI force ball field groomer,

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um and implemented an in-house field
maintenance program.

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and that improved playing services
throughout the season,

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uh and the increased park Reynolds
did reflect that.

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Park use fees totaled 80- $8,700 in
2025

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compared to just over $5,000 in 2024.

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And there wasn't a change in fees, so
that was just increased usage.

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Our police department,

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um responsible for law enforcement
and preventing and investigating

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engaging community policing, traffic
control, accident response,

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and supporting various public safety
initiatives throughout the township.

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We have 19 sworn officers including
our chief and lieutenant, you see

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five sergeants, two criminal
investigators, two traffic officers

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plus two members of a non-uniform
administrative staff who support the

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They respond to approximately 10,000
calls annually, including alarms,

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mutual aid, criminal reports,
crashes, domestic disturbances,

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medical calls.

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Um, they continued their community
outreach with visits to public and

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their ride to school with a police
officer program,

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um, and uh presentations to seniors
about elder scams,

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National Night Out, and after school
forensics club among many other

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I want to also point out they are a
participant in the Westchester Area

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the regional team of departments
which provide mutual aid in times of

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Big thing, um, and I'm sorry that
this is covering it up for the

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viewers here.

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Um, see if I can move this.

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There's a hide button there.

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Well, you can see, you can't see our
[laughter]

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changing of the guard here.

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Um, we saw us the retirement of Chief
Klinger

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and the appointment of Chief Heim and
Lieutenant Jones.

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Uh sergeants LaPierre and Hill also
retired

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and we were joined by three new
officers, Officer Hoffy, Officer

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And then in the spring, uh sergeants
Ash and Sergeant Vibon were promoted

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Um and then in the fall, uh Detective
Matt Brown

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was promoted to Sergeant of Criminal
Investigations and Officer Daven

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Davenport joins our detective
division.

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So a lot of personnel changes over in
our police department,

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um, which is a fantastic department,

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but there has been some, uh, some new
developments over there.

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Another department where we've seen a
little bit of uh personnel change is

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The retirement of our longtime
building code official Ed Tiernan,

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um who's I'm sure would not be
thrilled to see his photo in this

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mentation. [laughter] Um, but we
missed.

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Um, as well as the retirement of our

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uh planning director of planning and
zoning, Bob Smiley.

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Um, assistant director of planning
and zoning Caroline O'Conor

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stepped into the role of the director
this year, and John Redman recently

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And we are hoping to replace uh the
position that uh Ms. O'Conor vacated

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Uh, there's a lot of activity in
these departments as you can see.

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680 building department permits that
includes uh new construction,

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uh mechanical, plumbing, electrical
work, uh that sort of thing,

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were uh issued year to date along
with 247 zoning department permits

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Uh uh accessory structures,
hardscaping improvements

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and soil and erosion, that kind of
thing were issued so far this year.

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And then finally, we made some first
steps this year toward our township

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Uh staff worked with our planning
consultant to develop an RFP to seek

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Uh circulation study, which is a
study recommended by the

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We received five submissions with
this which the staff reviewed

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and you'll see that item later on
this evening's agenda.

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Of course, uh here on our Township
campus, the biggest activity

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has been the project to demolish and
reconstruct our

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uh public works facilities which had
been in dire need of replacement for

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Uh demolition of the truck barn and
the salt shed is complete

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and construction of the new salt shed
and fuel station are anticipated this

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Additional uh work to follow, which
I'll talk about later.

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Um here at the township building, a
smaller project,

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the renovation of the board room's
emergency exit right over there,

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uh was completed in house by our
Public Works staff.

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And uh we are uh

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sorry, lost my place.

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Um as we planned in the 2025 uh
budget, we did issue general

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This year we received, we're very
pleased to tell you that we received

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a uh AAA bond rating from Moody's

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in advance of that bond issuance. Um,

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in terms of public outreach, we
develop and distribute three issues

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and I do hope residents take the time
to read it.

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It contains important information uh
about programs and services

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as well as um efforts to implement
the policies of the Board of

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We also share updates through our
township Facebook and Instagram

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and we hope that you sign up for
updates from our website.

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Okay. We've taken a look back,

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and the sun is setting on 2025, so we
turn now to the year ahead.

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Let's start with some budget
highlights.

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High level view of the 2026 budget.

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The general fund, which we will
discuss in a moment, is balanced at

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There are no proposed property tax or
earned income tax increases.

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Uh in the 2026 proposed budget.

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We are projecting a surplus of $2.5
million for 2025.

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As the board knows, it's been a long
time practice

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that the previous year's surplus is
utilized to fund the next year's

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which I'll talk more about when we
get to the capital fund slide.

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The Willistown budget serves many
functions, but some of them are

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that it's a policy document, it's a
financial plan, it's a communications

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The budget sets forth the board's
goals, how those will be executed,

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and this presentation itself
communicates to you, the members of

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You'll see in this presentation

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tonight that Willistown budgets
revenues conservatively and expenses

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We budget for level services and to
improve and enhance programs.

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So that's that's our budget
philosophy.

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And the budget process, you'll see an
overview here on the budget timeline.

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Boards and commissions of course,
including the Board of Supervisors,

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and then departmental budget drafts
were begun in August. We've been

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Tonight, this is the public
presentation of the proposed budget

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and provided the board authorizes
advertisement,

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we'll make the budget draft available
to the public as early as tomorrow.

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Um and the board will vote on the
proposed budget to adopt it at their

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So we're going to take a look at
revenue, which yes, of course, does

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Various taxes are levied by
Willistown Township.

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We've got property taxes which are
levied at .28 mills, EIT, which is

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is 1% for Willistown residents and
7/8 of 1% for non-residents.

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The local services tax is payable by
all those who work in Willistown

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and it is $52 annually.

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And the real estate transfer tax,

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which is one half of 1% on the value
of the real estate transferred.

228
00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,280
So let's zoom in for a second on that
real estate tax piece.

229
00:14:52,790 --> 00:14:59,430
Uh property owners in Willistown are
taxed at a total millage of 30.664

230
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,500
And that is for the Township, County
and School District combined.

231
00:15:03,733 --> 00:15:07,663
So of a property owner's overall real
estate tax bill, approximately

232
00:15:07,663 --> 00:15:12,753
82% represented here by 82 cents of
every dollar.

233
00:15:13,243 --> 00:15:17,213
Um, goes to Great Valley School
District, 17% to Chester County,

234
00:15:17,213 --> 00:15:20,323
and it's actually less than 1% to
Willistown Township.

235
00:15:20,323 --> 00:15:21,823
So let me just give you an example.

236
00:15:22,253 --> 00:15:24,873
Assuming that a property owner has a
parcel with an assessed

237
00:15:24,873 --> 00:15:27,873
value of $200,000, they would have a
total property

238
00:15:27,873 --> 00:15:32,133
tax bill of about $6,133.

239
00:15:33,035 --> 00:15:35,125
$56 would come to Willistown,

240
00:15:35,125 --> 00:15:37,895
$1,033 to Chester County,

241
00:15:37,895 --> 00:15:40,715
and $5,044 to the Great Valley School
District.

242
00:15:40,715 --> 00:15:42,915
So when you see your real estate tax
bill,

243
00:15:43,085 --> 00:15:45,105
you might see it all in one fell
swoop.

244
00:15:45,105 --> 00:15:46,885
That's how it breaks down dollar for
dollar.

245
00:15:49,529 --> 00:15:51,729
But speaking more broadly about
revenue,

246
00:15:51,729 --> 00:15:54,679
this chart shows the revenue
breakdown of the general fund.

247
00:15:55,459 --> 00:15:57,859
The top five sources are specifically
called out here

248
00:15:57,859 --> 00:15:59,459
by percentage.

249
00:16:00,159 --> 00:16:03,389
As you can see, the largest source by
far is earned income tax,

250
00:16:03,639 --> 00:16:08,589
uh, which in the 2026 proposed budget
totals $7,620,000.

251
00:16:09,609 --> 00:16:11,209
This is a conservative budget.

252
00:16:11,209 --> 00:16:13,579
We budget revenues conservatively.

253
00:16:13,939 --> 00:16:16,969
Our EIT actuals, our earned income
tax that we get in,

254
00:16:17,409 --> 00:16:19,549
is often higher than what's budgeted.

255
00:16:20,697 --> 00:16:23,707
And it's important that we account
for potential significant changes.

256
00:16:23,707 --> 00:16:26,497
The strategy of conservative
budgeting

257
00:16:26,917 --> 00:16:30,227
is something we do as we note that
other taxing entities,

258
00:16:30,527 --> 00:16:32,627
like neighboring municipalities,

259
00:16:33,007 --> 00:16:36,447
uh, might consider enacting or
increasing their own EIT,

260
00:16:36,447 --> 00:16:41,017
which would decrease our collections
from non-residents who work in

261
00:16:41,761 --> 00:16:44,221
In addition, the distribution of EIT

262
00:16:44,221 --> 00:16:48,011
from individual taxpayers in
Willistown is becoming increasingly

263
00:16:48,011 --> 00:16:49,811
inbalanced, unbalanced.

264
00:16:50,421 --> 00:16:55,221
Um, by that I mean historically the
top 50 tax accounts of Willistown

265
00:16:55,701 --> 00:17:00,001
account for approximately $2 million
in EIT collections

266
00:17:00,001 --> 00:17:02,301
with just a handful of residents.

267
00:17:02,561 --> 00:17:05,101
Um, half, half of that, $1 million
coming from

268
00:17:05,101 --> 00:17:06,901
just a handful of residents.

269
00:17:06,901 --> 00:17:08,501
Five residents alone.

270
00:17:09,563 --> 00:17:10,823
Forgive me for interrupting.

271
00:17:10,823 --> 00:17:12,333
Can you just repeat that one time?

272
00:17:12,613 --> 00:17:14,903
Yes. So it's very important point for
everybody.

273
00:17:14,903 --> 00:17:18,833
The top 50 tax accounts of Willistown
residents

274
00:17:18,833 --> 00:17:22,943
account for approximately $2 million
in EIT collections

275
00:17:22,943 --> 00:17:27,013
with half of that, $1 million, coming
from the top five accounts alone.

276
00:17:27,333 --> 00:17:29,033
Five tax accounts.

277
00:17:29,333 --> 00:17:30,813
or five individuals.

278
00:17:30,813 --> 00:17:33,843
So, in other words, a change in
status of

279
00:17:33,843 --> 00:17:36,843
a handful of people if they were to
move out of the township,

280
00:17:37,063 --> 00:17:39,203
move into um, uh,

281
00:17:41,543 --> 00:17:43,143
retire or die or or

282
00:17:43,643 --> 00:17:45,263
take their income elsewhere.

283
00:17:45,263 --> 00:17:49,803
Or take their income in any non W2
format. format.

284
00:17:50,023 --> 00:17:53,573
It could significantly change what we
collect in EIT. Yeah.

285
00:17:53,573 --> 00:17:57,103
And that's one reason for the but
board's conservative budgeting

286
00:17:57,103 --> 00:18:00,293
because we don't want to count on
money that is

287
00:18:00,293 --> 00:18:02,073
this is, let me put it simply,

288
00:18:02,073 --> 00:18:05,123
EIT is one of the least predictable
revenue sources.

289
00:18:05,123 --> 00:18:08,223
We know what the assessed value of
the real estate in the township is.

290
00:18:08,223 --> 00:18:11,033
We know what the millage rate is.

291
00:18:11,033 --> 00:18:15,823
So we can do that calculation and
determine with relative certainty

292
00:18:15,823 --> 00:18:18,633
what we're going to receive in real
estate taxes in a given year.

293
00:18:18,903 --> 00:18:20,513
We don't know what people are going
to make,

294
00:18:20,823 --> 00:18:25,143
and we look at that over time. We
don't know individuals, who those

295
00:18:25,143 --> 00:18:31,193
but we do know how what an any given
individual's history might be.

296
00:18:31,533 --> 00:18:33,973
So we see people pop up out of
nowhere. Our

297
00:18:34,413 --> 00:18:38,193
those top, those top five for example
are not the same five individuals

298
00:18:38,193 --> 00:18:39,923
year after year after year.

299
00:18:39,923 --> 00:18:42,503
No, our top one for 2024 was brand
new.

300
00:18:43,013 --> 00:18:46,713
We we hadn't seen them in our top 50
in over the last five years.

301
00:18:47,023 --> 00:18:52,583
translating to the fact that 70% of
our Township revenue is precarious.

302
00:18:52,783 --> 00:18:53,783
Correct.

303
00:18:55,323 --> 00:18:58,933
So this is revenue again of the
general fund, so those tax sources.

304
00:19:01,603 --> 00:19:03,893
Um, you know what, let me go back.

305
00:19:04,333 --> 00:19:05,813
I didn't speak about the other
sources.

306
00:19:05,813 --> 00:19:09,023
These these uh pieces here from real
estate transfer tax,

307
00:19:09,023 --> 00:19:12,053
charge for services, inter-
governmental revenue and property

308
00:19:12,053 --> 00:19:14,193
those are four to six percent of the
whole.

309
00:19:14,193 --> 00:19:17,773
And they range, just for
clarification, from about $385,000

310
00:19:17,773 --> 00:19:20,073
to $650,000.

311
00:19:20,073 --> 00:19:23,383
So those are what those pieces of the
pie represent.

312
00:19:27,143 --> 00:19:29,313
So, over the past few years,

313
00:19:29,313 --> 00:19:33,013
the three years that that I've been
here, I'm not crediting it to me, but

314
00:19:33,343 --> 00:19:36,103
um, the township has been
particularly aggressive

315
00:19:36,103 --> 00:19:38,013
in our pursuit of grant funding for
various projects.

316
00:19:38,433 --> 00:19:41,823
Let me speak a little bit about how
that grant funding appears in the

317
00:19:41,823 --> 00:19:45,293
So generally speaking, grants appear
in the budget in the following ways.

318
00:19:45,833 --> 00:19:48,023
If a grant has been awarded,

319
00:19:48,023 --> 00:19:51,803
we will budget for the revenue in the
year it's expected to be received.

320
00:19:52,423 --> 00:19:56,223
If a grant has not yet been awarded,
but we have applied for it,

321
00:19:56,533 --> 00:19:59,783
we will either budget without any
revenue offset, if we

322
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:01,760
tend to do the project no matter
what.

323
00:20:02,150 --> 00:20:04,000
Or we will not include the
expenditure

324
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:08,940
if we're not going to do the project
without the grant funding.

325
00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:11,237
So that's how the grants appear in
the budget.

326
00:20:11,237 --> 00:20:14,127
why you will maybe see them or not
see expenditures

327
00:20:14,127 --> 00:20:16,527
related to those projects.

328
00:20:16,827 --> 00:20:18,067
That's what that means.

329
00:20:18,724 --> 00:20:22,014
So, as you saw earlier on the agenda
this evening,

330
00:20:22,014 --> 00:20:25,664
we applied for several local share
account grants again this year.

331
00:20:26,261 --> 00:20:28,531
Those are grants where we've seen
some success in the past.

332
00:20:28,988 --> 00:20:32,538
Uh, this is statewide funding that is
the distribution of revenues

333
00:20:32,538 --> 00:20:35,538
provided by the PA Race Horse
Development and Gaming Act.

334
00:20:36,257 --> 00:20:40,407
Uh, Greenlight Go, um, is state
funding for traffic signal projects.

335
00:20:40,730 --> 00:20:43,190
We do have a Greenlight Go that has
already been awarded,

336
00:20:43,190 --> 00:20:47,010
so there's a revenue offset for the
80% of the fiber interconnect

337
00:20:47,010 --> 00:20:49,630
project that's included in the 2026
budget.

338
00:20:50,312 --> 00:20:52,022
Uh I think it was on the board's last
agenda.

339
00:20:52,610 --> 00:20:55,750
We, uh... was it the last year
agenda.

340
00:20:56,027 --> 00:20:59,277
you approved the authorized uh the
Pico Green Region grant,

341
00:20:59,814 --> 00:21:02,734
which is a program that funds open
space projects

342
00:21:02,734 --> 00:21:05,184
and that's for the Okahoking
reforestation project.

343
00:21:05,620 --> 00:21:08,570
This is in the budget without revenue
offset. In other words,

344
00:21:08,570 --> 00:21:11,870
we um uh intend to proceed with it no
matter what

345
00:21:11,870 --> 00:21:14,340
and we won't hear about the award
until the spring.

346
00:21:15,021 --> 00:21:18,991
We're still awaiting an announcement
uh of the small water and sewer grant

347
00:21:18,991 --> 00:21:21,851
we applied for for the Westchester
Pike sewer needs area.

348
00:21:22,311 --> 00:21:26,151
That's uh state funding for small
budget which is under $500,000,

349
00:21:26,151 --> 00:21:28,601
water, sewer and storm water
projects.

350
00:21:29,028 --> 00:21:32,498
We also, as you approved earlier
tonight, will be applying for

351
00:21:32,498 --> 00:21:35,018
another LSA grant for that project as
well.

352
00:21:35,859 --> 00:21:39,959
Um we're also continuing to work with
the National Park Service and General

353
00:21:39,959 --> 00:21:43,159
following the township's application
to the Federal Lands to Parks program

354
00:21:43,159 --> 00:21:45,329
for the acquisition of the Nike site

355
00:21:45,329 --> 00:21:46,739
on Delchester Road.

356
00:21:46,959 --> 00:21:49,209
That's Nike like missile, not Nike
like shoe.

357
00:21:49,799 --> 00:21:51,529
Uh, this is not a monetary grant.

358
00:21:51,529 --> 00:21:53,979
It is a program that transfers
surplus federal land

359
00:21:53,979 --> 00:21:57,249
to municipalities for park purposes.

360
00:21:57,886 --> 00:22:02,166
Um, conversations are on pause right
now due to the federal government

361
00:22:02,166 --> 00:22:05,406
but we do remain optimistic about um
that program.

362
00:22:06,027 --> 00:22:08,577
Um and finally, we will be submitting
a

363
00:22:08,577 --> 00:22:12,797
80% reimbursement application for the
total cost of the Garrett Mill

364
00:22:12,797 --> 00:22:16,897
Road Bridge program for an award
that's already been awarded

365
00:22:16,897 --> 00:22:20,957
through the DVRPC Municipal Bridge
retro reimbursement program.

366
00:22:20,957 --> 00:22:24,087
So we got 80% of that uh bridge
replacement covered,

367
00:22:24,087 --> 00:22:25,597
which I think is spectacular.

368
00:22:25,852 --> 00:22:28,182
So, those are some of the grants that
I just wanted to highlight

369
00:22:28,182 --> 00:22:31,782
because actually, um a comment that I
heard at a previous meeting mentioned

370
00:22:31,782 --> 00:22:35,152
that we don't always talk about the
grants that we apply for and receive,

371
00:22:35,152 --> 00:22:36,722
and I think it's worth saying

372
00:22:36,722 --> 00:22:38,272
cuz that definitely falls under
revenue.

373
00:22:39,516 --> 00:22:43,376
So let's detail a little bit closer
into the various township funds.

374
00:22:43,719 --> 00:22:47,019
Let's look at the general fund, which
was mentioned in the overview, $11

375
00:22:47,609 --> 00:22:50,049
This is the operating fund for the
township departments.

376
00:22:50,049 --> 00:22:54,009
So that includes administration,
public works, police, parks, all

377
00:22:54,802 --> 00:22:58,112
Revenue sources include the taxes,
fees, permits, fines, interest,

378
00:22:58,112 --> 00:23:00,282
grants, state funding, etc.

379
00:23:01,815 --> 00:23:07,565
Uh the 2026 budget is balanced at
$11,128,810.

380
00:23:08,834 --> 00:23:11,754
I know I skipped over highlights
because I'm going to talk about them

381
00:23:12,115 --> 00:23:14,615
Some highlights in the general fund
include the township-wide

382
00:23:14,615 --> 00:23:17,065
circulation study, which is a
planning study for the

383
00:23:17,065 --> 00:23:19,865
non-motorized uh transportation
throughout the township.

384
00:23:20,716 --> 00:23:23,016
Uh continued implementation of GIS
software,

385
00:23:23,016 --> 00:23:26,196
additional in-house storm water inlet
repairs, continuation of

386
00:23:26,196 --> 00:23:29,156
the street sign replacement program I
mentioned earlier,

387
00:23:29,518 --> 00:23:33,208
and an expansion of our in-house
maintenance program for our ball

388
00:23:33,659 --> 00:23:38,009
The general fund also includes a 20%
increase for our fire departments.

389
00:23:38,489 --> 00:23:40,489
That amounts to over $100,000.

390
00:23:40,679 --> 00:23:44,609
Um as well as continued police
department uh community outreach

391
00:23:47,738 --> 00:23:51,138
This chart here breaks down the
general fund by expenditures,

392
00:23:51,138 --> 00:23:53,968
the general fund expenditures by
department roughly.

393
00:23:54,498 --> 00:23:57,178
The blue slice here is the police
department

394
00:23:57,178 --> 00:24:01,528
with a budget that totals 5,820,984.

395
00:24:02,048 --> 00:24:04,228
Public works totals 1.8 million

396
00:24:04,228 --> 00:24:05,908
and change, uh administration

397
00:24:05,908 --> 00:24:09,628
management and finance comes in at
1.4.

398
00:24:10,023 --> 00:24:12,983
Fire protection emergency management
823,000.

399
00:24:13,435 --> 00:24:16,145
Building and planning department
706,000,

400
00:24:16,145 --> 00:24:20,625
parks and recreation 424,714.

401
00:24:21,056 --> 00:24:23,756
And the remaining programs and
services in the budget,

402
00:24:23,756 --> 00:24:28,026
which is primarily uh recycling
programs and our library support is

403
00:24:28,026 --> 00:24:31,426
134,000 $318.

404
00:24:32,062 --> 00:24:35,592
I can come back to that if you need
me to repeat any of those numbers.

405
00:24:38,941 --> 00:24:43,761
So the breakdown that we just looked
at does not include capital

406
00:24:44,221 --> 00:24:45,921
So what are capital purchases?

407
00:24:46,046 --> 00:24:48,336
Well, capital assets are major
purchases

408
00:24:48,336 --> 00:24:50,696
with an additional, excuse me, with
an initial cost of $10,000

409
00:24:50,696 --> 00:24:52,276
or more and an estimated

410
00:24:52,276 --> 00:24:55,296
useful life of greater than one year.

411
00:24:55,820 --> 00:24:59,820
For 2026, we see capital investments
presented in the proposed budget.

412
00:25:00,169 --> 00:25:02,159
budget at seven million

413
00:25:02,159 --> 00:25:04,409
$652,690.

414
00:25:04,949 --> 00:25:08,809
Um, these are slated to be funded by
bond proceeds.

415
00:25:09,749 --> 00:25:11,239
That's the biggest chunk that
includes

416
00:25:11,239 --> 00:25:14,549
$5.3 million toward the completion of
the Public Works facility.

417
00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:17,079
Other funding sources include grant
funding

418
00:25:17,309 --> 00:25:19,999
and a transfer of $2 million from the
surplus

419
00:25:19,999 --> 00:25:23,369
that I mentioned earlier, the 2025
estimated surplus.

420
00:25:23,869 --> 00:25:25,329
That's going to be an interfund
transfer

421
00:25:25,329 --> 00:25:27,429
that's necessary for any proposed
use.

422
00:25:27,429 --> 00:25:31,029
It's allocated by the board by
resolution at a public meeting

423
00:25:31,029 --> 00:25:34,509
and that I believe will be on your
next agenda for your agenda for

424
00:25:35,259 --> 00:25:38,799
So those are always done by board
resolution in public.

425
00:25:40,091 --> 00:25:43,141
Let's explore what the capital
purchases are this coming year.

426
00:25:43,831 --> 00:25:46,191
Um, as I mentioned, on the Township
campus, we anticipate the completion

427
00:25:46,191 --> 00:25:49,321
of the new public works facilities in
Q3 next year.

428
00:25:49,981 --> 00:25:53,031
Uh, $550,000 is budgeted for the
replacement

429
00:25:53,031 --> 00:25:55,971
of the Hck system in the police
building, which is

430
00:25:56,291 --> 00:25:58,821
fair to say sorely needed, very
sorely needed.

431
00:25:58,941 --> 00:25:59,941
Yes.

432
00:26:00,301 --> 00:26:06,191
Um, exterior painting here in this
building uh was deferred this year,

433
00:26:06,191 --> 00:26:07,871
we didn't, so we're pushing that to
next year.

434
00:26:07,871 --> 00:26:11,741
As well as some uh smaller furniture
upgrades for the offices in this

435
00:26:13,661 --> 00:26:16,361
Uh, more on police, uh additional
police items include two

436
00:26:16,361 --> 00:26:18,131
patrol vehicles with fit outs

437
00:26:18,131 --> 00:26:20,891
as well as body cam and patrol car

438
00:26:20,891 --> 00:26:23,451
camera technology upgrades.

439
00:26:23,581 --> 00:26:24,581
Yep.

440
00:26:24,581 --> 00:26:26,341
Your body cams and your cams in your
cars.

441
00:26:29,317 --> 00:26:34,707
Capital purchases planned for public
works include a compressor for road

442
00:26:34,947 --> 00:26:38,027
replacement of the skid steer,
replacement of our six-wheel dump

443
00:26:38,247 --> 00:26:41,697
um and some additional funds for
roadway paving, which we've done for

444
00:26:41,697 --> 00:26:44,537
That's in addition to the liquid
fuels funding I'll talk about in a

445
00:26:45,017 --> 00:26:49,007
Um, as well as the Green Light Go
fiber interconnect project,

446
00:26:49,007 --> 00:26:52,727
which I mentioned earlier is
partially, I think 80% grant funded.

447
00:26:54,077 --> 00:26:55,497
And our parks and preserves.

448
00:26:55,497 --> 00:26:58,997
We've budgeted funding for the
reforestation and meadow restoration

449
00:26:58,997 --> 00:27:00,127
projects at Okahocking Preserve.

450
00:27:00,377 --> 00:27:03,517
Some attachments for that ballfield
groomer that was purchased this year,

451
00:27:04,087 --> 00:27:09,537
um and funding for uh the design of
the Monument Road Neighborhood Park.

452
00:27:11,725 --> 00:27:12,725
Storm water.

453
00:27:13,785 --> 00:27:15,295
Flowing on to storm water.

454
00:27:15,855 --> 00:27:18,105
Uh, we set aside funding here for

455
00:27:18,105 --> 00:27:20,045
storm water planning, engineering,

456
00:27:20,045 --> 00:27:22,505
construction, design and construction
of uh storm water

457
00:27:22,845 --> 00:27:25,745
um facilities, infrastructure in the
township.

458
00:27:26,185 --> 00:27:30,045
So we have proposed expenditures in
2026 of two and a half million

459
00:27:30,565 --> 00:27:35,975
This includes construction of some of
the projects that were designed this

460
00:27:36,405 --> 00:27:39,105
Uh ongoing design and hopefully
construction for the

461
00:27:39,105 --> 00:27:41,855
Spring Road Culvert uh replacement

462
00:27:41,855 --> 00:27:45,515
and funding for the Crum Creek stream
restoration design,

463
00:27:45,855 --> 00:27:47,975
which is uh $70,000 for that.

464
00:27:48,045 --> 00:27:49,455
That's the littlest one.

465
00:27:50,817 --> 00:27:52,017
Liquid fuels I just mentioned.

466
00:27:52,017 --> 00:27:55,727
This is funding from the Commonwealth
that's restricted to

467
00:27:55,727 --> 00:27:58,187
expenditures related to roadways.

468
00:27:58,417 --> 00:28:00,597
It's called liquid fuels because this
is the gas tax.

469
00:28:00,847 --> 00:28:02,267
This is what you pay at the pump.

470
00:28:03,337 --> 00:28:06,147
Um, we have seen this gone down and
we expect we will continue to.

471
00:28:06,817 --> 00:28:09,287
I imagine largely because of EVs.

472
00:28:09,927 --> 00:28:12,737
If there's less gas being sold, less
tax on that gas.

473
00:28:13,757 --> 00:28:18,247
So we'll have to make up for this, uh
particularly when it comes to paving

474
00:28:18,927 --> 00:28:24,707
Uh, the 2020 uh 6 budget includes
total revenue of 382,690.

475
00:28:25,107 --> 00:28:27,827
And total expenditures of $544,000.

476
00:28:28,717 --> 00:28:31,907
Um, this is road salt, traffic signal
street lights,

477
00:28:31,907 --> 00:28:33,977
purchase of one uh public works
vehicle and funding

478
00:28:33,977 --> 00:28:36,277
toward our annual roadway resurfacing
uh program.

479
00:28:36,637 --> 00:28:38,727
We're aiming for three and a half
miles again this year.

480
00:28:38,967 --> 00:28:41,237
Um, in 2026, it's a little more than
we did this year.

481
00:28:41,637 --> 00:28:47,717
That's the $350,000 out of liquid
fuels and the 145 out of the capital

482
00:28:48,147 --> 00:28:52,047
The vehicle we're replacing is a
pickup truck with a plow and a

483
00:28:52,617 --> 00:28:54,427
And that's budgeted at $80,000.

484
00:28:57,035 --> 00:28:59,005
Open space, this is another
restricted fund.

485
00:28:59,565 --> 00:29:04,715
Um, all the expenditures out of this
fund uh must go toward parkland or

486
00:29:04,975 --> 00:29:10,705
The 2026 budget includes a total
revenue of 832,976.

487
00:29:11,525 --> 00:29:17,435
Um, and again that's that's the uh
1/8 of 1% of Willistown residents'

488
00:29:17,815 --> 00:29:24,815
Um as well as some interest earnings
and the expenditures are primarily

489
00:29:29,608 --> 00:29:35,988
We're going to talk a little bit now
about uh some more distinct

490
00:29:36,518 --> 00:29:40,408
All revenue and expenditures related
to sewer go through the sewer

491
00:29:41,018 --> 00:29:48,018
Sewer rates for the two major
districts which are Penn's Preserve

492
00:29:49,288 --> 00:29:50,998
in the proposed budget.

493
00:29:51,028 --> 00:29:53,918
Although by a larger, I'm sorry,

494
00:29:54,138 --> 00:29:57,028
by they're increased by a smaller
percentage than in previous years.

495
00:29:57,028 --> 00:29:59,418
So in other words, we're starting

496
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,240
to get closer to catching up from the
years when the rates were flat.

497
00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:05,000
Um, those particular years

498
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,480
unfortunately did include some years
of high inflation.

499
00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:09,110
So we're still catching up from that.

500
00:30:09,110 --> 00:30:11,750
but while the proposed increases do
exist,

501
00:30:11,750 --> 00:30:16,030
they are again, smaller percentage
wise than in the past couple of

502
00:30:17,580 --> 00:30:20,500
So in the Valley Forge sewer
district,

503
00:30:20,500 --> 00:30:22,250
which is what it says for those of
you in the room underneath

504
00:30:22,250 --> 00:30:25,070
that header that I can't seem to make
go away.

505
00:30:25,990 --> 00:30:28,460
Um, but that's Valley Forge Sewer
District.

506
00:30:29,170 --> 00:30:31,900
We projected deficit in that uh funds
for 2025

507
00:30:31,900 --> 00:30:35,330
in the amount of approximately
$213,000.

508
00:30:35,330 --> 00:30:38,110
Um, that is largely due to the sewer
break

509
00:30:38,110 --> 00:30:40,400
that I mentioned earlier on
Eisenhower.

510
00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,790
Like I said, that was offset by some
grant money,

511
00:30:42,790 --> 00:30:44,200
but not in its entirety.

512
00:30:45,100 --> 00:30:51,100
The 2026 budget includes revenue of
uh $4,117,649.

513
00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,820
That does not include a margin of
safety for repair and replacement

514
00:30:54,820 --> 00:30:56,880
of existing infrastructure.

515
00:30:57,170 --> 00:30:58,210
More on that in a moment.

516
00:30:58,980 --> 00:31:02,830
Um, expenditures budgeted for Valley
Forge uh sewer total

517
00:31:02,830 --> 00:31:06,310
$4,528,128.

518
00:31:06,910 --> 00:31:11,410
Um, this includes $293,000 in debt
service payments

519
00:31:11,410 --> 00:31:13,620
on the 2025 bond issue.

520
00:31:14,390 --> 00:31:17,930
This also includes a drawdown of cash
reserves of $300,000,

521
00:31:17,930 --> 00:31:19,460
which I'm about to speak about.

522
00:31:19,460 --> 00:31:21,030
So, hold that thought.

523
00:31:21,730 --> 00:31:24,060
But before we get there, let's talk
briefly about Penn's Preserve.

524
00:31:24,890 --> 00:31:27,270
Penn's Preserve is also projected to
see

525
00:31:27,270 --> 00:31:30,560
a small deficit, um, at the end of
2025,

526
00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:33,270
um, of $25,000.

527
00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,690
small relative to Valley Forge.

528
00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,400
Um, the 2026 budget for this fund
includes revenue

529
00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:42,140
of $202,000

530
00:31:42,140 --> 00:31:44,600
and expenditures of about $204,000.

531
00:31:45,330 --> 00:31:48,060
And again, importantly, this doesn't
include any margin of safety.

532
00:31:48,060 --> 00:31:50,810
In other words, we're not setting
aside any funds

533
00:31:50,810 --> 00:31:53,640
for repair and replacement of
existing infrastructure.

534
00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:57,750
Uh, of course that does keep rates
lower than they would otherwise be.

535
00:31:58,300 --> 00:32:01,880
This budget also doesn't include any
uh plant upgrades

536
00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,970
which have been deferred awaiting
grant funds,

537
00:32:04,970 --> 00:32:08,060
including the grant that the board
authorized application for

538
00:32:08,060 --> 00:32:09,110
earlier this evening,

539
00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:12,920
the LSA grant for the Penn's
Preserves uh plant upgrades.

540
00:32:13,570 --> 00:32:15,530
Um, and I'll note that as well,

541
00:32:15,530 --> 00:32:18,060
there's additional significant
upgrades to the lagoons

542
00:32:18,060 --> 00:32:22,950
and the spray irrigation system that
are also on, uh, the horizon.

543
00:32:23,700 --> 00:32:25,750
in the next few years.

544
00:32:26,590 --> 00:32:29,170
We're going to look more specifically
for a moment

545
00:32:29,170 --> 00:32:31,420
uh at sewer rates for the Valley
Forge district.

546
00:32:31,420 --> 00:32:33,420
If you could read that at the top
there,

547
00:32:33,420 --> 00:32:37,070
what it says is Valley Forge sewer
rates, challenges and considerations,

548
00:32:37,070 --> 00:32:38,450
which is what we're going to talk
about.

549
00:32:39,110 --> 00:32:41,150
Before we dive in, let me remind
ratepayers

550
00:32:41,150 --> 00:32:43,080
and those present here tonight

551
00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,300
that the fixed rate is based on the
fixed cost to run our our

552
00:32:46,300 --> 00:32:47,600
collection system.

553
00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,350
So that's the mains, the pump
station, the personnel, engineering,

554
00:32:51,350 --> 00:32:52,700
that's divided among users.

555
00:32:53,070 --> 00:32:56,240
The usage rate is based on the
charges that the township is

556
00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:58,110
invoiced per gallon.

557
00:32:58,110 --> 00:33:00,990
So that's conveyance via the trunk
line

558
00:33:00,990 --> 00:33:02,820
and treatment at the Valley Forge
treatment plant.

559
00:33:03,620 --> 00:33:07,130
Given the significant costs from the
Valley Forge Sewer Authority

560
00:33:07,130 --> 00:33:10,510
for operation, for their own
infrastructure improvements,

561
00:33:10,510 --> 00:33:13,120
and the continued ballooning costs
for conveyance

562
00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:15,540
through Aqua's Valley Creek trunk
line,

563
00:33:15,930 --> 00:33:19,820
the usage costs for the Valley Forge
district sewer ratepayers

564
00:33:19,820 --> 00:33:21,360
will increase again this year.

565
00:33:22,580 --> 00:33:24,960
This poses some challenges that we
need to consider.

566
00:33:25,330 --> 00:33:27,100
So we're going to look at some
scenarios.

567
00:33:28,470 --> 00:33:31,390
If we include all the expenditures
originally contemplated

568
00:33:31,390 --> 00:33:34,500
in the budget and use those to
determine the sewer rates

569
00:33:34,500 --> 00:33:38,990
for ratepayers in the Valley Forge
Sewer District.

570
00:33:38,990 --> 00:33:44,020
That results in a fixed rate of
172.28 a quarter

571
00:33:44,020 --> 00:33:47,460
and a usage rate of 17.79 per 1,000
gallons.

572
00:33:48,060 --> 00:33:53,940
Or for an average user, the quarterly
payment of $373.63.

573
00:33:54,670 --> 00:33:56,980
For any Valley Forge users in here,
you might realize

574
00:33:56,980 --> 00:33:59,200
for an average user that's an
increase.

575
00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:02,500
It constitutes about a 30% increase.
Obviously that varies.

576
00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:07,030
We use the same average user scenario
in all of these scenarios

577
00:34:07,030 --> 00:34:09,390
so they are all the same,

578
00:34:09,790 --> 00:34:13,340
but your increase may vary depending
on your usage, obviously.

579
00:34:14,650 --> 00:34:16,890
30 almost 30% increase,

580
00:34:16,890 --> 00:34:19,030
Obviously that's really high

581
00:34:19,030 --> 00:34:22,070
and probably untenable for a lot of
sewer users. So,

582
00:34:23,700 --> 00:34:25,860
let's look at another scenario.

583
00:34:26,910 --> 00:34:29,070
What kind of alterations we can can
we make?

584
00:34:29,070 --> 00:34:32,180
Well the first alteration that can be
made is to move some of the

585
00:34:32,180 --> 00:34:34,250
capital purchases that aren't major
projects

586
00:34:34,250 --> 00:34:37,360
but still capital purchases for our
pump stations

587
00:34:37,950 --> 00:34:42,060
into the bond funding rather than in
the fund that uses

588
00:34:42,060 --> 00:34:46,730
the budgetary fund that determines
the rate for the sewer payers.

589
00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,560
So in other words, they're going to
be funded by bond proceeds

590
00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:52,230
rather than by the sewer users
directly.

591
00:34:52,230 --> 00:34:56,220
They're indirectly funded by the by
the sewer users via the debt service,

592
00:34:56,220 --> 00:34:57,900
but not straight out of it.

593
00:34:58,700 --> 00:34:59,880
So that moves them out of the

594
00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:01,880
primary Valley Ford sewer fund.

595
00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:04,960
That brings the fixed rate down to
160 35 a quarter.

596
00:35:05,340 --> 00:35:09,110
That average user's quarterly payment
now 361 70 cents

597
00:35:09,110 --> 00:35:11,230
or a 26% increase.

598
00:35:12,020 --> 00:35:13,020
Okay.

599
00:35:13,210 --> 00:35:14,330
What's the next scenario?

600
00:35:15,220 --> 00:35:16,630
How do we decrease rates further?

601
00:35:17,020 --> 00:35:18,060
Well, we can remove the margin of
safety.

602
00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,460
Again, that would be the capital
reserve contribution for future

603
00:35:21,460 --> 00:35:22,950
repairs and replacements.

604
00:35:23,630 --> 00:35:26,540
That recommended reserve would have
been 221,000

605
00:35:26,540 --> 00:35:31,750
$260, sorry, $221,267.

606
00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,030
So this will bring that fixed rate
down further

607
00:35:35,250 --> 00:35:37,190
to $140.5 per quarter.

608
00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:39,460
Usage rate, obviously stays the same.

609
00:35:39,460 --> 00:35:41,280
This is only affecting the fixed rate
for now.

610
00:35:42,580 --> 00:35:44,750
140 05 is actually

611
00:35:44,750 --> 00:35:48,510
$2 lower per quarter than the 2025
fixed rates,

612
00:35:49,030 --> 00:35:50,590
but that usage rate is still high,

613
00:35:50,590 --> 00:35:54,380
so that's still an increased for an
average user scenario of that 19%.

614
00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:56,080
All right.

615
00:35:56,650 --> 00:35:57,860
Is there anything else we can do?

616
00:35:58,110 --> 00:35:59,570
What else can be adjusted?

617
00:36:00,350 --> 00:36:02,810
The answer here is to draw down on
our cash reserves.

618
00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:08,570
So, our cash reserves currently sit
at a little over a million dollars.

619
00:36:09,610 --> 00:36:13,620
That's been shrinking for the past
six years as we've operated this fund

620
00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,390
But if we put $300,000 of those cash
reserves

621
00:36:17,390 --> 00:36:21,140
toward the uh Valley Forge plant
improvement charge,

622
00:36:21,570 --> 00:36:24,220
that brings the usage rate down

623
00:36:24,220 --> 00:36:26,850
to 1576 per 1,000 gallons.

624
00:36:28,210 --> 00:36:30,820
Average quarterly payment, 318 42,

625
00:36:30,820 --> 00:36:34,500
or an increase of a little less than
11% for that average user scenario.

626
00:36:35,210 --> 00:36:36,930
So that's the fourth and final option

627
00:36:36,930 --> 00:36:39,870
we have to present to all those cuts
and alterations,

628
00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:43,080
that's what's included in the 2026
proposed budget for the board.

629
00:36:44,750 --> 00:36:46,330
So after all those changes have been
made,

630
00:36:47,330 --> 00:36:49,200
What is our capital fund for Valley
Forge?

631
00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:50,200
That's fund 20.

632
00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:51,270
What does that look like?

633
00:36:51,620 --> 00:36:52,620
Well,

634
00:36:52,930 --> 00:36:55,120
there's still three major budgeted
projects.

635
00:36:55,670 --> 00:36:58,910
The completion of the 2025 repairs
that Mr. Hagan talked about earlier.

636
00:36:58,910 --> 00:37:01,440
That's the lining section of that
repair,

637
00:37:01,890 --> 00:37:03,950
um, that is going to be pushed in
2026.

638
00:37:05,020 --> 00:37:09,300
That amounts to about 330, excuse me,
$345,000.

639
00:37:10,050 --> 00:37:14,940
Uh, the remainder of the Eisenhower
interceptor project that wasn't

640
00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:20,120
We're hoping that might still be
offset by an LSA grant we applied for

641
00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:21,820
that hasn't been announced yet.

642
00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:25,960
Um, that is budgeted at $800,000.

643
00:37:26,780 --> 00:37:29,170
And the next set of very needed
capital repairs, um,

644
00:37:29,690 --> 00:37:33,200
along Clearview which as Bill noted
was identified as emergent

645
00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:34,810
in this year's televising.

646
00:37:35,090 --> 00:37:37,910
That's estimated about $569,000.

647
00:37:38,070 --> 00:37:40,060
Those are the main projects there in
Fund 20.

648
00:37:40,850 --> 00:37:44,750
Other capital expenditures, the ones
I just spoke about moving to Fund 20,

649
00:37:46,070 --> 00:37:48,420
our pump station equipment and a
lateral camera.

650
00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:51,980
um, which come to about $130,000.

651
00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:53,940
And again, in the proposed budget,

652
00:37:53,940 --> 00:37:56,970
um, moving all of these things into
Fund 20 means that they are funded by

653
00:37:56,970 --> 00:37:59,950
the 2025 general obligation bonds

654
00:38:00,220 --> 00:38:02,570
that are dedicated to sewer
specifically.

655
00:38:04,420 --> 00:38:05,420
Um,

656
00:38:07,030 --> 00:38:08,830
Okay, let's look at Penns Preserve
for a second.

657
00:38:08,970 --> 00:38:10,820
I already mentioned this, I want to
reiterate it.

658
00:38:11,210 --> 00:38:16,890
We're not including any capital
expenditures in the Penns Preserve

659
00:38:17,510 --> 00:38:21,360
But we do know that $275,000 worth of
upgrades

660
00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:23,010
to the treatment plant are needed.

661
00:38:23,010 --> 00:38:25,680
New pumps, new controllers, related
engineering.

662
00:38:26,140 --> 00:38:29,980
That is what the board uh authorizes
this evening to be applied for

663
00:38:29,980 --> 00:38:32,440
in that particular LSA grant.

664
00:38:34,020 --> 00:38:35,980
Rather than budget for that work in a
single year,

665
00:38:36,210 --> 00:38:38,250
which would place that burden
entirely upon

666
00:38:38,250 --> 00:38:41,830
the very limited customer customer
base at Penns Preserve,

667
00:38:42,500 --> 00:38:44,750
um, fewer than 200 customers.

668
00:38:45,740 --> 00:38:49,520
Um, we are seeking grants and
additional funding sources

669
00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:51,100
for these and future repairs.

670
00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:57,190
Um, and again, as proposed, neither
of these funds is setting aside any

671
00:38:58,200 --> 00:38:59,850
That's as proposed in the budget.

672
00:39:01,490 --> 00:39:03,020
Where does that leave our rates?

673
00:39:03,740 --> 00:39:06,180
Here's where that leaves us in terms
of the proposed sewer rates

674
00:39:06,180 --> 00:39:08,200
um in the proposed 2026 budget.

675
00:39:08,380 --> 00:39:09,600
I'll note here at the top.

676
00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:11,190
These are estimates used for
budgeting.

677
00:39:11,190 --> 00:39:13,990
The board adopts rates separately by
resolution in December.

678
00:39:14,190 --> 00:39:16,120
So this is and they could shift a
little bit.

679
00:39:16,120 --> 00:39:18,000
They usually shift a little bit,

680
00:39:18,270 --> 00:39:21,050
um, but not they don't usually shift
a lot.

681
00:39:21,410 --> 00:39:24,490
Um, but if you compare the resolution
to the presentation

682
00:39:24,490 --> 00:39:26,680
from the past couple of years, you
might see a very slight change.

683
00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:32,850
But what's being estimated here is a
fixed rate for Valley Forge of $140.5

684
00:39:33,370 --> 00:39:36,420
$15.76 per 1,000 gallons,

685
00:39:36,980 --> 00:39:40,760
roughly average quarterly payment of
318 and 42 cents.

686
00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:42,560
Penns Preserve,

687
00:39:42,940 --> 00:39:47,010
fixed rate of $253.65 a quarter,

688
00:39:47,010 --> 00:39:50,840
which I think is about a three and a
half to 4% increase

689
00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:54,490
over the 2025 rates.

690
00:39:54,670 --> 00:39:56,540
Oh, I wrote it down. 3.76%.

691
00:39:56,910 --> 00:39:58,590
increase over 2025 rates.

692
00:39:58,980 --> 00:39:59,980
And then as always,

693
00:40:00,149 --> 00:40:03,489
Easttown and East Goshen are uh build
in accordance with the invoices

694
00:40:03,489 --> 00:40:06,329
that we receive from those applicable
neighboring communities.

695
00:40:06,329 --> 00:40:09,469
So we have some small sections of the
township that

696
00:40:09,469 --> 00:40:11,449
flow directly into our neighbors.

697
00:40:11,449 --> 00:40:14,879
Those neighbors bill us and we pass
that on to the

698
00:40:15,749 --> 00:40:18,819
directly to the uh those particular
ratepayers.

699
00:40:20,369 --> 00:40:21,919
All right.

700
00:40:21,919 --> 00:40:24,359
So, we're coming to the end of the
presentation.

701
00:40:24,779 --> 00:40:27,969
But I want to continue to look ahead,
so just indulge me briefly here.

702
00:40:27,969 --> 00:40:30,139
In the years to come, we look forward

703
00:40:30,139 --> 00:40:32,739
to the construction of the monument
in our neighborhood park.

704
00:40:32,739 --> 00:40:36,849
We're hopeful for the acquisition of
the Nike site and conversion uh

705
00:40:36,849 --> 00:40:37,849
to a public park.

706
00:40:38,149 --> 00:40:40,849
We're going to continue our work
through the implementation of our

707
00:40:40,849 --> 00:40:42,059
comprehensive plan,

708
00:40:42,839 --> 00:40:44,569
the upcoming circulation study,

709
00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:48,329
implementation of the stormwater
master plan,

710
00:40:49,189 --> 00:40:51,519
And the final building that's going
to need to be replaced here on the

711
00:40:51,519 --> 00:40:53,799
campus is the police department
garage,

712
00:40:54,489 --> 00:40:56,029
um, which will be replaced at some

713
00:40:56,029 --> 00:40:57,559
point in the coming years as well.

714
00:40:58,819 --> 00:41:00,369
2027 and beyond.

715
00:41:01,689 --> 00:41:04,219
So, thank you all very much.

716
00:41:04,219 --> 00:41:06,599
Thanks to the board and to the
members of the public that were here

717
00:41:06,599 --> 00:41:08,059
for your time and attention this
evening.

718
00:41:08,819 --> 00:41:11,769
The staff here is an incredibly
dedicated group of people, um,

719
00:41:12,009 --> 00:41:14,879
that are very proud to serve the
board of supervisors and by

720
00:41:14,879 --> 00:41:17,839
extension, uh, the constituents of
Willistown Township.

721
00:41:17,839 --> 00:41:19,819
So thank you for the opportunity to
serve.

722
00:41:21,979 --> 00:41:23,429
Hannah, thank you very much. - You're
welcome.