No tax increase in Marshall for 2026; township working to build capital reserve

Marshall residents won’t see a tax increase in the new year.

At their meeting Dec. 1, township supervisors passed a 2026 budget that retains a millage rate of 1.42 mills.

While the general fund is listed at $10,985,210 versus expenditures at $14,243,537, that’s because of a transfer of nearly $4 million to the capital reserve fund for future projects, according to township Manager Robert Grimm.

“This transfer is the first step in development of a capital improvement plan we’ll work on during 2026 and include in the 2027 budget,” he said.

Budget highlights include more than $1.5 million in road paving work as part of the $3.5 million public works budget, Grimm said.

Grimm noted the purchase of a new dump truck and boom mower is part of a $578,000 expense in the capital reserve fund budget. Within that expense is line-painting equipment, with the cost to be shared with Pine Township.

Nearly $2 million is budgeted for road construction on Route 19 and Northgate Drive, which involves widening Perry Highway to provide a northbound right-turn lane and eliminating a ramp onto Northgate. The Northgate approach also will be widened to provide a left-turn lane, according to Grimm.

Trail projects include work on the corner of Woodland and Thorn Hill roads and Wexford Run and Manor roads, for $90,000, under the recreation fund budget. There also is $629,000 budgeted for trails and sidewalks on Thorn Hill Road from the capital reserve fund, according to the budget viewable online at twp.marshall.pa.us.

The budget includes 3% increases for employee salaries and was adjusted for inflationary increases of utilities and materials, Grimm said.

A $374,900 donation to the Marshall Township Volunteer Fire Department will be used toward recruitment and retention.

And the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority Emergency Medical Service contribution is $41,500.

Northland Public Library will receive a $239,370 contribution.

Public safety comes in at $2.9 million, which includes $1.96 million for the Northern Regional Police Department.

In a joint agreement with the NRPD, municipalities pay the apportioned remaining share based on each respective percentage of the annual calls or incidents originating within each municipality for the prior 12-month period from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31.

The municipalities contribute roughly 75% to NRPD’s overall budget each year, according to its chief, Bryan DeWick.

“That is where the majority of our funding comes from, so it is very important for us to continue to offer the level of professional services our residents have come to expect,” DeWick said.

The police department’s 2026 budget increase was higher than usual, mainly because the NRPD officers’ union was in ongoing contract negotiations last year when the budget was approved, which ultimately led to higher-than-anticipated wage increases than were estimated. Some municipalities also have been reporting an increase in 2025, according to DeWick.

Included in the police department’s 2026 expenses is a $250,000 driving simulator that has received a fully paid grant from the Allegheny County Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund.

“This expense will be a wash after the full grant funding is received,” DeWick said.

Also, contributions from Northern Regional’s contracted services to Seven Fields Borough and an accumulated surplus fund balance from the past year have allowed the municipalities to limit their 2026 contributions to 5% to 7% over their 2025 contributions.

Member contributions include about $2.5 million for Pine, $1.9 million for Marshall, $279,315 for Bradford Woods and $2.25 million for Richland.

Seven Fields’ operating cost allocation is $484,760, which yielded approximately 5% calls in 2025.

Bradford Woods pays a flat 4% of total budgeted expenses.

Based on the calls during that period, the percentage contribution by municipality for 2026 will be Pine, 36.17%; Marshall, 27.86%; Bradford Woods, 4%; and Richland, 31.97%. The relative change in contribution, excluding surplus allocations, for each municipality compared with 2025 is Pine, a 6.85% increase; Marshall, a 5.57% increase; Bradford Woods, a 6.56% increase; and Richland, a 7.10% increase.

The Marshall budget meeting also was an opportunity to present recognition from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors to Anthony “Jack” Candek, who has served on the board for 30 years.

Nina Faber and incumbent James Tracy will fill the two open supervisor seats. The board will reorganize during its 7 p.m. meeting Jan. 5.