Shaler proposed budget keeps tax rate at 3.49 mills

Shaler Township presented its proposed general fund budget for 2023 in November, with no increase in property taxes, which will remain at 3.49 mills.

The proposed 2023 budget is balanced at $16 million with a vote set for the next commissioner’s meeting on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.

The budget includes a large beginning balance of $9.7 million, in part due to conservative budget planning.

“We, as a township, set our revenues low and our expenditures high,” said Shaler manager Tim Rogers. He said they rarely hit their full expenditures budgeted for the year.

This is the largest beginning balance the township has had, followed by 2022 which projected $7.6 million, according to Rogers, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Services in the general fund include government, public works, public safety, parks and recreation and other miscellaneous activities.

Some notable expenses in the proposed budget include rising costs in the public works category. Rogers said the township is experiencing a rise in salt prices, which have increased by about 8 percent over the past two years combined.

The public works department is also ordering two Mack Trucks, one of which was supposed to be received this past year but the order was canceled due to supply issues. They will also be purchasing one Ford F-750 truck through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s cooperative purchasing program, or COSTARS.

There’s $1.2 million is budgeted for paving projects, which is mostly consistent with previous years, Rogers said.

A total of $200,000 is proposed for reconstruction of the tennis courts and pickleball courts at both of the parks of Ellen Hughes on GreenField Road and Stoneridge on Dressel Road.

The township is in ongoing contract negotiations with the police for the extension of their labor agreement, which will see some expenses next year, yet to be determined. Uniformed patrol takes the bulk of the expenses of public safety at approximately $3 million for wages and benefits, an increase from more than $2.8 million in 2022.

Rogers said healthcare benefits for all employees increased by 6 percent. There is an increase of 11 percent for health care for retired police officers and their spouses, which the township has to fund until officers reach the age of 65.

Some notable budget items included unexpected additional revenue at the township’s Crawford Pool at Kiwanis Park, due to record sales of season and daily passes. The township expected $80,000 but made close to $121,700.

“This is the best year we had at the pool,” Rogers said.

Shaler is planning on reevaluating its pool pass prices, according assistant townhip manager Judith Kording.

“Seasonal passes are low compared to other municipalities,” she said.

A family pass is $195 for the (past) season, she said.

Kording noted that Shaler has lower pool rates compared to nearby pools. She will be recommending potentially new rates at the January commissioners meeting.

Regardless of the unexpected increase, pool costs of maintenance and operations always exceed the revenue, Rogers said. Even at its best year, expenses can exceed revenue by about $50,000, he said.

Rogers said an unexpected expense was the demolition of the Jeffery School on Wetzel Road with a price tag of $250,000 this past year. The township purchased the site with the school last year, and an outside engineer completing a study found structural deficiencies. In order to take down the walls, it would have involved bringing in steel for reconstruction, which would have been cost-prohibitive to the township.

An architect recommended the building would not be serviceable to the township, so the building was recommended for demolition, a project being performed by UNIS of Aliquippa. Rogers said there is nothing yet planned for the site after the demolition.

Rogers is retiring after 30 years, and this is his final budget. He said he’s happy with the results.

“I’m leaving with the largest beginning balance and all three pensions fully funded,” said Rogers, referring to police, public works and administration pensions.