The budget, a bridge and open space. Those were the three main topics of discussion at the most recent Upper Nazareth Township Board of Supervisors' meeting.
Supervisors' unanimously approved the 2019 general fund budget Wednesday with a 10 percent municipal real estate tax increase. Supervisor Mike Rinker was absent from the meeting. The new rate of 7.09 mills is up from the 2018 rate of 6.45 mills.
A mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of a home's assessed value. The owner of a township home assessed at $100,000 will pay $64 more in property taxes next year.
Supervisor Scott Sylvainus said many of 2019's expenses stayed the same as this year's but there will be some increases due to contractual obligations with the police union. The township will have to spend money to comply with Pennsylvania's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, or MS4, requirements, he said. The law requires stormwater management improvements.
"It an unfunded state mandate," Supervisor Robert Disbrow said.
Supervisors also unanimously approved spending $100,000 to repair the Penn Dixie Drive bridge that crosses the Monocacy Creek.
Township engineer Sean Dooley said recent inspections of the bridge revealed structural deficiencies that could be become major problems soon.
"It was already serious," Dooley said. "Now, it is critical."
Repairs should take three to four weeks and could begin in the spring, Dooley said.
Supervisors will ask the township planning commission to investigate forming a new committee to draft a township open space preservation plan.
Eventually, the township could ask residents to vote on a 0.25 percent earned income tax dedicated to purchasing easements or property that would be preserved from development.
Township solicitor Gary Asteak advised supervisors to create an Environmental Advisory Committee that would create an open space plan in the township. He also advised the township to develop a public information program to inform residents about the purpose of the income tax and where the money will go.
"People are not going to vote to increase their taxes unless they know what it's for" Asteak said.
The earned income tax would have to be approved by voter referendum on a future ballot.
John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.