Township scrutinizes spending as budget work continues
Milford. Two township signs were also recently stolen and had to be replaced.
In Monday’s hybrid workshop and meeting, the Milford Township Board of Supervisors discussed implementing the use of purchase orders to tighten the reins and prevent a runaway budget. Board Vice-Chairperson Rachel Hendricks was adamant about the need to control Township spending, and that everyone must realize that the township budget is tight.
Supervisor Bob Di Lorenzo is in favor of a system that not only tracks spending but will provide an alert to users when funds reach a level where extra consideration must be taken to determine necessity and examine prices before making a purchase.
Accurate tracking of Township expenditures is crucial as the Township can no longer rely on funds from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) or transfer taxes to balance the budget. To help with this effort Donna Tegan, a budget analyst, will join the Milford Township team on November 25. The budget is currently available for public comment and review on the Township website.
Most of Township spending is related to street upkeep. During his Roadmaster’s Report, Board Chairperson Gary Williams recounted a recent trip to Wilkes-Barre to retrieve supplies, thus saving the Township roughly $900 in delivery charges. Unfortunately, within the last month, a sign from Martin Road off Route 6 and two “Welcome to Milford Township” signs, one from Twin Lakes Road and the other from in front of the Tractor Supply store, were stolen and needed to be replaced. This unexpected expenditure minimized the effect of the savings by one-third, as the cost to replace the Township signs was slightly over $300. The theft was reported to the state police. Williams ended his report by stating that the potholes throughout the township have been repaired and his team is ready for the snowy season.
Burn ban
The Supervisors commended residents for adhering to the burn ban directive. Williams stated that the Milford Fire Department has been helping combat the Greenwood Lake fire by working from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every other night to help protect homes and control hot spots.