West Deer's proposed $7.2M budget calls for 11% increase in spending, no tax increase

West Deer’s preliminary budget for 2021 includes no increase in property taxes despite a proposed increase in spending across numerous departments.

Supervisors will vote to adopt next year’s $7.2 million budget at their Dec. 16 meeting.

The tax rate remains 2.99 mills in the preliminary budget.

Township Manager Dan Mator said the township was frugal with its spending this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, so it had a surplus that will be carried over.

Roughly 40% of the proposed spending has been budgeted for the public works department, while 33% will go toward public safety.

The budget includes a roughly 18% increase in public works spending, from about $2.3 million this year to a proposed $2.7 million in 2021. The budget includes a $400,000 increase to the annual road paving program.

Roads that would be repaved include Rittman Road, Shuster Road, Glasgow Road, Donaldson Road, Lawrence Court, Quail Ridge Court and Logan Road.

“That was one of the expenditures that was not expended this year. We had $1 million budgeted, but we only spent a little bit over $500,000,” Mator said. “The roads that were left off of the 2020 program are being added to the 2021 program.”

Expenses for highway supplies and street signs are proposed to increase from $2,500 this year to $ 30,000 next year. Mator said the supervisors would like to add decorative street signs welcoming people to the township.

The total proposed spending for the police department will be roughly 12% more than this year, rising from about $1.9 million to $2 million next year.

All police officers are expected to receive a pay raise. The proposed budget includes a 3% boost in pay to police Chief Jon Lape, whose salary would rise from about $97,600 this year to a little less than $100,600 next year. Police sergeants would receive a roughly 4% increase in pay, with their total wages rising from $326,000 this year to $338,000 next year. Full-time officers would get a 6% combined wage increase from about $640,000 to about $680,000 next year. Part-timers would go from a combined $100,000 this year to $150,000 next year, a 50% increase.

General government building expenses are anticipated to rise by 40%, from $38,500 this year to $53,900 next year. The township is budgeting an extra $15,000 for a building feasibility study.

Mator said the township has outgrown its existing municipal complex, which was built in 1952.

“As the township grows, we have these other plans coming in. You need more police officers, you need more administrative staff, you need extra people,” Mator said. “We just don’t have the space.”

Also expected to increase are funds for park repairs and maintenance. The township would spend $50,000 to repair and maintain park fields and grounds next year, up from $5,000 this year. The township also would spend $37,500 to repair and maintain facilities, up from $2,500 this year, and it would spend $23,500 to repair and maintain equipment, up from $3,500 this year.

Mator said the increased spending would supplement grants the township received to make improvements to Bairdford Park. Mator said the township wants to install a new pavilion and waterlines and add cameras.

“We received a grant for a pavilion and cameras for $100,000,” Mator said. “The pavilion alone is going to be more than that.”