TimesLeader.com

ROSS TOWNSHIP

Liquid fuels allocation is lowered

By EILEEN GODIN Dallas Post Correspondent

On Tuesday night, supervisors announced the bad news at their monthly meeting Tuesday night that less money will be received from the state for the township’s liquid fuels funds.

Secretary Terry Davis read a letter from the state department, stating Ross Township will receive $106,317.12 in liquid fuels money for 2010. Last year, the township received $110,000 and Davis said over the past few years the money allotted to the township has decreased.

“This figure is down by four percent,” she said. “The amount mentioned in the letter is only an estimate of what we might receive.”

Chairman Stanford Davis said the state determines how much money is allocated to each municipality based on mileage of township or borough roads.

“According to their letter, we have 33.65 miles of township roads,” he said.

The money from the liquid fuels fund pays costs associated with road maintenance, vehicles fuel and road crew payroll.

With this information in hand, supervisors will begin preparing a proposed budget for 2010 and Davis expected the proposed budget to be available for residents’ review by mid November.

The budget, however, will not be approved until the end-of-year meeting to be held at 3 p.m. on Monday, Dc. 28, in the municipal building.

In other news …

• The project of bonding township roads for weight limits is progressing, Davis said.

In August, supervisors contracted a company called Municipal Solutions, of Linden, to help them bond their road for weight limits. The preventive move was started with the threat of heavy trucks carrying Marcellus Shale gas drill equipment through the township. By bonding roads for weight limits, the township protects itself from paying for road repairs from damages caused by heavy trucks.

• Supervisors have received Municipal Solutions analysis of their roads. Davis said the next step is to prepare an ordinance to adopt the suggestions of weight limits; however, she added, the ordinance will not be ready until next year.

• The next supervisors meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, in the municipal building.