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Draft Budget Calls for 2.8 Miles of Roads to Be Repaved

Will Cost $855,000 But No New Taxes Needed

The 2018 Newtown Township draft budget presented to the Board of Supervisors by Manager Kurt Ferguson on October 16, 2017, includes $855,000 for a 2.8 paving program in 2018. In 2017, 5.5 miles of roads were repaved.

The Township's final cost for paving for 2017 was about $200,000 below projections. Some of those dollars will be carried over to next year’s program.

Figure 1. Repaving of Edgewood Drive in St. Andrews Woods (2017).

“The 2017 and 2018 road program will mark 8.3 miles of road paving over a 2-year period, which is an average of 4.15 miles [per year],” noted Ferguson. “This is an important threshold number. With 71.3 road miles and an average of a 20 year life, the Township would need to average 3.56 miles of road paving per year to get to each road every 20 years.” See Table 1 below for a list of the roads to be repaved in 2018.

Table 1. Roads Proposed to be Repaved in 2018.

Some Background

The following is excerpted from the November 16, 2017, Board of Supervisors (BOS) public meeting:

 “Mr. Ferguson said that the Township has used the State Liquid Fuels payment for roadway improvement each year, which is usually about $540,000 and allows general repairs of potholes and various curbing and inlets but only a little more than a mile of repaving. He is proposing an increase of 1 mill for debt service, which would allow the Township to borrow $1 million and pay it off in three years, giving the Township an additional $1 million for roadway improvement every three years. This will allow more miles of milled and paved roads.”

The additional millage was approved by the BOS.

“Mr. [Kyle] Davis, Mrs. [Jen] Dix and Mr. [Phil] Calabro (Supervisors) said they are in favor of the plan, but Mr. Calabro noted that it would be ongoing in order to maintain the roads. Mr. Ferguson stressed that the million dollar loan would be paid from the increased debt service millage over three years, at the end of which a new loan would be taken. He noted that the new Public Works Director, Joe Schiavoni, had been the inspector for CKS [Engineers, Doylestown] and had been inspecting the roadway project for years. He is now an employee of the Township but could continue to inspect the roads at a savings of about $80,000.”

314 Action Endorses Local PA Candidates

314 Action, a nonprofit 501(c)4 that was founded by members of the STEM community, grassroots supporters and political activists who believe in science, has endorsed these scientists and other STEM leaders who will fight to protect science and stand up to climate deniers.

Meet and Greet Democrat Candidates

YOU ARE INVITED with your neighbors to meet our Democrat local, county and state candidates and officials. Wine and appetizers will be served.

Please join us and get to know the candidates for this important upcoming election on November 7. Attendees will include:

Diane Marseglia Bucks County Commissioner

Steve Santarsiero Chief Deputy AG, Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania

Judi Reiss LMT Supervisor, Prothonotary Candidate

Fred Weiss LMT Supervisor Candidate

We also hope to have a few more special guests! Please join us on:

Friday, October 27 | 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Carol and David Clift, 967 Hunt Drive, Yardley, PA 19067

RSVP

joe@bucksvictory.com

John Mack for Newtown Supervisor

john@johnmacknewtown.info

215-808-0859

www.johnmacknewtown.info