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| Supervisor Mark Tanczos has a budget question. |
"I didn't get a raise?" joked veteran Supervisor Steve Salvesen.
"No," Finnigan somberly replied.
In addition to the good news about next year's budget, Supervisors approved a reduction in next year's residential waste and recycling fees. A typical single family residence will see an annual bill next year of $225, down from $245. Multi-family dwellings will also see their garbage bills go down between $20-25 over what is being paid this year.
This lower fee is the result of a five-year garbage hauling contact with Raritan Valley Disposal, approved earlier this year.
"We're certainly headed in the right direction, especially during these tough economic times," said Supervisors' Chair John Diacogiannis, thanking Finnigan for his work on the budget.
In other business, Supervisors unanimously approved two new developments.
Virginia-based Patient First, a primary and urgent care facility, received authorization for an 8,000 sq. ft, one-story building at the busy intersection of Schoenersville and Jacksonville Roads. It plans to open this facility next Summer.
Supervisors signed off on the first phase of Traditions of America at Bridle Path. This community, aimed at active adults aged 55 and older, will include 204 homes on a 68-acre lot. It is located along Bridle Path Road, next to the former St. Frances Academy.
Supervisors will meet again on Tuesday, November 13, 7 PM, at the Municipal Building, located at 3630 Jacksonville Road.
22 comments:
Personally I think Jay a real ____ ____ but he does run good ship.
Still say it is easy for townships to do that when they don't provide services and they sponge off of the adjacent city. Delete it if you want but you can't delete the truth.
2:45 does have a point.
Shocker, municipalities that still have externalizeable resources (like greenfields for development) and a middle class tax base who don't require services are able to hold the line on taxes. Looks good now, but, in 20-years its gonna look like a massive ponzi scheme (which it is).
Anonymous 2:45. Your viewpoint is tiresome. Township's like Hanover provide outstanding services to their residents with a modest tax rate. Its called intelligent, competent and responsible local government. You won't see Hanover Township pissing away tens of millions in pension deals so 40 something police officers can grab lucrative pensions by working overtime at the fair. You won't see dozens of Hanover Township employees hanging out in front of taxpayers at Wawa, taking 1/2 hour breaks. I could go on and on, but you get the point.
Another difference between Hanover and financially distressed municipalities is that there is no public sector union in Hanover.
They did all that in half an hour! I showed up about 20 minutes late and thought I would catch some of the development and budget discussion. All I got was a few minutes of the budget.
They're fast!
Publius: Take a look at the home equity earned by residents of Hanover Township over the past 20 years, you'll see homes purchased for $40,000 that are now valued at $220,000. You'll see modest property tax for quality services. You want a ponzi scheme? How about Allentown, where residents are subjected to much higher property taxes and suffer little if any gain in home value. Heck, I even have to pay a higher EIT (1.35%) just because I happen to live there!
I would have to say Hanover has one of the most effective leadership teams in the Valley. Finnegan is a tireless advocate for the Township and runs a very tight ship. Living here I see a hands on manager. I thought he was a poor choice when they hired him but I have been proven wrong.
We get better services than any surrounding municipality and don't sponge off anyone. We get it all!
12:30 anon Not sure you get "better" service than any surrounding municipality. You get comparable service. There are many communities in Northampton and Lehigh Counties that can make the same claim. Your services meet expectations and your community is not in trouble.
http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2012/10/23/embracing-congestion.html
Publius, you have linked to a blog about congestion and about being able to walk to get a gallon of milk. I am not sure whether you even livein the LV, but Hanover is far from congested. In addition, it stives to be a community where you can walk to work or the store. When I attend a meeting there, the last 1.5 miles of my route takes me off roads and on connecting trails. In the latest park plans proposed by Finnigan, he is talking about connecting to trails that lead right to Nor-Bath trail. The Tp has invested oodles of money in to pedestrian crossing signs. Its Wegmans has installed sidewalks so people can walk there. Most of its roads have wide berms along which you can ride a bicycle with ease.
Bethlehem, in my view, is the most bike and pedestrian community in the LV. But HT is making great strides itself.
Read the post. The problem is that there isn't congestion. It is a failure in planning. There is no way that you can convince me that Hanover Township is a pedestrian / bike friendly community. You might be able to use a bike to make special trips, but, no one could really do well in that community without a car.
This all ties together with your point that hanover is a well run community. Hardly, it just has citizens who can afford to pay taxes and doesn't have to provide services like a city does. Let me stress that again, if 70% of Hanover residents paid virtually nothing in taxes it would be in a world of hurt too (like Allentown). The reasons the burbs look like they are doing well is because that is where people with money live.
And yes, I admit the Afflerbach pension thing is a joke and he deserves to shunned forever. That was a failure at all levels (including by the police who should have had a conscious). Why hasn't the city tried to reform the contract in court. Surely, that contract provision should be deemed against public policy.
Publius, If there is no way I can convince you, then what's the point?
First, do you live here? Are you sure you don't have HT (Lehigh) and HT (Northampton) confused.
Second, if you do live here, and travel the roads on a frickin' bike, as I do, you will see pretty clearly that it IS a bike and pedestrian friendly community. Maybe not the best, but it is up there and getting better. A lot of the pedestrian crossing signs have just been installed.
Third, you criticize the planning, but completely ignore my point abut the planning that has gone into the new park being considered. One of the biggest deals to Finnigan is its connection to other trails. Also, if I can travel thru a community for 1.5 miles on a trail, plotted out on a google map course for bicycling directions, that's pretty damn good planning.
Contrary to what you seem to think, a community does not have to be an "urban core" community to be bike and pedestrian friendly. And guess what, there are townships that engage in very good planning.
BO,
I started this blog this morning by saying I PERSONALLY think Jay is a real____ ____ but he does run a good ship.
Again - I don't like him worth a damn personally. BUT he has done an excellent job in managing his community.He is fortunate that he has non union personnel working for him. I have seen then in action. They do work harder than most union workers I have observed.
As one of your blogger pointed out there were doubts about him when he was "given" this job. To most people's delight and for the township good he has proven himself.
Because I will admit that I am very good at holding a grudge I will continue not liking him. ( If I know him he probably is not losing any sleep over that). But I would never doubt his professionalism towards his duties or his caring about his community.
The township is a better place because of his service.
Mark, It is not just him, but the people under him as well. Vince Milite does a terrific job at public works, and even drafts Finnigan from time to time when he needs someone who is expendable.
Hard to tell with Finnegan. He was given the job as a favor to Ron Angle, becaue Finnegan ran the Angle county executive race.
So it is hard to take him too seriously.
This is complete bullshit.
I assume we are talking about Northampton County.
I am aware of the bike trail and it is a nice diversion but a tail or two does not a bike friendly community make. Once every road is conceived and built with a bike lane and parking to protect a bikers (like amsterdam or parts of lower manhatten) you will have a bike friendly community. Until then, only biking zealots such as yourself and me will dare to use a bike as a primary mode of transportation. (Of course i realize suburbs can't sustain infrastructure like this)
And while I really do aplaude your efforts to ride, until dumb-ass planners get it through their heads that they should be building cities and communities without cars, we are going to continue to have terrible, terrible planning evident in places like Hanover Township.
We are so far away from the idea of a walkable/bikeable community that you are willing to think that a few trails used by a few people some of the time are the answer--no. We should be aiming for a place where > 75% of trips are made by foot or car. That is probably the minimum for a reasonable community.
Publius, That is ridiculous. There is simply no way that most Americans would agree to have this sort of thing shoved down their throats. You're not talking about planning; you're talking about some Orwellian society. Come on dude, that is extreme. And this is not Amsterdam. For one thing, it's a lot flatter there.
Have you ever been there? I know two folks who go there all the time and love it.
Mr. Baker, keep holding your grudge but as you said "If I know him he probably is not losing any sleep over that" and you may be right. Maybe you should sit down and talk to him, you might just change your mind.
Like I said I thought he was a bad choice but have become very impressed as I've seen him work over the past few years.
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