Dec 12, 2016 2 min read

South Fayette Township officials reversed course on their proposed property tax increase for next year, presenting a new draft budget at last week’s commissioners’ meeting that holds the line on the millage rate in 2017.

The revisions included the elimination of a new full-time police officer in lieu of hiring three part-time officers, as well as not adding two proposed additional administrative positions.

Expenses were also decreased in snow and ice removal materials, legal services, public works vehicle maintenance, public works overtime and parks improvements. Township Manager Ryan Eggleston hopes the addition of a full-time public works employee, which he believes to be the first new position added in more than 30 years, will offset the need for a higher parks improvement budget allocation.

Not all of the departments saw a decrease in budget to accommodate the current millage, however. After an impassioned request from South Fayette Township Library Board President Robert Milacci, the township managed to include an extra $5,000 into the library’s budget.

The changes allowed the township to remove the proposed .23-mill tax increase. The township tax rate is expected to remain at 4.48 mills for the $10.8 million budget.

The board of commissioners will vote on the adoption of the 2017 budget and the proposed revisions at its meeting Wednesday.

The board also reviewed the Phase One proposed plan for the Hastings development at its Dec. 7 meeting. Revisions included the addition and removal of some sidewalks from the plan, all of which were acceptable to the planning commission.

A proposed cul-de-sac that will be about 12 feet smaller than township standards, however, was not recommended for approval. Concerns regarding the accessibility for fire trucks and school buses were voiced by the board and met with acknowledgement by developers, who felt the area would still be able to accommodate emergency vehicles.

The commissioners will also consider the plan for a vote at its next meeting.