Nov 26, 2015 2 min read

I must raise strong concerns about the article by Scott Beveridge in the Nov. 12 edition of the Observer-Reporter which claimed North Franklin Township was going to end 2016 with a budget surplus of $2.6 million. The mistake was pointed out and a small correction then appeared the following day saying there would be no surplus at all.

Additionally, North Franklin supervisors didn’t donate more than $106,000 to the township fire company. The amount is actually less than $40,000, and in my estimation is an underpayment.

North Franklin has absolutely no need to hire more police officers, and a budget of $1 million representing half the budget for police in North Franklin is bloated. How much does Canton Township spend?

When the final budget is adopted, it will be clear that the long term debt of the township is staggering. Additionally, there will be no surplus. An even larger concern for me is that the township released a preiminary budget that first confused the reporter and then was so misleading that it totally misrepresented the true financial status of the township. It is the reason I remain concerned, as all residents should be, about the leaders who are elected to run North Franklin Township.

Bob Sabot

North Franklin

Sabot is a former North Franklin supervisor and was a candidate for the board in this month’s election.