Manor Township Budget Calls for No Tax Increase
Manor Township supervisors and Township Engineer Ben Bothell listen to Grant Scott of KSBA Architects about the proposed medical office building. Supervisors conditionally approved storm water plans last night.
by Jonathan Weaver
Manor Township supervisors will look to increase police funding in the 2015 budget without causing a tax increase.
Supervisor Paul Rearick said the operating budget will be similar to 2014’s, but with additional funding allocated for part-time police protection and up to six months of part-time code enforcement.
Supervisor Chair James McGinnis said the last tax increase – to the current rate of six mills – was 11 years ago.
“We’re very frugal with our money – we don’t go blow it on other things,” McGinnis said. “We do a lot of our own mechanical work in-house. We don’t overspend.”
Supervisor Pat Fabian indicated several coming jobs and sources of tax revenue - such as from the new Armstrong Junior-Senior High School and Sheetz gas station along Pleasantview Drive.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve seen firsthand that any undeveloped piece of property on the market, although we are not seeing tax dollars from it, it’s being developed,” Fabian said. “We’re gradually moving that direction.”
Before the December 29th special meeting to vote on the final budget, township supervisors will accept applications for four appointed positions that are made each January: representation on the Water Authority, Vacancy Board, UCC Group and TCC Group.
For example, there are five representatives from Manor Township on the Manor Township Joint Water Authority, with Mark Quartz’s seat up for appointment in 2015.
That meeting begins at 8AM the final Monday of 2014. A copy of the budget will be available at the township building until then.
Also included in that developing business base is a new medical office building across from the current township municipal offices – what will become 1703 17th St. (at the site of the vacant lot of the former-Stitt Auto Sales).
Dr. Matthew Sabo – who founded The Foot and Ankle Wellness Center of Western Pennsylvania in 2007 – currently rents office space from Klingensmith’s Healthcare along Ford Street in Ford City.
“We bought the property two years ago in February and we started planning this about a year ago,” Sabo said. “We finally have an idea – somewhat – of what’s going on, and hopefully with this approval, we can actually start doing work instead of sitting and looking at paper.
“The rent we’re paying could be going toward the building.”
Grant Scott of KSBA Architects, based in Pittsburgh, said the one-story, 2,800 square foot building should be open in Summer 2015.
“The objective if we can get the final approvals that we need – which we expect to – is to have (Sabo) in there in mid-July,” Scott said. “The issue will be the weather, but the building should go up pretty quickly.”
The architectural firm has also designed multiple projects with Klingensmith Drugstores President Dave Cippel.
Township Engineer Ben Bothell of Senate Engineering recommended approving the plan contingent on a few revisions that are yet to be submitted.
“I’ve looked at the plan a couple different times, and I don’t see any issue with it. I also don’t see any issue with infiltrating the water in its entirety from this portion of the site – as long as its maintained properly and it does percolate they way we anticipate that it will,” Bothell said.
There will not be any discharge – all water is anticipated to drain and saturate into the ground.
The motion was made by Rearick and passed unanimously.
“If our engineer’s satisfied with it, I’m satisfied with it,” McGinnis said.
Sabo, of Chicora, has worked in the area since 2002 and eventually hopes to build apartment complexes next to the medical building due to a need for senior housing as well as coordinate events along the Rails to Trails in Ford City – across the street.
Manor Township | jweaver December 4, 2014
By jorn jensen, December 4, 2014 @ 9:36 AM
It is refreshing to read, “We’re very frugal with our money - we don’t go blow it on other things, We do a lot of our own mechanical work in-house. We don’t overspend.” from an elected official.
Now, if we can get rid of property taxes, people might actually build homes in a well-run area like Manor Township.
By blutoblutarsky, December 5, 2014 @ 8:16 AM
People build plenty of homes in areas with higher property taxes. (examples Pine Richland, Hampton, Sewickley)
I think the suppression of drug activity and the addition of more jobs will go a little further.
By sickofpayingforit, December 5, 2014 @ 7:24 PM
Agree Jorn. Nice to see elected folks working the budget, not letting the budget work them, and ultimately NOT treating us tax payers like an ATM.
Kudos Manor Twp. leadership!!!