Collier Keeps Taxes Steady in 2012

officials on Wednesday passed the municipality’s 2012 budget that keeps taxes steady.

was unanimously passed and lauded by the commissioners as a balanced approach that will also plunge resources into the township’s new community park at Nike Site.

“It is a very aggressive budget from the standpoint of doing a lot of work on our parks, most notably Collier Community Park,” Commissioner Bob Schuler said.

The township plans to add three employees while still being able to put about $160,000 in its capital reserve fund. Property taxes will remain at 3.5 mills, meaning someone owning a house with an assessed value of $100,000 a year will be paying $350 per year.

Commissioner Tim Young praised the previous budget that allowed the township to maintain services without a tax increase.

“Your budget turned out to be very good, and we actually have some money left over from last year,” Young said.

Also during the meeting…

• Township Manager Sal Sirabella said has no timeline for repairing Dorrington Road . Sirabella said the state and homeowner are still locked in a dispute about the property, and a resolution might be far away.

• said his department and neighboring police agencies will participate in two “active shooter drills” at the and . The drills will help prepare the police officers for an emergency situation at the school and in other circumstances. The drills will be held during in-service days on Jan. 16 and March 23 when no students are on campus.

• , which recently caused a couple injuries, has been cut down. The rope is still connected to the limb, but was sheared off 10 feet above the ground.

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