“We’re going to make do with what we have,” Stiglitz said.

Schill noted the township’s liquid fuels allocation is less than last year, and Stiglitz said several categories in the revenue side of the ledger are going down rather than up.

“It’s possible we’ll see a tax increase (in 2010),” Stiglitz said. “I don’t see where we can squeeze any more…”

The township currently charges a 4-mill property tax, and plans to reduce that to 3 mills, but this will not affect tax bills. The change is to keep revenues the same in light of Clarion County increasing its assessment ratio from 75 to 100 percent.

Stiglitz said the township will vote in January on a resolution reducing the millage.

Ordinance matters

The township had advertised an ordinance authorizing investment in the Pennsylvania Local government Investment Trust, but delayed a vote on final adoption until some questions are answered.

Schill said he was concerned about the safety of PLGIT, and while the types of investments the agency makes – such as in government bonds and certificates of deposit – are generally safe, he would like more assurances on the investment guarantees in place.

“I don’t have much faith in banking right now,” he said.

Stiglitz agreed, and said he wanted more information on what seemed to be a $50,000 minimum deposit requirement.

Supervisors voted to table final adoption of the ordinance.

After a discussion of credit cards issued to the township and a decision to drop those as risky and unnecessary, Stiglitz said he wanted to learn if PLGIT offered a credit card.

A vote to adopt an ordinance requiring testing and fess before any sewage sludge can be spread on land in the township, was also delayed.

Township secretary Rhonda Rex said the ordinance was revised and re-advertised for adoption on Jan. 5.

The revisions advised by township legal counsel Ralph Montana dropped provisions that would place too much liability on the township by requiring supervisors to file a lawsuit against sludge spreaders and to pay for medical testing of up to ten township residents if toxic contamination is found to have affected any township resident.

Scenic river

Stiglitz said he attended a meeting Nov. 7 on plans regarding the Wild and Scenic River designation for parts of the Clarion River .

The part of the Clarion bordering Highland Township is designated as “scenic,” the more protective of the river’s two designations: scenic and recreational – for the river. The designations end at the beginning at the slack water of Piney Lake .

Stiglitz said two township roadways access the river in the scenic portion: Highland Drive and East Sarvey Mill Road . He said he was concerned the scenic river designation would attract visitors and put more traffic pressure on those roadways.

Both are relatively primitive roads, and for many vehicles, Highland Drive is impassable within about 500 yards of the river.

Much of the river valley in Highland Township is public land – game lands or state forest, but there is also privately owned land as well, and Stiglitz said he was unclear as to why a private landowner would want to participate in the wild and scenic program.

U.S. Forest Service officials have said inclusion in the program beyond then river’s high water mark is voluntary for private landowners.

2009 budget

General fund revenues total of $97,595 includes:

Earned income tax, $50,000.

Property tax, $20,000.

Real estate transfer tax, $5,000.

 Per capita tax, $1,500.

General fund expenses total $96,402.

Liquid fuels receipts: $57,388.

Liquid fuels expenses: $56,500.

Supervisors voted to cash in a $40,000 certificate of deposit when it matures in February 2009 and place $20,000 in an accessible account as an emergency fund. The remainder will be used to purchase another certificate of deposit.