Walker Township supervisors discussed the 2023 budget at their Nov. 3 meeting, which will see increases for several items.

Items in the budget include:

• 8.7% increase in wages to account for inflation.

• Insurance quotes include a 10% inflation in the premium to a total of $13,800.

• Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesGrant of $52,000 will be included in the income.

• Dirt and gravel grant for 2023 will be included once Roadmaster Chat Felty gets the numbers.

• Engineering costs will be adjusted to $12,500

• Police costs, increase vehicle repair to $1,200. Keeping $1,800 in the budget for a computer for the police car. Insync Software to increase to $655 and equipment remains at $2,000.

• Snow removal and salt purchases raised 15%.

• Capital purchases will remain the same at $10,000.

• Fire company costs will remain the same except for fuel which will increase to $2,000. The difference will be taken off miscellaneous expenses.

• All fuel costs are increased.

• Highway construction will remain at $50,000, Road materials at $20,000, and the residual of liquid fuels will be used toward a 2023 road project.

The supervisors will meet Dec. 1 to advertise the budget and hold a special meeting later to adopt it.

Township ready for snow

Township Roadmaster Chad Felty told council that the price for road salt has risen.

“It’s under state contract,” Felty said. “The state contract came in at $77.40 a ton, compared to $67.63 for the last three years, this was at that price. So it went up to ten bucks a ton for our county.”

The township is contracted for 300 tons of salt. It must take at least 60% of that, or 180 tons, to get the contracted price. If it needs more, the township can purchase up to 40% more at the contracted price.

“We are full in the back,” Felty said. “We have two or three hundred ton of salt and two or three hundred ton of mixed up fifty-fifty and two hundred ton of anti-skid back there.”

The supervisors also passed a resolution that requires “municipal boards and councils to adopt a resolution directing the tax collector to waive penalties for first year homeowners who don’t get timely notice of their new real estate tax bills and therefore would incur a penalty because of late payment,” said township solicitor Chris Riedlinger.

In other news, the New England Fire Company reported it had five calls in October.

The fire company is also planning a burger night on Nov. 23 from 6-11 p.m. at the fire company.