Towamensing Township supervisors accepted the budget at the Nov. 4 meeting. It is available for viewing at the municipal office and will be adopted at the December meeting.

The general budget is for $1,051,550 with the earned income tax providing the most revenue at $375,000.General government expense is budgeted at $84,300.The main road project for 2011 will cost $169,036 which comes out of the $240,387 to be received from the state as the township share in liquid fuel money (gasoline etc., tax).The garbage account has an income of $344,700 with landfill fees as the largest expense at $160,000. Frequently the township urges residents to recycle. That is the easiest way to cut down on landfill fees.The recreation account with an amount of $54,991 will have expenses of $11,000.Roy Christman, representative to the Palmerton Area Library Board, said the library hopes to get $1 per resident as it did last year. The state allocation has been cut by 30 percent at a time when the demand for library services is going up - especially computer services. Christman said the computers are almost always in use.The library is planning a golf tournament at Blue Ridge Country Club called the "Palmerton Area Library Tournament to Keep the Palmerton Area Library Open," a name chosen by Christman and of which he is proud.Supervisor Penny Kleintop said this year's check is made out for $3,500, the $1 per resident, and the budget for 2011 also contains that amount.Fire Chief Wayne Knirnschild said since Towamensing was unable to take a fire call to the Buck Farm the call was answered by Aquashicola and Franklin fire companies. They went up and down the road and could not find the location. When they did the driveway was so steep one truck got stuck, though it did make it on the second try.The reflective address signs have to be placed, said Knirnschild. The fire company sells them for $15 but he does not care where people buy them so they are placed where they can be seen.Ed Kupillas, president of Little League, said vandalism at the fields has been repaired with materials donated by Fleisher Bros. Roofing Company. There are administrative changes being made to the Little League with softball for girls and Babe Ruth for older youth being added to what will be known as the Palmerton-Towamensing Athletic Association.He will continue as president for the first year.A sketch plan was presented by Ray Vees. The planning commission did not like the 2,000-foot driveway. Other possibilities were considered. Vees is to bring a preliminary plan which will be sent to township engineer Ron Tirpak for suggestions.Bobby Beers represented the Richard Hall plan. The planning commission gave conditional approval dependent on the Carbon County and engineer's comments. It was decided the only county comment did not apply. Secretary Lora Nothstein will call Tirpak and see why his comments were not received.The plan was given conditional approval dependent on the engineer's comments being met.Christman will attend the Lower Towamensing Township meeting in case there are questions about the regional comprehensive plan implementation agreement which is on the agenda for signing. An ordinance is required and was approved at Towamensing to put the agreement into effect in this township. The agreement was approved in October.A workshop for the driveway ordinance is scheduled for Nov. 18, 7 p.m.To keep the cost of garbage collection from going up, the number of bags has been lowered from five to four per week. No single bag can weigh more than 50 pounds. Recycling is being stressed.Deer Lane resident George White said people on that end of the township consider the distance too great for recycling to drive to the municipal building.A check for $30,637 was given to the fire company as state aid from the Police and Firemans' Fund (the relief fund).Kleintop said documentation of what the money is spent for is required. Knirnschild said the audit is done by the state and a copy is sent to the township.The historical commission will meet on Nov. 9, 7 p.m. The speaker will be a blacksmith.