ADAMS TWP — The township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the raising of various fees at Monday's meeting.

The list of fees was unavailable Monday night.

“It's probably a 4 or 5 percent increase depending on how you look at it,” said Gary Peaco, township manager. “We have to keep adjusting them because costs keep going up.”

Peaco said the fees will be posted on the township's website, possibly in the next two weeks, depending on the holiday.

“Because of the upgrades and adding some things, we wanted to get it up on the website,” he said.

Peaco said there were a few fees that hadn't been changed in a long time.

“The building permits had not been increased in over 10 years,” Peaco said. “There were land development application fees hadn't been changed in probably 20 years.”

Peaco said the building permits are a good example of how the increase is situationally dependent.

“It's a multiplier that's going to be adjusted in the permit program,” he said. “Until you actually use it, you really don't know. So we're going to run some scenarios to make sure it's nothing exorbitant.”

Another fee change is the recreation fee, which the supervisors had discussed at the preliminary budget meeting last week.

Peaco said many of the other changes were minor tweaks, but there were two fees that are being added, including a winter maintenance fee and a fee for those wanting a copy of video freed from the township's cameras.

Supervisors Chairman Thomas Franceschina said it is normal for municipalities to raise their rates and keep updating them as other costs rise. He said the township tries to make the fees as fair as possible.

“Just about every year we re-evaluate everything, look at it and see what other communities are doing. We try to stay even with everyone else.”

Earlier in the meeting, Franceschina was honored with a certificate from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and a plaque from Adams Township, recognizing him for his 28 years on the planning board and 24 years as a supervisor.

“He will be greatly missed,” said Supervisor Russell Ford. “He has definitely been an asset to this township.”

Those attending the meeting were invited to enjoy cake and other refreshments in honor of Franceschina's time with the township.

“It's an honor to serve this township. I did it to the best of my abilities,” Franceschina said. “I couldn't have done it without the staff here and so many more people.”