LANCASTER TWP — Supervisors passed the township’s 2023 budget at a special meeting Monday, which features $1,571,283 in total expenditures and $1,607,629 in expected revenues.

Prior to the vote, people spoke during the public comment session of the meeting about their concerns with the proposed budget, specifically about the township’s categorization of line items and expenses.

Kelly Bender, of Lancaster Township, said she found some potential discrepancies in the expected revenues of the proposed budget by around $215,000. She said if this is a legitimate discrepancy, it gives her concerns about the future of the township’s cash reserves and revenues.

“I run a company, that’s a material difference,” Bender said. “I think that’s what some of us are looking at and saying this isn’t a small number — it’s actually to the township’s benefit.”

Supervisor Tim Zinkham asked if township administrators should review the budget numbers to make sure they are all correct before passing it.

Township solicitor Neva Stotler said Lancaster Township regulations allow for a certain number of errors, and the supervisors could correct it after approval.

“If there is an error, you follow the code, and the code will allow you to correct it,” she said. “There is no reason to not approve the budget. None. This is just a matter of reading the code.”

Passing the budget drew more concern from attendees of the meeting

Sandi Cox, who said she owns property in Lancaster Township, said she would like to see more transparency from township administrators, so she and other people could more easily gain to access the township’s financial records.

“If this information was online, I wouldn’t have to say, ‘I’d like to know what bills you paid, I’d like to know what you paid the solicitor,’” Cox said. “They’re not there for me to pull, so I have to do a right to know.”

Supervisor Vice Chairman Joe Plesniak reminded attendees that the township is audited each year. The supervisors also voted at the meeting to appoint Maher Duessel to perform the 2022 township audit.

“We do have professional auditing firm who comes in every year, Maher Duessel,” Plesniak said. “So there is an audit that does take place.”