ADAMS TWP — Taxes do not increase in the preliminary budget unanimously approved by the board of supervisors during a special meeting Tuesday evening.

The township's general fund budget includes total expenses of $7.795 million with total income at $6.779 million.

The general fund looks lopsided, but the expenses include interfund transfers, which is money that is carried over or accounted for. Taking assets into account, the budget is balanced at $6.779 million.

Supervisors approved plans to advertise for the public to view the budget in its current state as well as additional advertisement for a final budget meeting, expected to be Dec. 30.

“It looks like they're keeping the budget in line, and there are no major shortages,” said resident Ben Watson. “Overall, I'm pleased with what the township is doing.”

Watson said he was happy to hear how the supervisors' plans for the future also factored into the budget, including projects at the park.

Last year, the township began a capital reserve fund to help build savings toward projects rather than pay for them in one lump sum during a given year.

This year, the biggest savings came with $250,000 set aside for playground renovations and $100,000 set aside for a water playground.

“We're trying to say 'what projects do we have coming in two or three or four years?' so we start building up a little nest egg and it doesn't look so brutal,” said Supervisor Russell Ford.

Supervisors also added $400,000 to the reserve fund to go toward saving for acquiring the Waggle property on Hutchman Road that abuts the park boundary.

Ford said the $400,000 is a precaution in case their attempts to get grant funding for about that much falls through.

“The acquisition gross cost is $800,000,” Ford said. “Just to be safe, we wanted to be budgeted for it if we needed to close on it in 2020 and we didn't get the grant.”

Supervisors also noted that they did well maintaining roads this year without having to pave many roads, so they have additional funds set aside to stay on top of things in 2020.

Also during the meeting, Ford highlighted a dip in recreational fee income, which has been trending over the past couple of years.

The fee brought in more than $140,000 in 2016 and more than $150,000 in 2017 but has been steadily declining since. The anticipated income from the fee for 2020 is $50,000.

Supervisors asked Township Manager Gary Peaco to re-evaluate the township's fee based on an analysis of surrounding municipalities.

“It's looked at every so many years,” Peaco said. “It has progressed over the years in conjunction with everyone else.”