STONINGTON - The end of Wednesday night's meeting of Shamokin Township supervisors turned into a tribute to an outgoing board member.
The session marked the last meeting for board chairman Tom Carl, who will complete his second six-year term on the board. He first served as a supervisor from 1997 to 2003, then took four off, before coming back on for another six-year term in 2007.
Supervisor Greg Rachau presented a special resolution from the supervisors to the outgoing supervisor.
"Thomas Carl has unselfishly served on the Board of Supervisors of Shamokin Township," Rachau read. "During his years of service, he has given a tremendous amount of time to serving the Township, and has been an active and effective Supervisor."
Rachau said Carl has always done what he felt was best for Shamokin Township, and furthered township concerns on state and county levels.
Carl thanked his fellow supervisors, Rachau and John Klinger, and many of the township workers he has worked with in the past.
"It has been a honor and privilege working with all of you, and I think we have all worked together well and I feel confident that we all made the township a little better."
Carl did say he would be available for help in the future, but not to call him too soon, he joked.
He also gave some advice to the incoming supervisor, Paul Rapp, who will join the board in January.
"I wish you luck Paul, but you will be fine," Carl said. "You are working with two gentlemen here, so just burn the midnight oil to start with to get up to speed, and remember that we are all citizens of Shamokin Township."
The other news of note from Wednesday's meeting is that the township's 2014 budget was passed and balanced at $597,010 with no tax increases.
The budget is as follows:
Revenue - Real estate taxes, $112,600; Act 511 (per capita) taxes, $7,000; Other 511 taxes (realty transfer, earned income, business privilege, and local services), $249,000; other revenues $28,410; cash balance carryover, $200,000; total, $597,010.
Expenditures - General government, $71,425; public safety, $11,300; health, $120; highways and roads, $449,765; recreation, $1,500; miscellaneous, $62,900; total, $597,010.
Liquid fuels - Revenue, $133,408.71; cash balance carryover, $115,750; total, $249,158.71. Expenditures for highways and roads, $249,158.71.
The board also voted 3-0 to allow the Northumberland County Tax Claims Bureau to sell four properties in the township at a repository sale, and to refund approximate $2,100 to Paul Shingara that has been placed in escrow for fire cleanup.