On Monday, Bradford Township Supervisors Jim Erwin, Steve Mascho and Gayle Bauer –– who attended via phone –– were met inside the township’s municipal building by their constituents, eagerly awaiting to see the passing of the 2019 budget and whether or not Bradford Township taxpayers would see their wallets shrinking.

The supervisors approved a motion to enact local taxes –– earned income tax, local service tax and per capita tax –– for 2019 with no tax increases by a vote of 3-0.

A motion to levy taxation of real estate property at 4 mills with no property tax increase was also approved by the supervisors with Erwin and Mascho voting in favor and Bauer voting against the motion. Bauer said the reason she voted against the motion was because “every fiscal year it’s impossible to keep up with at least inflation,” and said she believed the township should raise taxes.

“We’re the lowest in the valley and there’s a reason for that,” she said.

Mascho replied to her comments by saying there would be no reason for a tax increase if the township were more responsible with its spending.

Shortly after, a motion was made to approve and accept a four-year agreement between the township and Teamsters Local Union 101, representing the road crew and garbage men. The supervisors were questioned about who negotiated the agreement, to which Erwin replied that he did so by himself. Mascho then explained the process of forming a contract, saying that one person meets with a representative and then returns back to the other supervisors with the information and they go over it line-for-line.

“Lately I guess we’ve decided that we no longer have to do that and we leave it for one person to go ahead and make all the decisions,” Mascho said.

Erwin said there was a copy of the information waiting for Mascho on his desk, but Mascho alleged he never received any physical papers nor emails with information for the agreement. He said Susan Gibiser, the township’s secretary/treasurer, called him Monday afternoon and said the contract was there if he wanted to look at it.

When she was questioned about the situation, Bauer said she received information via email about the contract and “what was going on,” but said that Erwin had negotiated the contract by himself. Bauer said Erwin handled the agreement while she handled the police contract.

Dean Woodring, one of those in attendance stood up and said to the supervisors, “This is the third meeting I’ve come down to, and some of you people are lying about each other, and I know Steve is not a liar.” Erwin satirically replied with, “Then it must be me.” “It is you, Jim,” Woodring added.

The supervisors proceeded to vote on the motion with Erwin and Bauer voting in favor and Mascho voting against. Woodring got one last word in –– saying, “You’re overruled again, Steve. I can’t take this (expletive) from you people anymore,” and leaving the meeting.

During public participation, a resident located on Interstate Parkway pleaded her case to the supervisors and said she has been having to pay for two EDU units on her sewer bill because her complete basement has a sink –– according to the supervisors, a sink and a stove is considered one EDU. The resident alleged that an inspector told her the house only has one EDU, and said she only uses the basement for storage space.

After a long debate involving nearly everybody in the room, the resident and supervisors reached a resolution and Erwin assured that he would address the matter.

With that, after a long and tumultuous 50 minutes, the meeting was adjourned.

After the meeting, Mascho spoke told The Era that he wanted to clarify his stance on the four-year non-uniform agreement.

“I never got a copy of that until late this afternoon,” he said. “We never used to do that in the past. We used to all go over things line-for-line and go from there.”

He explained that he wants to look out for the people of Bradford Township and save money when possible to avoid any tax increases.

“I have no agenda or anything else other than to help the people of this township,” Mascho said. “If you look at my past, I’ve gone and helped people for nothing. I’ve gone and helped them haul gravel, and helped them out with anything they need. That’s just how I am.”

The supervisors approved the setting of the next supervisors meeting for 7 p.m. on Jan. 7.