SPRINGFIELD — Not much changed at the Springfield Township reorganization meeting Jan. 2, however, the Township Council is keeping busy pursuing its goals for 2013.
Mayor Denis McDaniel said one of the goals for the township this year is maintaining a steady course, which shouldn’t be too hard since there have been no changes in township personnel.
”Our biggest challenge is going to be the budget,” the mayor said. “Due to the fact that our tax collection rate in 2012 was down, by law, we will have to appropriate more funds into our reserves. This means we will need more revenue and, very likely, have to make some cuts somewhere. All areas will have to be looked at. Nothing is sacred.”
The township council members are Mayor McDaniel and councilmen David Frank, John Hlubik and Anthony Marinello and Deputy Mayor Peter Sobotka.
The mayor also said the township needs to do some roadwork and will need to borrow money in order to do so, and that is under way.
”Road projects have been deferred for too long, and we need to catch up on some of these projects,” he said.
In November, the township authorized a $4 million bond for fire apparatus and road repairs.
He said the township also needs to do a reappraisal of all the properties in town due to market conditions and state requirements.
”Locally, property values can be decreased through a process, but can’t be increased in value through the same process,” Mayor McDaniel said. “So when the market comes back, there’s no way to equalize neighbor’s properties.”
He added, “It seems like every year, there’s a struggle with the finances, but that’s the nature of the economy these days.”
Springfield Township has the council manager form of government established through the Faulkner Act. Township Manager Paul Keller reports for and to the council and all other township subcommittees and departments, and there are no official liaison positions on the council.
”We do not appoint official liaisons to anything, but as council members, we have particular interests that we keep an eye on,” Mr. Frank said.
Mr. McDaniel and Mr. Sobotka have held their respective mayor and deputy mayor positions for four years. Mr. McDaniel was unanimously re-elected by the council to another two-year term as mayor at the township’s reorganization meeting Jan. 2 while Mr. Hlubik and Mr. Frank ran unopposed in November’s elections. It was the first uncontested election in Springfield in 14 years, Mr. Frank said.
Mr. Frank said the council needs to control costs, which he believes it has done an excellent job on.
”I’m excited that, this year, we’re going to be doing a significant amount of work on roads, repairing and working to getting new firetrucks,” he said.
”Due to the economy, the land use issues that were really at the fore of our township concerns in the early 2000s are quiet at the moment. That doesn’t mean we can take our eye off that ball,” Mr. Frank said, adding the township has a few promising affordable housing projects in the works and has successfully conveyed to developers the council’s interests to keep Springfield a rural community.
The Springfield Township Council meets the first Thursday and second Wednesday of the month in the municipal building at 7:30 p.m.
The Planning Board meets the first and third Tuesday of the month; and the Zoning Board meets the third Monday of the month. Both boards meet at 7:30 p.m.
The Recreation Committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

