TOWNSHIP OF ABINGTON BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

2024 MANAGEMENT TEAM

Richard J. Manfredi, Township Manager / Chief Executive/Administrative Officer

Tara Wehmeyer, Assistant Township Manager / Chief Human Resources Officer

Ashley McIlvaine, Assistant Township Manager / Deputy Chief Administrative Officer

Theresa Castorina, Administration and Grants Manager

Grace Sekelewski, Communications Manager

Timothy Clark, Director, Engineering

Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Director, Library Services and Special Assistant to the Township Manager for Public Affairs

Kimberly Hamm, Director, Community Development

Jeannette Hermann, Director, Finance

Michael Jones, Director, Public Works

Jessica Tholey, Director, Parks and Recreation

Thomas McAneney, Director, Fire and Emergency Services

Patrick Molloy, Chief of Police

Christopher Platz, Fire Marshal and Manager, Code Enforcement Division

George Wrigley, Director, Wastewater

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is the responsibility of the Township Manager to present the proposed annual budget for the next fiscal year (FY). The FY 2025 Preliminary Proposed Budget and public portal to the Township Budget was prepared by a dedicated management team including Jeannette Hermann, Finance Director, Monica Embery, Manager of Financial Services, Ashley McIlvaine, Assistant Township Manager/ Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and Grace Sekelewski, Communications Manager. We are committed to continually improving and integrating the electronic online budget book into our communication platforms and refining a document that is accurate, clear, transparent, and reflective of our commitment to fiscal responsibility and reporting that reflects a dedication to providing excellent service. 

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The Township's Strategic Planning process, including engaging citizens at eight (8) public meetings and the management team's commitment to engage in open dialogue and honest conversation, resulted in renewed mission, vision, and values and established the guiding principles for how we deliver quality services to the public. The mission, vision, and values provided below are the results of the strategic planning process and are stated as found in the recently adopted Strategic Plan.

MISSION

Abington Township’s dedicated team is committed to providing quality SERVICE to all within our community.

VISION

Abington is a vibrant, inclusive and welcoming community, supported by engaged and informed residents, a diverse local economy, and regional connections that make the Township an attractive destination for all to thrive.

VALUES

Sustainability

Excellence

Respect

Vision

Integrity

Commitment

Engagement

This Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Budget and accompanying message has been prepared and is presented as the spending plan for the Board of Commissioners consideration in accordance with the Code of Ordinance(s) of the Township of Abington and Laws of the Commonwealth; specifically, the First-Class Township Code and related laws, and reflects, as nearly as possible, the estimated revenues and expenditures for the Township. This FY 2025 Budget as presented is a balanced budget with general fund revenues and expenditures in balance.

The Township is within the timelines prescribed by the First-Class Township Code for budget adoption, as formal adoption of the FY 2025 Proposed Budget is tentatively scheduled for the public meeting on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, with final and official adoption of the FY 2025 Budget no later than December 31, 2024. The tentative date set for final adoption is Thursday, November 7, 2024. 

Respectfully submitted,

Richard J. Manfredi,

Township Manager

The Township continues to work to maintain a high level of service while evaluating performance outcomes, addressing the need for continuous improvement in service delivery and expanding communications, increasing efficiencies, and strategically planning for the future. Fiscal soundness, prioritizing expenditures, and continued emphasis on fees for services delivered that are cost driven and focused will continue in this budget. The Township is in a very strong financial position and a deliberate approach of continuous improvement and evaluation through the Strategic Plan process is critical to our future financial stability.

Fiscal Sustainability remains a constant in all things and will remain interwoven into the daily operations of the Township. In 2025, the Township will be fully operational with the OpenGov software suite including financials, reporting and transparency, budgeting and planning, and permitting and licenses modules. This has been a multi-year process and has brought increased efficiencies within our Finance, Human Resources,  and Permitting and Code offices, in addition to greater convenience and transparency to the public through our online budgeting and permit submissions. The Engineering Department will be restructured to return to a model that streamlines operations that work in unison. This return to a better alignment of operations and resources will ensure we can continue to provide the excellent services and infrastructure projects needed to sustain our community. We will continue to build out our geographic information systems (GIS) program to assist with asset management, monitoring of capital investment, reporting, and enhanced community engagement and transparency. The Township will also be seeking managed services for information technology to assist with monitoring and needed upgrades to our IT environment given the frequency of cyber-attacks on local governments and continued emphasis on cyber security world-wide.

Vibrant Public Spaces that make Abington a destination for residents and visitors is a top priority of this budget and investing time, talent, and fiscal resources in this goal is center stage. In 2024, the Township will complete playground upgrades at Roslyn, Rubicam and Ardsley Parks and enhancements to Briar Bush Nature Center that will make these areas more accessible to our residents and visitors. This reflects the Board of Commissioners prioritizing public spaces and dedicating funds to be used specifically for recommendations of the Recreation, Parks, and Open Space Plan. A Special Assistant for Public Affairs was established to better facilitate collaboration between the various Departments as it relates to community engagement and public events. This year the Township will hold its first Touch a Truck and Trunk or Treat event, a precursor to “Abington Day” a multi-location full day celebration highlighting the Township’s vibrant and abundant outdoor community spaces. Events will be held at five parks throughout the day and will have activities for residents of all ages. These events will be the first of many that highlight public spaces, resources, and assets of the Township and seek to build community through engagement, entertainment, and sense of place and pride for neighbors, friends, and visitors alike. The Township will also continue its efforts to expand past our physical buildings and into the community. Library and Community Development Pop-Ups at the Park, Police community outreach events such as Coffee with a Cop, Cookie with a Cop, Cookout with a Cop and Rit-a-Book Day have increased our reach and will continue to be supported through this budget.

Sustainable Infrastructure investments will continue in FY 2025 with stormwater infrastructure, roadway, and multi-modal improvements through the Engineering Department’s Construction Services Division, Public Works Division, and the acquisition of grants. The long-awaited United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) project in Grove and Roychester Parks, a $2.4 million dollar project, is expected to be complete in 2025, in addition to Phase 2 of the Ardsley Wildlife Sanctuary Project. In 2024, the Township obtained LEED Gold Certification, continued participation in the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Shared Energy Manager Program, was awarded $118,250 in Energy Efficiency Community Block Grant (EECBG) funding and has applied for additional grant funding leveraging the EECBG funding to begin the installation of electric vehicle charging stations throughout the Township and establish a pilot electric vehicle program for Township vehicles in 2025.  It also obtained a Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) grant to further the findings of the Master Bicycle Plan and Noble Study and address resident feedback on bicycle infrastructure in Abington. The Township will continue work on updating the Zoning Code and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) to encompass best practices and recommendations from our various planning efforts in 2023 and 2024. The budget includes the recommendations of the Environmental Advisory Council and Shade Tree Commission; $1.275 million in grant match funds that will enable the Township to make needed investments in stormwater, multimodal transportation, and traffic improvements; and $1.25 million dollars to continue our paving program, as prescribed in the Pavement (Roadway) Management Plan completed in 2023.

Economic Development will be critical to maintaining high quality services in a cost-effective manner for our community. A strong local economy will provide for a high quality of life for our residents and an increased tax base which will enable the Township to maintain and even expand services without relying on increasing property taxes. This budget acknowledges that efficiency in Township operations is good for business. We continue to work to streamline internal and external processes, such as permitting, service requests and responses, and access to information. We have sought to understand the costs of our services and future impact on fees so that we can ensure we are providing those services in the most efficient and cost-effective manner available providing stability in those services and taxes. This budget also includes start up funding for the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) which has been tasked with implementing the provisions of the Economic Redevelopment Study including the reimagining of some of our most critical commercial corridors, including the Willow Grove Mall Park and Keswick Village. Such operational efficiencies combined with the parallel work of the Economic Development Corporation will help stabilize and grow our tax base for years to come.

Excellent Public Services is a responsibility of each Department of the Township. We strive each and every day to meet and exceed the expectations of the public, our businesses and visitors. The quality of service we provide is a direct result of our employees. In 2024, human resources began an evaluation of all positions. The evaluation seeks to understand how job responsibilities and actual tasks align. Understanding how our staff and positions evolve provides an opportunity for improvements in operational efficiency, job satisfaction, personnel growth, and education. The outcome of this evaluation will be acted on throughout 2025 and will strengthen the work community here in Abington.

The Township will continue to prioritize ongoing dialogue and negotiations with the unions for predictable costs into the future. This budget continues the expansion of our geographic information systems (GIS) program; completion of our OpenGov software transition; integration of professional services to assist in critical matters such as information technology, land use, and grants; and an update to the Township’s website. I encourage you to read each Department’s budget narrative to learn about their plans for FY 2025, accomplishments of FY 2024, and activities.

Inclusive Community is not just a goal but a commitment to all residents that Abington celebrates and embraces our community and its differences. In 2025, Library Services will enhance it early childhood play center, create a teen space, and continue its robust programming and offerings; the Parks and Recreation Department will oversee the completion of the Inclusive Park and continue to offer and expand programming for all ages and abilities; and the Community Development Department will continue providing essential support and assistance for our most vulnerable populations through its collaboration with community partners to preserve affordable housing, home rehabilitation programs, and accessibility improvements. The Police Department will increase its sworn officers from 92 to 94 increasing its presence in the community and will continue to facilitate important services and programs such as their Neighbor Mediation Program, the Chief’s Advisory Council on Fair and Impartial Policing, and the Bridge Program amongst many others.

*Please note that the totals were updated on 9/30/2024 to reflect changes to Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB).

CHART BM1: FY 2025 MAJOR COST CENTERS

TABLE BM1: SUMMARY OF OPERATING AND CAPITAL FUNDS

The chief and base operating fund of the Township is the general fund, and its sources of revenue provide the financial resources for core services, including administration, police, public works, engineering, parks, library, and code inspection services and property maintenance. The general fund, in FY 2025, continues to be the primary method for accounting for general operating expenditures, with real property and business, mercantile and other Act 511 taxes continuing to represent sixty percent (76%) of the sources of revenue. The 2025 general fund property tax levy is projected to generate $17,181,618 in income, the earned income tax is projected to generate $10,750,000 in income, and the mercantile and business privilege taxes are projected to generate $7,500,000 in income. These stated income levels are greater than 2024 levels.

TABLE BM2: REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE RECAPITULATION

As aforementioned and depicted in the revenue and expenditure chart above, real estate taxes are the primary source of income that funds Township operations. The real estate values, millage rates, and revenues generated from those values and rates, as well as the cost to the typical Township property owner are depicted in the tables and charts below.

Chart BM 2 illustrates the actual dollars of the total tax bill that goes to the School District, The Township, Montgomery County and Montgomery County Community college.

TABLE BM3: THE VALUE OF ONE MILL

This preliminary proposed budget has at its foundation the guiding principle that the citizens, visitors and people who work in Abington Township will continue to receive the historically excellent level of police, fire and general services. The 2025 Township of Abington complement is 290 full-time employees. It is important to note that the two additional positions from the 2024 complement are new police officers. The Township will continue to utilize 253 part-time and per diem employees to deliver services. Recognizing and effectively managing the personal service costs of the people who are at the core of the services we provide is an obvious requirement in achieving fiscal sustainability. This proposed budget accomplishes this.

TABLE BM5: 2025 FULL TIME COMPLEMENT COMPARISON

Table of Contents

Strategic Plan

• Police
• Fire and Emergency Management Services
• Parks and Recreation
• Public Works
• Engineering
• Wastewater
• Library
• Community Development
• Finance
• Information Technology