As called out in 1933 Act 69 Section 901 (a), the Lower Nazareth Board of Auditors met at the municipal building on January 3, 2018. A PDF of the minutes is here, and the meeting minutes are listed below as the auditor reorganization meeting minutes are not available at the township website. After the Chairman and Secretary were appointed, we discussed the compensation for township supervisors when and if they are employed as township employees as per Section 606 (a) which reads:
“The compensation of supervisors, when employed as roadmasters, laborers, secretary, treasurer, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer or in any employe capacity not otherwise prohibited by this or any other act, shall be determined by the board of auditors, at an hourly, daily, weekly, semi-monthly or monthly basis, which shall be comparable to compensation paid in the locality for similar services.”
In 2017, this rate was established to be $23.18 per hour. I inquired as to the current hourly rate paid to roadmasters and laborers. The township secretary, Tammi Dravetz, responded that their pay ranged from $22 to $29 per hour. As I did not think a lower rate would be palatable to the other auditors, I made the motion to drop the pay to $20.00 per hour for supervisors when employed by the township as an employee as this seems reasonable and “comparable to compensation paid in the locality for similar services.” My motion was not seconded and failed. The other auditors made a motion to set the rate at $23.18. I voted against but was defeated 2-1.
One topic of slight interest was that the township offered each auditor a $20 payment for attending the meeting. As there is no mention of payment per meeting either mentioned or allowed in the second class township code, I declined payment, especially as the meeting only took 13 minutes from start-to-finish. I believe one or both of the other auditors may have declined payment as well. In the only other second class township in Pennsylvania where I know the auditor, the auditors there are not paid for attending meetings.
After the meeting adjourned, I politely inquired of the township secretary when I could look at the township’s financial records on my own time at no cost to the township to acquaint myself with the township finances and spending. I was informed that I must file Right-To-Know requests in order to view any documents. This is very restrictive as the township can delay answering a RTK request for weeks, and then require a new RTK for any other documentation not listed in the original RTK request. This topic is still under discussion with the township and may be the subject of a future post.
Below is the text of the minutes. Link to PDF -> 2018 0103 Auditor Reorganization Meeting Minutes
LOWER NAZARETH TOWNSHIP BOARD OF AUDITORS REORGANIZATION MEETING JANUARY 3, 2018 The Board of Auditors held a duly advertised reorganization meeting in the Township Municipal Building on Wednesday, January 3, 2018. Present were: Marc Suhr - Auditor Tammi Dravecz – Secretary, Board of Supervisors Jake Towne - Auditor Regis Flaherty - Auditor The meeting was called to order by Mr. Suhr at 7:45 am. Mr. Flaherty made a motion to appoint Mr. Suhr as Chairman. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Towne made a motion to appoint Mr. Flaherty as Secretary. The motion carried unanimously. Motion by Mr. Towne to set the hourly rate for Supervisors working on the roads at $20.00. The motion was not seconded. Motion by Mr. Flaherty and seconded by Mr. Suhr to set the hourly rate for Supervisors working on the roads at $23.18. Flaherty and Suhr voted in favor. Towne was against. Motion carried 2-1. Motion by Mr. Towne and seconded by Mr. Flaherty to approve the minutes from the 2018 reorganization meeting. The vote carried unanimously. Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:57 am. by Mr. Suhr, seconded by Mr. Towne. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Tammi Dravetz (signed) Secretary Lower Nazareth Township Board of Auditors
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