As one of the targets of (a recent) chicken little article about the Cranberry Twp. budget, I need to give you, the folks from Cranberry some facts.

1. The township has three main fund categories; general, water, and sewer. The General pays to maintain the roads, parks, administration, etc. and has an average of $1.55 million in expenses per year.

2. The taxes collected from you to pay the bills for General expenses over the last 4 years averaged $1.92 million per year. The township is on track as of Nov. 30 to be over $2.0 million in 2019. This averages $350,000 more than is needed!

3. This fund is supported by a capital/operating Reserve or township savings account of $4.8 million. This is only for the general account. Funds collected that are over expenses go into this reserve. The water and sewer accounts have their own reserves of millions.

Having this information in hand, would you call someone a “villainizer” if they ask the question, “Doesn’t Cranberry have enough of their citizens money?” That is all a few of us brave souls, “villain accusers”, are asking. Are you an excellent manager if you over tax citizens and have healthy bank accounts.

We do have areas in the township that are sadly in need of funds like the so called Industrial Park that has gravel roads and is as attractive as a junk yard, and how about helping those folks on Riverside Drive that endure flooding because of streamed neglect and lack of water retention, then there’s the Cranberry mall that is dying but is a real asset to the community, or how about an assisted living home that was promised but is currently going nowhere, then there is our bridge in Van that has been closed since the summer flood, and lastly the pile of cars along 322. These are projects that are listed or support areas of concern in the Township Comp. Plan.

(A recent) article talked about a need for “lots of money for big projects.” We all know that a brand new township facility is this big project. I believe this to be a want, not a need. I hear the citizens asking for better support for the library, a recycle center, bike and walking trails, and lower taxes but are told these crumbs are too expensive?

The budget is currently available for comment at the township. If you have a buck, you can get a copy. It won’t tell you much because it’s written to keep you in the dark about items like fund reserves.

If you are as concerned about this as I am, the next Township meeting is (December 26 at 10:30 a.m.) Come join the rest of us “villianizers” and politely ask for a change in township priorities. After all its’ your money.

You folks on the sewer system better watch out. You are being set up to fund a new 20 million dollar plant. This is an unneeded investment that will be funded by both Oil City, Cornplanter and Cranberry. This is called “POOR LEADERSHIP” by Cranberry, Cornplanter and Oil City. What else could our communities do with that “pile of money”?

Jerry Brosius, Cranberry Township Supervisor

Submitted by Jerry Brosius

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of exploreVenango.com.

To submit a letter to the editor, email news@exploreVenango.com.