Frequently Asked Questions:

Q.  What is the Townships fiscal year?
A.  The Townships fiscal year runs from July 1st through June 30th.

Q.  How long will it take to receive a refund of a deposit, bond or amount owed from the Township?
A.  The Township processes bills in conjunction with the Township Board meetings held the second and forth Wednesday of each month.  You can expect to have a refund check approved and released on the Friday following the meeting (provided your amount owed has been placed in the bill-run).

Q.  How can I be assured that my tax dollars are being utilized properly?
A.  The best assurance the resident can receive is that the Township financial activities are audited annually.   The audit is conducted in accordance with Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States.  Audit results are forwarded to the State Treasurer’s office no later than December 30th of the following fiscal year. Copies are made available in the Township Clerks office upon request.

Q.  Why doesn’t the Township utilize funds in reserve in the Water Department or Fire Department to pay for other services and reduce my tax rate?
A.  Municipalities are restricted to utilize its funding resources based on the funds for which they are collected.   We account for funds collected separately using the fund accounting method.  With the exception of some usage by the general fund, all other funds must remain independent of one another.  For instance, if money is collected for use in the Fire Department and they do not use all the money in that fiscal year, the Township cannot use the reserve to hire a police officer or build a playground.  Any excess of funds that are collected go into what is called a fund balance.  A separate fund balance is kept for each fund and is reflected in the Townships audit reports. Townships are restricted to utilize fund balances to try to enhance services in the future for the function it was originally collected for.

Q.  How and when can I get the Township budget report?
A.  The Township budget process begins with submission of preliminary budgets from Department Heads to the Township Supervisor each year.  They are then under the Supervisor's discretion and a proposed budget is presented to the Township Board Members.  The budget must then be adopted at a public meeting held prior to July 1st each year.  Copies are made available in the Clerks office upon completion.