Washington Township Council narrows 2025 budget line items, tables vendor contract review

Washington Township Council held a special public meeting on Feb. 24 to review the draft 2025 municipal budget line-by-line and approved the bulk of the recommended amounts while voting targeted reductions and tabling a financial-services contract for later review.

The council front-loaded line items for administration, the township clerk and finance, and proceeded page by page through departmental expense lines. The council approved several recommended contract amounts and made discrete cuts to office-supply, travel and promotional lines, and agreed to further review a proposed increase in outside financial services fees.

Why it matters: The meeting set granular spending limits for the township’s operating budget ahead of later steps (salaries and capital were deferred). Council decisions on small line items—advertising, training, software, outside consulting—affect how departments manage routine work and whether the township will seek outside expertise for audits, bond work and financial consulting.

The council began the session with standard notice and roll call and then opened the public comment period briefly before moving to budget deliberations. Administrator Mark DeCarlo guided the page-by-page review and explained contract lines and program requests; the council repeatedly asked for trend data and justification for increases.

Most votes were done by roll call. On routine items the council accepted recommendations; on others members moved reductions, discussed operational impacts and then voted. Several actions that reduced recommended amounts were supported as a means to build modest “cushions” elsewhere in the draft budget.

Key votes and changes "Votes at a glance" - Admin office supplies (account 50120100210): reduced from $2,700 to $2,500. Mover: Councilman Cascio; second: Councilman Sears. Vote: Cascio, Sears, Ullman, Velez and Council President — yes (5-0). Note: motion recorded during discussion of page 1 administration lines. - Admin travel/mileage stipend (account 50120100280): reduced from $650 to $550. Mover: Councilman Cascio; second: Councilman Sears. Vote: Cascio, Sears, Ullman, Velez and Council President — yes (5-0). - Mayor trophies (account 50120110790): reduced from $700 to $500 after noting prior-year spend of $183. Motion seconded; roll call recorded as yes across council (passed). - Township council dues & conferences (account 50120111250): reduced from $3,500 to $3,000 (motion and roll call passed). - Township clerk office supplies (account 5012012710): reduced from $1,700 to $1,500. Roll call: Casio (yes), Sears (no), Ullman (yes), Velez (no), Council President (yes). Outcome: passed 3-2. - Township clerk mileage stipend (account 50120120280): lowered to $550 (vote passed 4-1; Sears opposed). - Finance — furniture & equipment (account 50120130302): reduced from $200 to $100 (motion and roll call passed). - Finance — training (account 50120130370): reduced from $650 to $550 after council discussion about needed certifications; motion passed by roll call. - Tax assessor — appraisal services (account 50120150460): reduced by $2,000 (from $10,000 to $8,000) after discussion about appeals and new-construction timing; motion passed by roll call. - Tax map revisions (special/emergency, account 501201532200): reduced by 10% (motion passed as council noted master-plan timing could affect whether new maps are needed this budget year). - Several line items (e.g., copy machine, postage, subscriptions) were left at recommended amounts after staff explained multi-year or contractual reasons. - Financial services / consultant fees (account 50120132200): council directed administration to provide the vendor contract and related detail and tabled further action on that line pending review. Administrator said the increase reflected additional services expected this year (annual financial statement, debt statements, LOSAP, budget and consulting). The item was not changed during the meeting.

What council members pressed on - Council members repeatedly asked for trend data and whether requested increases could be absorbed by department fees or permit revenue. - Councilwoman Velez urged maintaining some training funding, saying it “gives us professional growth and helps us answer the questions that the council asks of us.” - Administrator DeCarlo defended several recurring or contractual lines, including software licenses, WCTV server costs and an enterprise vehicle-maintenance program, saying it would “allow us to track” preventive maintenance and fleet aging across DPW, fire and police.

Operational and procedural outcomes - Salaries and capital were deferred to a later discussion at the council’s request; the council proceeded through other operating lines tonight. - The council repeatedly left modest “cushion” amounts in certain lines (for example, trophies/plaques) while trimming other discretionary categories. - The larger financial-services increase was punted to a follow-up with the contract provided for review; the council asked the administration to obtain competing rates so members could compare.

What’s next - The council will return to salaries and capital in a future meeting and expects administration to provide the contract and itemized invoices supporting the financial-services increase before any further vote on that line. The budget review will continue in subsequent sessions with the aim of finalizing the 2025 operating appropriation.