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Middletown approves manager employment agreement and new fee schedule
Summary
The Board unanimously approved an employment agreement for Township Manager Eden Ratliff and adopted a revised 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 26‑8R) that raises select contractor and zoning hearing board fees and adds credit‑card processing charges; staff will monitor revenue impacts.
The Board voted unanimously to authorize an employment agreement for township manager Eden Ratliff. Supervisors thanked Ratliff for transparency during the recent budget process and for operational leadership since his hiring six months ago.
Immediately afterward, finance staff presented a department‑by‑department review of proposed 2026 fees. Key adjustments included a $20 increase to contractor licensing (from $130 to $150), additions of continuance/extension fees for zoning hearing board applications to address a prior shortfall (2025 revenue $46,000 vs. expenses $116,000), alignment of some fire and permit fees, and a discretionary credit‑card processing fee of up to 4% for online payments to better reflect increased processing costs. Staff said the zoning hearing board had a high number of continuances in 2025, which produced repeated advertising and legal costs.
Board members asked for monitoring and a first‑quarter check on whether the fee changes close the 2025 gap. The board adopted Resolution 26‑8R to approve the 2026 fee schedule effective 01/13/2026 by a 5–0 vote.
