Forks Township board confirms manager at $137,000, appoints solicitors and consultants, and sets 2026 tax and fee schedule

At its Jan. 5 reorganizational meeting, the Forks Township Board of Supervisors appointed Donna M. Asure as Township Manager with a salary of $137,000 and approved an employment agreement through Jan. 4, 2027. The manager's appointment and the employment agreement were confirmed by motion to be memorialized in Resolution 2026-01-05-02.

The board named Broughal & DeVito as township solicitor for business, labor and planning at a rate of $185 per hour and appointed David Backenstoe, Esq., as conflict counsel at $185 per hour. Gilmore & Associates was appointed township engineer and as Sewage Enforcement Officer at rates per the firm's fee schedule. The board also appointed SFM Consulting LLC and Keycodes as third-party commercial and residential inspectors and designated Jayson Mitch as Assistant Zoning Officer. Shawn McGlynn was appointed Flood Plain Administrator and confirmed as Building Codes Official and Zoning Officer (Resolution 2026-01-05-03).

Financial and administrative actions included designating Unity Bank and PLGIT as township depositories (Resolution 2026-01-05-06), approving five supervisor signatories on township accounts with two-signature checks (Resolution 2026-01-05-07), and appointing Keystone Collections Group as the earned income, local services and business privilege tax collector (Resolution 2026-01-05-08). The board set 2026 Act 511 tax rates as follows: Real Estate Transfer Tax 1%; Earned Income Tax 1%; Local Services Tax $52; and mercantile mills at 1.5 mills for performance of services, 1 mill for wholesale sales, and 1.5 mills for retail sales. The board adopted the 2026 Forks Township Fee Schedule (Resolution 2026-01-05-10) and set trash and recycling fees at $87.50 quarterly ($350 annually) and sewer use charges at a $40 base plus $6 per additional unit (Resolution 2026-01-07-11).

The board also approved routine administrative policies: appointing the township manager as Chief Administrative Officer for township pension plans (Resolution 2026-01-05-12); adopting a policy to annually review security held for land-development projects (Resolution 2026-01-05-13); and setting the IRS mileage reimbursement rate at 72.5 cents per mile for 2026. The board authorized payment of routine bills to avoid late fees with ratification at the next meeting.

These motions were carried by roll-call where recorded or by unanimous voice vote as noted in the meeting minutes. Several of the actions will be confirmed by listed resolutions.