Salem Township approves $202,821.61 in expenditures as resident raises inspection-fee discrepancy

Salem Township supervisors unanimously approved the township's monthly expenditures totaling $202,821.61 at their Jan. 21 meeting, but a resident raised questions about inspection-fee accounting.

The board voted 3–0 to approve the listed disbursements — General Fund $125,327.19; Payroll Fund $71,562.38; Fire Protection $3,301.00; Sewage $630.00; Liquid Fuels $370.55; Machinery $1,133.07; Street Lights $497.42 — after routine motion and second by supervisors Bob Zundel and Todd Paulich, with Kerry Jobe joining the vote.

Resident Connie Mattei said she reviewed building permits on a Jobe Inspection Services invoice and found the totals did not include the $25 occupancy-permit fee and that the invoice included fees (certificate of occupancy/completion) not listed on the Jobe Inspection Services fee schedule adopted Jan. 5, 2026. "The total consistently does not include the occupancy permit fee of $25," Mattei said. Solicitor Falco Muscante responded that because the invoice amount was less than the bill sheet total, it could be approved as submitted and that the township — not the applicant — had been billed for the occupancy permit; the applicant will need to be billed separately.

Resident Tom Ridella asked for clearer accounting on SALDO receipts and expenses and requested that elected auditors coordinate with the township's CPA during the audit. Eric Hageder said municipal operations carry overhead and asked whether Solicitor Falatovich had submitted a final invoice; the board confirmed that Falatovich's invoice was final.

The motion to approve expenditures passed unanimously. The supervisors did not direct additional action at the meeting beyond the solicitor's statement that applicants should be billed for missing occupancy fees.