By Monica Fragale

Contributing Writer

East Marlborough Township had no issues with its 2022 financial audit, according to an independent auditor’s report.

“We are here a little earlier than last year if that gives you an idea of how much better the audit went this year,” said Carl Hogan of BBD, the firm who has done the audits for the last two years, at the July supervisors meeting. “This is a clean audit report – no modifications, and no internal control issues.”

Hogan explained that the audit is a regulatory financial statement that examines the township’s financial health and its cash basis of accounting.

“You had a really good year – the revenues being more than anticipated,” he said. “You also had a good year related to expenditures.”

Last year was the first year that the township appointed Peter Barsz as the treasurer. Barsz is a CPA with Barsz, Gowie, Amon, and Fultz and has been providing financial consulting services to the township since 2021.

East Marlborough ended the year with $7.365 million in revenues and $6.035 million in expenditures. The township had a $1.329 million excess, according to the audit, which can be found at the township building.

In other business:

-- The supervisors unanimously approved a funding agreement to buy an agricultural conservation easement on 30.98 acres at 334 W. Street Road. It is a joint purchase between the township and the county, with East Marlborough paying $50,000 and the county paying $250,000 to the landowners.

The township’s share of funding was included in the 2023 open space budget.

“It’s very high visibility there and is currently a priority for the county,” said planning commission Chairman Cuyler Walker.

-- The supervisors approved a conditional use application to place a wireless telecommunications facility atop a water tank on Longwood Gardens property. There are 11 conditions that Cellco Partnership has to meet, including ensuring that the height of the water tank with the antennas on top doesn’t exceed 153 feet, and that a physical performance and inspection of the existing water tank is completed and receives engineering certification before any permits are issued.

The tank is at 77 Red Lion Row.

The initial conditional use hearing on the application began at the June 5 hearing and was continued until July 10 so that the board could, among other things, get the written recommendation from the planning commission and that Cellco Partnership could provide notice to the adjacent property owners.

The conditional use application was approved 5-0.

-- The supervisors met in executive session after the July 10 meeting to discuss legal and real estate matters.

-- The supervisors unanimously approved a $49,924.98 escrow release for Longwood Gardens Red Lion equipment/storage building. It is the final escrow release.