By a unanimous vote, the supervisors gave their approval to the township’s 2026 budget, which estimates $14,635,490.37 in expenditures for the new year, with $9.1 million designated to its general fund; $2.09 million targeted to its capital fund; and $2.94 targeted to its airport fund. In total, the figure represents a $1.2 million increase from 2025.

On the flip side of the accounting ledger, total estimated revenue for 2026 will be $15,079,355.46, and increase of $1.8 million from 2025.

The steps to approving the 2026 budget began on Aug. 25, when township Manager Christopher Himes gave a State of the Township public presentation that took a deep dive into the township’s financial picture – one that folds in the costs involved with its large-scale projects including New Garden Hills and the Smedley Preserve as well as public safety and the necessary maintenance of its roads and infrastructure. After a Sept. 8 meeting that delivered a five-year forecast in spending, the board discussed its general fund portfolio on Sept. 29 and Oct. 6 that explored budgets for public safety, community development, parks and recreation, open space, fire, sewer and public works, as well as the New Garden Flying Field.

After a follow-up presentation by Himes on Oct. 14, the board gave preliminary approval to the 2026 budget on Oct. 20.

In other township business, Ray Jackson, managing partner of Stonewall Capital, LLC, returned to the Township Building for the fourth time to give the supervisors an update on the progress the company has been making in the planning of its proposed White Clay Point, a 220-acre transformative mixed-use development project that is bordered to the north by Sheehan and Sharp roads, by Sunny Dell Road to the west; by Reynolds Road to the south; and the area immediately to the west of Route 7.

Jackson said that the company became the title owner of the property one week ago and in doing so, Stonewall was able to reach an agreement with AQUA Pennsylvania for the contractual obligations necessary to provide water and sewer to the proposed development.

“The benefit of the agreement will not only give capacity to White Clay Point, but we negotiated additional capacity for the township,” said Jackson, who added that he and Himes have scheduled an upcoming meeting with AQUA to begin an alliance between the township, Stonewall Capital and the water company. In addition, Jackson said that the company will schedule quarterly meetings with the Somerset Lake community to address their concerns about the proposed development which, if built, will border the development; and hat the company recently met with the New Garden Township Historical Commission to discuss the company’s commitment to restore the historic Rowan House on Sunny Dell Road a total estimated cost of $1.08 million, and the stabilization of the historic barn on Sheehan Road as a potential site for a farmer’s market and public venue, at an estimated cost of  $1.7 million.

Jackson said that Stonewall Capital plans to submit updated plans for the proposed development to the township’s Planning Commission in February of 2026, in preparation for a presentation to the Commission in March. He added that the company continues to have conversations with potential retail partners.

The proposed development will consist of 263 single family detached homes; 90 20-foot-wide townhomes; 200 24-foot-wide townhomes; and 112 stacked townhomes – all at a per unit price tag estimated to be between $300,000 and $900,000.

The proposal also calls for the creation of a walkable street grid that connects homes, civic spaces and park land; and 75,000 square feet of commercial space that is projected to have one grocery store, proposed to be between 20,000 and 30,000 square feet; four retail units; and a Wawa convenience store.

For an up-to-date status of the proposed development, visit www.whiteclaypoint-pa.com.

The board approved the pursuit of Orphan Court and/or county or commonwealth approval for the sale of certain parcels and assets located in New Garden Hills.

The approval of this measure opens the township to further implement its $5.1 master plan for the 147-acre property by showcasing several non-protected impervious and outdated structures in the park to be included in the court review process: the pool, the amphitheatre, a parking lot, the farmhouse, a garage on Limestone Road, and a building that had previously been used for scouting groups.

In his presentation, Himes said that while the structures were not included in the revised master plan, they can figure heavily in the projected and continuing design of the park through partnerships with outside business owners who have the financial capacity to convert these structures into future park assets such as a beer garden, small market and food spaces, and spaces for outdoor programming that can be the future site of festivals and art shows.

“There is no management plan to keep up with the depreciation of these assets, so if we don’t continue to invest in them, they will continue to deteriorate, and some of them already have,” Himes said. “If you’re going to have active walking space around these assets, people will be walking adjacent to these crumbling structures. If you have this roll-out vision of a plan that asks visitors to enjoy nature and within it you have these almost apocalyptic set of structures, it doesn’t create a family environment.

“We want to make the plan safe and clean, and the only way we can do that is to seek active use of these properties within the property.”

The topic of selling these assets in New Garden Hills will continue to be discussed at future board meetings.