RANSOM TWP. — At the May 7 Ransom Twp. board meeting, Richard Tenio mentioned in his letter of auditors that the Ransom Twp auditors conducted their first quarterly audit of township financial records at the municipal building April 19. He reported he audited the financial statements of the governmental and business-type activities for each major fund and the remaining fund information for the township and said the audit encompasses the first quarter of calendar year 2018 from January 1 through March 31.

“Our responsibility as the township auditor is to express opinions on these financial statements based on the material that we receive,” he said. “I conducted the audit in accordance with the auditing standards of the United States of America.

“When we’re all done, we have to provide you with an opinion,” he continued. “And, in my opinion, the financial statements referred to above represent fairly in all natural respects.”

Tenio mentioned a second quarter audit is scheduled for July 19 to audit the period from April 1 through June 30. He commended secretary/treasurer Jo Ann Pane, who was present at the audit, for providing all information and answering all questions. He also said it was Pane’s idea to do an audit every quarter of the year instead of doing one for the entire year.

“It went really smooth for the first time for all of us,” Tenio said.

Supervisor Dennis Macheska then read aloud the general fund total, which is $653,034.35. He announced the liquid fuels fund total, which is $1,572,180.23 ($322,180.23 and $1,250,000 in three-month term account). He also said recycling for April totaled 4.27 tons. This month’s recycling date will be May 25.

In other business, supervisor David Bird talked about attending a general session for the PSATS (PA State Association of Township Supervisors) Conference. He said there were people from the Senate and House of Representatives who explained each bill before voting on them.

“The big one was the e-cycling of TVs,” he said. “That’s a huge bill they are trying to push, so they’re basically asking the township officials to pass it on to the residents because if it (TV set) doesn’t keep moving in the house, it goes dead. So, they kind of encourage us to keep spreading the word to residents or whoever you can about this because it’s a huge problem we can all see because TVs are getting dumped along the road.”

Bird also said the conference was beneficial.

Also in the roadwork update, Bird mentioned Bald Mountain Road will be blacktopped in July and will be chip-sealed in August. He also mentioned a spring cleanup, which will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, May 11 and from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 1. He said the township’s new truck is currently at Powell’s Sales and Service and will have a new body, lights, and wires.

“We might have it by the end of the week,” he said.

The next township meeting will be Monday, June 4 at Mt. Dewey Community Hall.

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By Ben Freda

For Abington Journal

Reach the Abington Journal newsroom at 570-587-1148 or by email at news@theabingtonjournal.com.