BLACK LICK — Under cover of darkness, the Burrell Township board of supervisors on Wednesday agreed to advertise the township’s budget for 2025. It was nothing subversive. The supervisors literally conducted business in blacked-out Black Lick while Penelec crews scrambled to restore electric service to more than 760 customers in the Route 119 corridor.
The power went out about 6:15 p.m. as strong wind and rain pounded the county.
Chairman John Shields lit a small candle in a jar to illuminate his workspace in the meeting room. Sam Hilty fashioned a lantern from a bottle of water placed on top of a cellphone flashlight. Grant Reeger lit his cellphone light to read from the meeting agenda.
The township will make no changes to the tax rates: 1.02 mills on real estate for general operations, 0.27 mill to fund the Black Lick Volunteer Fire Department and 0.
078 mill for fire hydrant system maintenance. Street light assessments will stay at the rates set a year ago. The tentative spending plan, devised by the supervisors during four workshop sessions in late October, is fairly straightforward.
The township will carry over about $909,580 into the new year, raise $759,280 of revenue, pay $758,280 of expenses, and finish 2025 with $909,580 in the bank. The board will consider the budget with any proposed changes for final adoption Dec. 18.
In other business, the supervisors accepted Beth Branthoover’s resignation from the Burrell Township Library board of directors and appointed .