Upper Milford supervisors adopted the 2017 budget, which includes no property tax increase at the Dec. 29, 2016 meeting. The tax rate holds at .171 mills.

The budget includes $50,000 for a grant to be distributed to the township’s two fire companies, but the vote on how that money is to be distributed was not unanimous. That grant had become contentious because members of the Citizens Fire Company of Vera Cruz had objected to the way the money was directed to be used.

So Township Manager Daniel DeLong suggested a resolution which would delete the requirement the fire companies use some of the money for vehicle rescue training and just leave $20,000 in the budget to be distributed at supervisors’ discretion.

Supervisor Daniel Mohr declared, “Frankly, I’m against the whole thing. Just trash it [the $50,000 grant] and give them the money if we want to.” His statement was greeted with applause from members of the Citizens Fire Company in the audience and the resolution passed, 2-1, with Mohr opposed.

On the other hand, in a letter to the board, the Upper Milford Western District Fire Company said it “agreed with all aspects of the grant proposal” and “applauded supervisors for taking this approach.”

In other business, supervisors received a request from Nikolas Naidu to withdraw land development and subdivision plans for Old Zionsville Village Center I and II, Schrieber Subdivision, Schrieber Circle Subdivision, Schrieber Court Subdivision and Schrieber Court Subdivision Phase II.

Instead, Naidu has submitted an application to include the 53 acres which those plans encompass into the agricultural security area.

Supervisors also approved two other requests for inclusion in the agricultural security area: one from Cletus and Carol Landis for properties at 6001 Vera Cruz Road and 6072 Vera Cruz Road totaling 26 acres; and one from Jane Fogle for 23 and one-half acres at 6071 Vera Cruz Road.

Supervisors also announced they had met in executive session 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 14, 2016 and 7 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29, 2016 for personnel issues.