South Whitehall commissioners have granted approval to a $90,145 capital improvements project at the Greenawalds Fire Company.

Bids were awarded to Mohawk Contracting and Development, Zionsville, during the board’s Dec. 5 meeting.

Work includes construction of a new mezzanine for additional storage needs; repairs to the existing and deteriorating floor drain system; construction of interior partitions for storage of maintenance equipment, tools, and materials; painting of interior walls; and installation of partitions for enclosure of the air cylinder fill station.

Chief Andrew Garger noted the Greenawalds Fire Department did not make any capital improvement purchases in 2016 or 2017 and rolled over $110,000 from those years into the 2018 budget.

In other business, township Manager Renee Bickel reported the fire panel and smoke detector in the administration building need to be replaced.

“Our panels are outdated and obsolete,” Bickel said. “The cost would be about $33,000.

“The equipment can be used in the future if the building is renovated.”

The millage rate for the fire tax in the 2019 budget is 0.47.

Director of Finance Brooke Neve reports the tax will bring in approximately $1,251,010 in revenue which will be used to sustain the volunteer fire stations.

She said the fire fund has an opening balance of $298,044. Estimated expenditures are $953,785, leaving a projected balance of $595,269.

“The majority of this reserve, $531,500, is for the future expenses replacing fire apparatus,” Neve said, adding that $50,000 will be used to establish a Fire Fund Fiscal Stability Account.

Commissioners approved the 2019 schedule for township meetings.

Bickel said if a meeting is canceled due to inclement weather or other reasons, it will be postponed to the next evening, unless posted otherwise on the township website.