Hey all,

hope you’re having a good Thanksgiving holiday. We wanted to provide you with an update at the holidays to inform you of the latest developments. Also, we are still hard at work on the legal brief, which must be submitted next week. More updates on that at a later time.

• Township Manager Hunter Ahrens recently resigned following the decision of two out of three supervisors not to renew his contract for 2024. Instead, they have opted to reinstate the previous township manager on a part-time basis. This decision came to light during our investigation of warehouse developments in neighboring communities.
  
  We discovered a statement in Greenwich Township’s November 6, 2023 agenda indicating a “Motion to authorize the solicitor to prepare an intergovernmental agreement with Maidencreek Township to share administrative services.” We raised this issue during the November 8th Board of Supervisors meeting, where some of the supervisors were compelled to inform everyone in Hunter’s presence that he would not be rehired in 2024. This suggests that some form of communication had taken place between the two townships prior to the inclusion of this item on Greenwich Township’s agenda.
  
  We have consulted with our attorney to examine the possibility of a Sunshine Act violation, as this decision appears to have been made without proper public disclosure. While we have no particular preference regarding the township manager, we believe that Hunter Ahrens was one of the most transparent employees the township has ever had. We wish him well in his future endeavors.

• The township is considering constructing an additional exit road for the Ontelaunee Heights housing development in response to the recent accident on Route 222, which impeded access to schools and workplaces. The township would need to acquire the necessary land for the project. While the exact route of the road has not yet been determined by the township engineer, the estimated cost is $100,000. The initial plan is to limit the use of the road to emergencies.

• A recent decision by Berks County authorities has resulted in an 8.99% increase in county taxes. This means that the current mill rate of 0.0076 will rise to 0.0083. This development comes amid ongoing efforts to oppose the construction of a new warehouse along Route 222. While some proponents of the warehouse argue that it will generate much-needed tax revenue, others question the necessity of further tax increases given the growing number of warehouses in Berks County.

• Your Township taxes are set to increase significantly, as two out of three board members have proposed a motion to nearly double your current tax rate. This would result in an increase in the mill rate from 0.00135 to 0.00260. Additionally, there is a proposed increase in the tax to support the fire company from 0.0004 to 0.0010 mill. These increases do not include the annual $133.25 recycling and leaf pickup fee.
  
  Below is an example of what a homeowner with an assessed value of $118,400, which is the average for Maidencreek Township, will pay in 2024. You will have to add the $133.25 recycling fee to this number, which will give you a total of $559 just for Maidencreek Township and $5,579 total for everything. This assumes the school taxes will not be increased.

If you go to this website, you can put in your own assessed value and the millage numbers above to determine what you will be paying.  Then add $133.25 for your total.

If the warehouse is approved, the taxes collected on average per household would be $20 for Maidencreek, $200 for the Fleetwood School District, and $2 for Berks County. However, this does not guarantee a reduction in taxes, as Berks County has raised taxes even with the construction of new warehouses.

The public has 20 days to review the proposed budget and tax rates before the supervisors vote on its adoption at the meeting on December 14, 2023. We encourage you to express your views on this matter to the township supervisors.

• Your Township has adopted a bond ordinance. Two out of three supervisors voted to approve this ordinance, which authorizes the issuance of a $5 million bond to finance various projects within the township. It is important to note that the Maidencreek Water Authority is also securing a $5 million bond, for which the township would be liable in the event of a default. The interest payments on the township bond is expected to be $180,000 in 2024 and $240,000 in 2025. The “Proposed Bond Proceeds Use” document attached below outlines the intended allocation of these funds.

• As mentioned previously, the township is charging each household $133.25 for recycling services, which also includes leaf pickup. While the township is mandated by law to provide a recycling program, we believe the current fee is excessive. For comparison, Whitetail charges only $48 for recycling services, excluding leaf pickup. This significant difference in pricing raises concerns about the township’s justification for the high recycling fee.

We want to emphasize that the founders of “Save Maidencreek” are deeply concerned about the well-being of our community. We believe that there are concerning developments unfolding in our township, and that many residents are passively accepting the information presented on social media without conducting their own research. This lack of engagement has resulted in limited financial and public support for our cause. When we try to put facts out on social media we get removed or the topic is no longer permitted to be discussed. 

We fear that if we remain complacent, it will be too late to address these issues effectively. We, at “Save Maidencreek,” can confidently say that we have made every effort to bring these matters to light and encourage action.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

• Here is a link to our GoFundMe account or you can send a check, marked to “Save Maidencreek” to our PO Box address on our intro page.
• Join our FB group here for more updates

This fight is not over. And we are prepared to keep fighting for the future of our township, as it appears the warehouse is just one part of this battle.