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NEWPORT TWP. — One local township that had a “rough year” has turned around to balance a budget and hold the line on taxes.

Commissioners for Newport Township passed their budget Monday, which keeps taxes at 2.2 mills for general fund and 0.12 mills for fire protection. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

When the commissioners hired Peter Wanchisen as township manager, the salary dropped almost $8,000. “Money was not a motive,” Wanchisen told the Times Leader in June. Former manager Richard Zika resigned in April amid an investigation into missing monies, for which police later charged Zika with theft.

Under Wanchisen’s leadership, the township also will save $38,000 annually by switching insurance carriers.

The $1.3 million budget shows an expected carry-over of $31,108 from 2016.

Also during the meeting, Solicitor Richard Shiptoski announced his resignation effective Jan. 1, 2017, citing a growing professional workload and the desire to dedicate more time to his family.

“Working for the township has left me with challenges and rewards,” Shiptoski said.

Shiptoski’s resignation marks three township employees who left during a turbulent year.

Besides Shiptoski, administrative assistant Kelli Valaitis quit after she “repeatedly” asked for the commissioners to bump her salaried hours to 40 hours as well as offer her benefits since her duties had increased following Zika’s resignation.

Valaitis was in the audience during the meeting at the municipal building and asked why the commissioners have decided to adopt a no-cash policy, also effective Jan. 1, 2017, when doing township business.

“For obvious reasons,” Wanchisen said, after Valaitis noted that she had requested that policy while she was in office. “We don’t want any cash into that office.”

As a result of this policy change Newport Township will no longer accept cash as a form of payment for refuse bills, police citations, fines, Right-to-Know request copy fees and payments for code violation or permits, Wanchisen noted.

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Commissioners also adopt no-cash policy for payments at offices

Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko.