The 2013 tax rate in Washington Township will be .3 mill. The revenue in the budget for 2013 is $1,474,518.

The change in the millage is due to the county reassessment and has to be revenue neutral. The budget was adopted.The Sanctuary at Haafsville submitted a contract to handle stray animals for 2013. Charges are $50 for a cat and $110 for a dog. There is an annual payment cap of $600 after which services are without charge. It was approved.Carl Breininger of Heidelberg Township asked whether Heidelberg could have brush recycling at Washington.The cost would be one-third of the total since Slatington is also bringing brush to Washington. Last year Heidelberg had not participated because they did not think enough people would come to Washington."The pile is large," said Secretary JoAnn Ahner. Last year the charge was $2,000 for grinding it up." She said a letter had been sent to Heidelberg in 2011 inviting them to participate in 2012..Solicitor John Ashley said if residents are interested it could be brought before the Heidelberg supervisors.Charles Perich asked for a copy of the letter. Ahner said he could pick it up the following day.Arnold Metzger said the county had told them they could use the county equipment after it (the county) quit chipping. Metzger heard it was sold to Emmaus but didn't know if that had happened. He said he hadn't known how much it would cost.Supervisor Josh Friebolin said Washington had been given the option to join a consortium, but chose not to. Each township would have been responsible for repairs on the equipment during the time they are using it, which could be very expensive.Resident Ed Ziegler said an unmaintained road between his property and the next is used by drug dealers. It is supposed to be a public road - a portion of East Grant Street. He would like to see it vacated.Parts were stolen from vehicles Ziegler had on his property. One-inch copper wire was dragged across the turnpike. Tires were dumped in the brush and marijuana is being raised."I will be carrying a gun," he said.Keith Kibler of the Emerald Fire Company asked if he can get keys for the gates in the rail trail, and said workman's compensation is a township responsibility for the fire companies. The key will be provided.A resident complained about the sight distance at Shady Nook Road and Route 873. His son was in a car accident there.Zoning officer Justin Yaich said the bushes are far enough back that they shouldn't affect sight. The owner of the property fought the township on removing the bushes five years ago. He said it met regulations.Friebolin said he would look into it.The minutes from November show that Mildred Kistler questioned the zoning for the William Schuck property which is across the street from her South Loop Road property. Yaich said she has been bringing it up for at least five years and he does not want to talk about it.After the December meeting she said she talked for 20 minutes and it was barely noted in the minutes of the meeting. The original zoning in 1987 permitted him to garage four dump trucks and do repair and maintenance work. It did not allow the tractor trailers that are there now.It included no work on Sunday and limited hours the rest of the week but that is being ignored. At various times the property has been zoned rural and commercial with different uses.When a house was torn down no accessory uses could be added to the property. Schuck hauls sludge and at those times the smell is "overpowering" said Kistler.A buffer of evergreens was required, some of which died or are partially dead. Equipment is in front of the buffer along the road. At various times she has spent money on lawyers, none of whom were much help.