Bern supervisors decline to reopen budget for $5,799 payment to Reading to employ officer

The Township of Bern Board of Supervisors discussed but did not authorize reopening the payroll budget to pay $5,799.71 required by the City of Reading to employ Officer Andrew Condon.

Chief Wesley Waugh explained that because the township had budgeted salary at the rate for a Patrolman Class 1 for the position vacated by Angela Seiler, and Andrew Condon is a Patrolman Class 3, the township must pay $5,799.71 to the City of Reading for the classification difference. Waugh noted projected payroll savings across the remaining sixteen pay periods of $5,932.80, which he said would cover the payment amount.

Township Manager Brian Potts told the board that to make the payment the board would first need to reopen the budget and reallocate approximately $5,800 from the salary line since a payroll check could not be issued from that line item for this purpose. Supervisor Brian Eveland made a motion to reopen the budget; the motion received no second and died, leaving the payment unapproved at the meeting.