BY JESSICA STEELEY
Clarkston News Staff Writer

Budgets for Independence Television (ITV), Corridor Improvement Authority (CIA), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Safety Path CIP, Safety Path, Police, Fire CIP and Fire are all up for next year.
ITV revenues are projected to increase $2,734 or 1 percent, labor costs are projected to increase $2,023 or 3 percent, operating costs/capital outlay are projected to increase $5,761 or 2.6 percent and the township’s overall contribution to the fund balance will decrease by $5,050.
The CIA fund budget over the next three years is focused on paying back the county through the Tri-Party program, which will finish all payments related to the I-75/ Sashabaw/Waldon Road project. A total of $510,000 is budgeted to be paid back between 2018 to 2020. The remaining balance of $82,000 is projected to be paid off in 2021.
Revenues for the CDBG are projected at $114,403 – $89,922 for minor home repair, $7,350 for Clarkston Area Youth Assistance, $6,131 for senior services, and $11,000 for the senior center. In addition, $9,000 is projected for the Parks, Recreation and Seniors fund, making the total $123,403.
In 2018, the Safety Path CIP is estimated to use $213,000 – $13,000 for a riding mower and $200,000 for the Sashabaw Corridor Improvement Plan.
Safety Path revenues are projected to increase $25,404, or 3.8 percent; labor costs are projected to decrease $25,628, or 15.3 percent; operating/capital costs are projected to decrease $1,210,656 or 80.5 percent; and the township’s overall increase to fund balance is $252,410.
Police revenues are projected to increase $155,115, or 3.2 percent; labor costs are projected to increase $1,534, 2.2 percent; operating costs/capital outlay/operating transfers to increase $127,347, 2.7 percent; and the township’s overall increase to fund balance came in at $81,687, which is $26,234 more than 2017.
The Fire fund plans to spend $163,000 in 2018 – $30,000 for thermal imagers, $150,000 to update Fire Station #1 on Citation Drive, $5,000 for LED lighting at Fire Station #2 on Sashabaw Road, and $5,000 for LED lighting at Fire Station #3 on Maybee Road.
Fire revenues are projected to increase $128,451, or 2.2 percent; labor costs are projected to increase $298,026, 6.7 percent; operating/capital cost to decrease $45,038, or 5.1 percent; and operating transfers are projected to decrease $877,164, or 75.5 percent. The township’s budgeted contribution to fund balance is expected to be $12,215.
Independence Township Board reviewed the 2018 budgets at its Sept. 5 meeting. The projections for the budgets are based on comparisons from 2017.