Matt Dunithan, center, president of the Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board, makes a point whlie Joe Cazier, left, Turkey Creek Township Trustee, and Dennis Darr, advisory board member, listen. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.

By LAUREN ZEUGNER
InkFreeNews

GOSHEN — Two audits show where the numbers the Turkey Creek Township Trustee’s Office reports and what is actually in the bank don’t match was the topic of discussion for the Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board Monday night, July 14.

On the plus side, the audits have shown what is in the bank is more. Joe Cazier, Turkey Creek Township trustee, believes an accounting error was made sometime before he came into office. He sought advice on how to fix the situation without having to do a multi-year audit to find the mistake.

Steve Snyder, township attorney, suggested asking the Department of Local Government Finance to set the current numbers so they match the bank and move forward from there.

Cazier told the board when he came into office, there were six accounts on the books. He’s compiled them so now there are three, but DLGF has advised township trustees they should have just one account. In order to do that, Cazier will have to incorporate the Turkey Creek Fire Territory’s operations and equipment accounts into the township trustee’s general fund.

It will be easier to pull the equipment fund into the trustee’s account. Cazier explained he wants to pull the account into the trustee’s general account for the TFMS Web, an online financial management system for township trustees.

Cazier is still working on finding a way to pull the operations account into the trustee’s account.

Also discussed was what to do with local income tax money that should be going to the fire territory. Cazier went to a recent meeting of township trustees where DLGF recommended the money not be moved until Senate Bill 1 is clarified.

The advisory board approved the fire territory’s 2026 operations budget.

The proposed 2026 operations budget is $2,819,780, an increase of $78,725 or 2%. Public Employee Retirement Funds, health insurance and property and workers compensation were the main reasons for the increase.

The advisory board also approved the projected equipment replacement budget. The projected balance at the end of 2025 is $2,314,147.88 with the projected sales of both the old ambulance and aerial (ladder truck) to bring in another $225,000 for a total of $2,539,147.88

The new aerial, which is expected to come into service in early 2026, will cost $2,189,700 leaving a balance of $349,447.88. Machinery and equipment for the aerial is expected to cost $12,000 with a projected balance of $337,447.88.

Discussion turned to creating some kind of fund for donations to the fire territory. Capt. Quinn Hunter told the advisory board his research showed donations should be put into the township’s general fund earmarked for specific use.

Snyder stressed the need for a resolution to establish the fund and that there be some type of record of the donation being accepted.

Cazier had no update on fixing up the historic cemeteries in the township. He said once the capital improvement spreadsheet came out, there may be funds available to address the cemeteries.

Advisory board member, Dennis Darr, approached one property owner about an easement so the township could gain access to a cemetery. Snyder recommended the property be deeded to the township so it comes off the tax rolls for the property owner.