Millcreek Township 2024 financial review shows some revenue gains, spending reductions

The review for township supervisors followed concerns about prior fiscal management raised by the Millcreek Township Government Study Commission

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• Revenues last year exceeded expectations by $4.53 million due to higher tax collections and unanticipated grants.
• Several departments, including police and public works, spent less than budgeted for salaries, benefits and operations.
• The general fund balance, which decreased significantly in prior years, has grown to about $20 million, the township treasurer said.

Millcreek Township performed well financially in 2024, according to a review by township Treasurer Melanne Page.

“While the 2023 audit findings presented initial challenges, the finance office has successfully implemented corrective measures,” Page said. “And the township has delivered some strong surpluses in 2024, improved the fund balance and established a strong foundation for sustainable fiscal management into the future.”

Page outlined 2024 revenues and spending for Millcreek supervisors on June 10. The review came after the Millcreek Township Government Study Commission pointed to significant spending from the township’s general fund balance in recent years, “late and later” outside audits of township accounts, and accounting issues identified in audits among its reason for recommending a new form of government for the township in May.

The audit of 2023 finances was delayed until December 2024 due to substantial work required to “sort it all out,” Page said.

Page was named treasurer in May 2024, when former treasurer Mark Zaksheske was placed on unpaid administrative leave until July 13, 2025, by terms of a separation agreement with the township. Township officials gave no reason for the decision.

“When I came in in 2024, it took quite a while to get through everything and sort it all out. There were some major adjustments and major variances that had to occur during the audit time of 2023,” Page said. “Standard practices were not always followed.”

Improvements implemented last year have corrected accounting errors uncovered in the audit of 2023 accounts, Page said.

2024 finances

The township received $4.53 million more in revenues than expected last year, mainly through higher-than-anticipated tax collections and unanticipated grant funds, Page said.

And some expenses were lower than anticipated.

Almost $22 million spent for employee salaries, benefits and taxes last year was $376,000 less than what had been budgeted.

Operating costs were $282,000 less than the approximately $6 million that had been anticipated.

The numbers have not been audited but are not expected to change significantly, Page said.

The general fund balance

The township’s general fund balance — its assets minus liabilities — decreased significantly in recent years, by $1.7 million in 2021, $4.9 million in 2022 and $11.1 million in 2023 — or from approximately $35.9 million to $18.4 million.

The $11.1 million spent in 2023 included approximately $3 million to cover operating costs not funded by revenues and $8 million for other purposes, including the transfer of more than $7.3 million to the Millcreek Township General Authority for the purchase of West Eighth Street properties targeted for redevelopment.

The $8 million also included some fund reductions that resulted from correcting previous over-estimates attributed to accounting errors, Page said.

The $18,357,151 general fund balance at the end of 2023 included $14,937,385 reserved for future capital projects. Those capital funds included just over $9 million in proceeds from the 2015 sale of the Millcreek Township Water Authority to Erie Water Works.

The remaining $3,419,766 of the general fund balance was unrestricted and available for other uses.

Page on June 10 had told supervisors that the $18.4 million fund balance was unrestricted and unreserved and that the water sale proceeds were not included in that balance. She afterward corrected those statements.

The general fund balance has grown to about $20 million since the end of 2023, Page said.

Contact Valerie Myers at [email protected].