Mayor: Building is "˜booming"™

Building in the township is “booming,” declared Mayor Neil Driscoll after council was presented with figures showing construction values are up for the second month in a row.

Chief building official Patty Wright presented council with a report on March 14 indicating 16 permits were issued in February for construction valued at $1,768,000, generating fees of $16,752.

In February 2016, 25 permits were issued for construction valued at $1,715,100, generating fees of $19,572.

To date in 2017, 30 permits have been issued for construction worth $3,701,000, netting fees of $39,995. After the first two months of 2016, 34 permits had been issued for construction valued at $3,007,100, bringing in $29,254 in permit fees.

Wright noted permit fees for the current month are above the five-year average.

“The five-year average of fees collected by the building department for the month of February is $13,828, therefore the current month is above the five-year average,” she stated in a written report.

“Year-to-date numbers range from $9,117 to $44,700 over the past five years and the average of fees collected to date from 2011-2015 is $25,529. The current year-to-date is within the five-year range and above the five-year average.”