Shelby Township records fourth consecutive general fund surplus

With no cuts in services and no increase in taxes, Shelby Township managed its fourth straight general fund surplus, raising its grand total since 2009 to almost $5 million.

The 2009‐2012 Shelby Township Board of Trustees’ fourth consecutive year in the black added more than $600,000 to its general fund in 2012.

"Our fiscally conservative Board of Trustees majority has promoted teamwork with our employees, disregarded special interests and the ‘establishment mentality’ and made decisions according to their long‐term viability, not their effect on the next election," Township Supervisor Richard Stathakis said.

"The Board’s decisions have indeed resulted in delivering services to our citizens in the most productive manner."

The $15 million general fund pays most of the Township’s operating expenses and is one of three core cash‐basis budgets in Shelby Township, along with those of the Police and Fire departments.

In the final budget numbers of 2012, the general fund balance increased to roughly $10.7 million ‐‐ a significant turnaround from the budget forecast of a use of fund balance dollars for year 2012.

"I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to the great employees we have working for Shelby Township," Stathakis said. "Our General Employees have outdone themselves year after year doing more with less to help realize cost savings on top of cost savings with absolutely no cuts in services and no increase in taxes to our residents."

"I am very proud of all our employees," Parks, Recreation and Maintenance Director Joe Youngblood said. "Everyone has been on board as a team and worked hard because everyone understands the economic situation."

Along with banking four consecutive surpluses, Shelby Township enhanced services from 2009 to 2012 with no debt and no bonding with projects such as the development of Chief Gene Shepherd Park, renovations with better customer service capabilities in the Assessing Department, $11 million invested in new and repaired roads, $1.9 million for expansion of bicycle paths and a new $4 million Shelby Township Police headquarters.

"While many communities in metro Detroit are dipping into rainy day funds, Shelby Township has been able to weather the storm and bolster its savings and quality of life for its residents," Stathakis said.