By Bruce Rolfe
The Charleston Township Board unanimously approved the 2026-2027 budget at its regular meeting March 24 that will provide 64 different types of services in five funds for township residents.
The approved budgets shows a slight increase in estimated revenues and expenditures in one fund, projected decreases in revenue and expense in three funds and an estimated large increase in another fund.
The new budget was approved following a public hearing when the 2026-2027 budgets were presented to the public.
Also unanimously approved were 2026-2027 salary resolutions, 2026-2027 meeting dates and contract service providers for 2026-2027.
The township has five different accounts. The estimated revenues and expenditures for the General Fund is $513,900; Public Safety Fund $343,300; Sewer Fund, 108,806; Water Fund, $56,900; and Road Rund, $154,400.
The 2026 levy will be 0.9668, the same as the 2025 rate.
A large chunk for the increase in the new budget will come from a transfer of $40,000 from savings to the general fund to match the anticipated overall higher expenses.
The township projects to collect $7,700 more in property taxes, $5,000 more in building permits and $2,500 more in interest in the new fiscal year.
The supervisor and treasurer salaries will remain the same.
The Trustee salaries will increase from $4,000 to $4,600, the assessor contract will jump from $13,200 to $14,400 and the clerk salary will increase from $22,400 to $25,400 due to an increased number of elections in the township in 2026.
Insurance costs increased about 4.5 percent.
The mileage reimbursement increased from 0.67 per mile to 0.72.5¢ per mile.
Charleston Township Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest said the board will consider installing a new digital sign at the township hall, which could come from $38,500 in capital expenditures in the new budget. He said the board has not committed to the purchase yet and continues to review traffic counts. The recent traffic count revealed 699 vehicles go past the township hall each day. If the sign isn’t purchased the money would be rolled back into savings.
Overall, the approved Road Fund shows a decrease of anticipated revenues and expenditures from $189,300 in the just completed budget to $154,400.
The board will transfer $93,200 out of general fund to the Road Fund.
The township will have $53,000 in Road Commission of Kalamazoo County PAR funds available the township matches in the new budget.
The township has signed a contract for $148,00 to finish a two-year project on North 38th Street that will add two inches of asphalt. The project started last year with gravel, pulverization, four inches of additional gravel and then new asphalt on the stretch of road.
Two crack fill projects on Climax Drive and L Avenue at a combined estimated cost of $4,800 will be considered.
Chip seal projects on .3 of a mile on Ambling Avenue, 38th Street South of MN and on Miller Road for approximately $14,000, will also be considered.
The Public Safety Budget shows estimated revenues and expenditures at $343,300, with the majority ($316,800) going to the Galesburg-Charleston Fire Authority.
The township collects $175,200 from a 1.5 mill public safety millage for the fire department. The Township transferred $156,100 from reserve funds into the public safety fund that will go towards a $330,000 fire truck payment in the GCFD 2026-2027 Fire Department budget. The new pumper fire truck is scheduled to be delivered June 1.
The township anticipates collecting $4,600 less in water billing revenue in the water fund, with estimated revenues and expenditures totaling $56,900 compared to $59,500 in the just completed budget. Vander Roest said approximately 1,000,000 fewer gallons of water was used at Eaton and Target, accounting for the overall decrease in revenue.
It is anticipated pump maintenance expense will be $5,700 less over the just completed 2025-2026 budget.
The approved 2026-2027 Sewer Budget shows a decrease in anticipated revenues and expenditures of $91,000 compared to the 25-26 budget.
The township anticipates there will be an excess of funds in the Sewer Fund mainly from the Andrews Estates Trailer Park hooking into the township’s sewer system. Vander Roest said any excess funds will be transferred into the sewer savings fund.
Wastewater treatment expense with the City of Kalamazoo increased from $38,400 to $42,000.
Vander Roest said with the Fort Custer Training Center and Fort Custer State Park all being tax exempt, 44 percent of the township is tax exempt.
The Charleston Township Board unanimously approved the 2026-2027 budget at its regular meeting March 24 that will provide 64 different types of services in five funds for township residents.
The approved budgets shows a slight increase in estimated revenues and expenditures in one fund, projected decreases in revenue and expense in three funds and an estimated large increase in another fund.
The new budget was approved following a public hearing when the 2026-2027 budgets were presented to the public.
Also unanimously approved were 2026-2027 salary resolutions, 2026-2027 meeting dates and contract service providers for 2026-2027.
The township has five different accounts. The estimated revenues and expenditures for the General Fund is $513,900; Public Safety Fund $343,300; Sewer Fund, 108,806; Water Fund, $56,900; and Road Rund, $154,400.
The 2026 levy will be 0.9668, the same as the 2025 rate.
A large chunk for the increase in the new budget will come from a transfer of $40,000 from savings to the general fund to match the anticipated overall higher expenses.
The township projects to collect $7,700 more in property taxes, $5,000 more in building permits and $2,500 more in interest in the new fiscal year.
The supervisor and treasurer salaries will remain the same.
The Trustee salaries will increase from $4,000 to $4,600, the assessor contract will jump from $13,200 to $14,400 and the clerk salary will increase from $22,400 to $25,400 due to an increased number of elections in the township in 2026.
Insurance costs increased about 4.5 percent.
The mileage reimbursement increased from 0.67 per mile to 0.72.5¢ per mile.
Charleston Township Supervisor Jerry Vander Roest said the board will consider installing a new digital sign at the township hall, which could come from $38,500 in capital expenditures in the new budget. He said the board has not committed to the purchase yet and continues to review traffic counts. The recent traffic count revealed 699 vehicles go past the township hall each day. If the sign isn’t purchased the money would be rolled back into savings.
Overall, the approved Road Fund shows a decrease of anticipated revenues and expenditures from $189,300 in the just completed budget to $154,400.
The board will transfer $93,200 out of general fund to the Road Fund.
The township will have $53,000 in Road Commission of Kalamazoo County PAR funds available the township matches in the new budget.
The township has signed a contract for $148,00 to finish a two-year project on North 38th Street that will add two inches of asphalt. The project started last year with gravel, pulverization, four inches of additional gravel and then new asphalt on the stretch of road.
Two crack fill projects on Climax Drive and L Avenue at a combined estimated cost of $4,800 will be considered.
Chip seal projects on .3 of a mile on Ambling Avenue, 38th Street South of MN and on Miller Road for approximately $14,000, will also be considered.
The Public Safety Budget shows estimated revenues and expenditures at $343,300, with the majority ($316,800) going to the Galesburg-Charleston Fire Authority.
The township collects $175,200 from a 1.5 mill public safety millage for the fire department. The Township transferred $156,100 from reserve funds into the public safety fund that will go towards a $330,000 fire truck payment in the GCFD 2026-2027 Fire Department budget. The new pumper fire truck is scheduled to be delivered June 1.
The township anticipates collecting $4,600 less in water billing revenue in the water fund, with estimated revenues and expenditures totaling $56,900 compared to $59,500 in the just completed budget. Vander Roest said approximately 1,000,000 fewer gallons of water was used at Eaton and Target, accounting for the overall decrease in revenue.
It is anticipated pump maintenance expense will be $5,700 less over the just completed 2025-2026 budget.
The approved 2026-2027 Sewer Budget shows a decrease in anticipated revenues and expenditures of $91,000 compared to the 25-26 budget.
The township anticipates there will be an excess of funds in the Sewer Fund mainly from the Andrews Estates Trailer Park hooking into the township’s sewer system. Vander Roest said any excess funds will be transferred into the sewer savings fund.
Wastewater treatment expense with the City of Kalamazoo increased from $38,400 to $42,000.
Vander Roest said with the Fort Custer Training Center and Fort Custer State Park all being tax exempt, 44 percent of the township is tax exempt.
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