MADISON TOWNSHIP ─ Administrator Catherine Swank said Madison Township needs to do something about the lack of funds to purchase and maintain the highways department’s equipment.

His comment at the directors meeting on Monday night came after board chairman Jim Houser said some equipment in the department had broken down recently, including mowers.

Swank echoed this concern and said road works are going to be slow. But the road service is doing all they can and has ordered parts to try and fix the problem.

She said she is working on some numbers and will likely propose at the first trustees meeting in July that the township consider a road tax.

There will likely be two options for directors’ discussions, Swank said. One is to issue a general levy so that the money can be used on a large scale, for example for wages, insurance and daily expenses.

The other option would be a special levy with a designated use, she said. The Township of Madison has a special fire tax for the purchase and maintenance of fire department equipment.

“We have to have it (road tax),” Swank said. “There just isn’t enough money and we need the equipment.”

Directors have discussed purchasing a new boom mower for the roads department at previous meetings. Swank said the item would likely cost around $ 164,000. She is studying several hire-purchase options and will present them to the board.

A purchase like this will take a significant amount of money out of the township budget, Swank said. She will be ready to present her proposals on the levy in July.

Additionally, administrators approved Fire Chief Kenneth Justus’ request to put Medic 72, an ambulance, on GovDeals.com for sale with a reserve price of $ 10,000.

Justus said the ambulance was a 2008 Ford Braun van that the department rarely used and had engine problems. It has only been used on three out of 900 calls this year.

A private Pittsburgh-based EMS organization has expressed interest in the ambulance when it collects other items it has purchased from the apartment, Justus said. The chief said it would be in the township’s best interest to sell the vehicle on GovDeals.com when it’s worth something and someone is interested in it.

Justus has been leading a cleanup effort within the department since taking office a few months ago. Several old or unused items were installed GovDeals.com. The chief said the department brought in $ 7,678 in sales.