FERGUSON TOWNSHIP — Ferguson Township Supervisors on Tuesday, April 21, addressed immigration enforcement policy, approved the township’s 2025 audit and adopted a new general fund balance policy during a wide-ranging meeting that also included renewed public concern over potential future data center regulations.
Board Chair Jeremie Thompson opened the meeting by announcing the township’s manager recruitment process is nearing completion.
“Pending some pre-hire contingencies being finalized, we’ll hopefully get to hold some type of confirmation vote in one of our upcoming meetings,” Thompson said.
During public comment, Pennsylvania Furnace resident Julie Ella Martin urged the board to take a cautious approach regarding data centers, citing concerns about pollution, water usage and rising utility costs.
“I know there is a potential for some economic benefit from tax revenue, but unfortunately what I’ve heard from other communities who have gotten data centers, the burden to the community is greater than the economic benefits that they receive,” Martin said.
Thompson stressed there is currently no active proposal before the township.
“There are currently no development proposals for data centers in the township,” he said, adding officials are reviewing the issue proactively because existing regulations do not specifically address such facilities.
Immigration policy
One of the meeting’s most detailed presentations came from Ferguson Township Police Chief Matthew Wilson who outlined a newly formalized immigration policy adopted in February.
Wilson said the department provides services “to all members of the community regardless of citizenship status” and generally does not ask about immigration status when dealing with victims or witnesses.
“I felt this was needed to provide officers with clear and fresh direction as well as provide the public, in particular victims and witnesses, with assurance that our department is not concerned with immigration status when it comes to providing services,” Wilson said.
Wilson explained township officers do not enforce civil immigration warrants not signed by a judge.
“These are civil warrants. That’s not what we do,” he said.
The chief added that information and local support resources for immigrants are now available on the township website.
Audit report
Supervisors later received a presentation on the township’s 2025 audit from representatives of Maher Duessel. Auditor Dustin Starr said the township is set to receive an unmodified opinion, commonly known as a clean audit.
“That’s the highest level of assurance that can be received in an audit,” Starr said.
According to the presentation, township governmental funds ended 2025 with approximately $18 million in total fund balance, including about $11.4 million classified as unassigned.
Supervisors unanimously accepted the audit.
Other business
The board also unanimously adopted a new general fund balance policy, establishing guidelines for maintaining minimum unrestricted reserves in the township’s general fund.
Township Manager Tom King said the policy promotes fiscal discipline, transparency and long-term planning.
The board additionally approved a resolution authorizing submission of an application for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s 2027-29 traffic safety grant program, which supports enforcement efforts related to DUI patrols, aggressive driving, seat belt use and pedestrian safety.
Officials also highlighted the township’s recent purchase of a sewer camera van, which staff said could save roughly $105,000 this year by allowing more pipeline inspections and diagnostics to be handled in-house.
