The Elmwood Township Board Tuesday put the final touches on a reduced 2008 operating budget, and unanimously approved salary resolutions offering raises to the supervisor, clerk and treasurer.

The budget calls for $735,361 in General Fund expenses, which will require draining the township fund balance by $55,500 to pay off. The township is expecting $680,000 in revenues, including $156,600 in property taxes dedicated to general operations.

The township discontinued plans to lay off two firefighters and emergency responders after a new property tax dedicated to the fire department was defeated in November.

The salaries of the supervisor, clerk and treasurer all increased 2 percent, going from $35,750 to $36,500. Three percent raises were originally proposed. Pay for township trustees was frozen.

The board also made several budget amendments for the 2007 fiscal year, which will expire Dec. 31, as suggested by clerk Connie Preston. She had been excused from the meeting because of a death in her family.

The most significant amendments included:

• Township legal fees came in at $38,000. Only $8,000 had been budgeted.

• Legal fees incurred by the Planning Commission are $16,000. Only $6,000 was budgeted.

• Professional services contracted by the Planning Commission finished at $35,000. They were budgeted at $9,000.

• The cost to hold two special elections seeking new property taxes to fund the fire department increased the cost for election wages ($1,000 to $4,000) and election printing ($200 to $2,400).