PUBLIC NOTICE OF POTENTIAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING INCURRENCE OF NONELECTORAL DEBT PURSUANT TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT DEBT ACT FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Notice is hereby provided pursuant to Section 1601 of The Second Class Township Code, as reenacted and amended (the "SCTC"), 53 P.S. § 66601, and Section 8003 of the Local Government Unit Debt Act, as amended and codified (the "LGUDA"), 53 Pa.C.S. § 8003, that the Board of Supervisors (the "Board") of Franklin Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania (the "Township") will consider for adoption at its regularly scheduled public meeting commencing at 6:30 P.M. on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at the Franklin Township Municipal Building located at 889 Fairyland Road, Lehighton, Pennsylvania 18235, proposed Ordinance No. 2026-01 (the "Ordinance"). The purpose of the Ordinance is to authorize the incurrence of nonelectoral debt by the Township in the aggregate principal amount of Seven Hundred Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($745,000.00), to be evidenced by a general obligation note (the "Note"). The proceeds of the Note will be used to finance the just compensation payment for the acquisition of approximately 5.39 acres of land located at the intersection of Fairyland Road and Wagner Street, Lehighton, Pennsylvania 18235 (Carbon County Tax Map Parcel Identification No. 70C-12-38.05) (the "Property") through the exercise of the power of eminent domain for public recreational purposes and/or municipal buildings as well as costs associated with settlement of the eminent domain proceeding, including but not limited to attorneys' fees. The Note will bear interest at a fixed rate of four and forty-nine one hundredths percent (4.49%) per annum and will mature in annual installments over a maximum term of two hundred forty (240) months (twenty (20) years). The Note will be a general obligation of the Township, secured by the Township's full faith, credit, and taxing power. The Note is to be sold at private negotiated sale to Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank (the "Lender"). The Ordinance also provides for the creation of a sinking fund for the payment of the Note and authorizes Township officers and legal counsel to prepare and file the Debt Statement and Borrowing Base Certificate required by the LGUDA with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The following constitutes the title and a brief summary of the Ordinance, prepared by the Township's Solicitor and special counsel, Norris McLaughlin, P.A., setting forth all the provisions of the Ordinance in reasonable detail in accordance with Subsection 1601(a) of the SCTC, 53 P.S. § 66601(a), and Section 8003 of the LGUDA, 53 Pa.C.S. § 8003. The title of the Ordinance is "AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF FRANKLIN, CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AUTHORIZING THE INCURRENCE OF NONELECTORAL DEBT IN THE AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($745,000.00) TO BE EVIDENCED BY A GENERAL OBLIGATION NOTE FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN AND AUTHORIZING TOWNSHIP OFFICERS AND LEGAL COUNSEL TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTION TO EFFECTUATE SAID BORROWING." Section 1 of the Ordinance contains a statement of legislative findings identifying the Ordinance's purpose and setting forth the statutory requirements and authority of the Board in adopting the Ordinance. Section 2 of the Ordinance contains the substantive provisions authorizing the borrowing described above. These include: incorporating Section 1's statement of legislative findings; authorizing the incurrence of nonelectoral debt in the aggregate principal amount of Seven Hundred Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($745,000.00) by the sale of the Note to the Lender for the purpose of financing the acquisition of the Property through the exercise of eminent domain for public recreational purposes and/or municipal buildings and the payment of just compensation in connection therewith (the "Project"), with a realistic estimated useful life of the Project stated as indefinite; classifying the debt as nonelectoral debt as defined in 53 Pa.C.S. § 8002; authorizing and directing the Chairman of the Board, the Township's Solicitor, and the Township's special counsel, Norris McLaughlin, P.A., to prepare, certify, and file the Debt Statement and Borrowing Base Certificate required by 53 Pa.C.S. § 8110, to file all necessary documents with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development as required by 53 Pa.C.S. § 8111, to execute and deliver the Note to the Lender on behalf of the Township, and to take all other actions necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Ordinance; providing that the Note shall be a general obligation note of the Township secured by the Township's full faith, credit, and taxing power; providing for the Township's irrevocable covenant to budget, appropriate, and pay debt service on the Note by pledging its full faith, credit, and taxing power; providing that the Note shall be issued in a single denomination equal to the aggregate principal amount; providing that the Note shall bear interest at a fixed rate of four and forty-nine one hundredths percent (4.49%) per annum, with principal and interest payable in annual installments commencing on the date of issuance and a final installment due on the maturity date, at the principal office of the Lender or such other place as the Lender or any subsequent holder of the Note may designate in writing; providing that the Note shall be sold by a privately negotiated sale to the Lender, pursuant to a proposal dated October 30, 2026, at a purchase price equal to the principal amount of Seven Hundred Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($745,000.00); providing for the creation and maintenance of a sinking fund for the Note with a bank, trust company, or bank and trust company located and lawfully conducting business in Pennsylvania; providing that the Township does not assume payment of any taxes on the Note; authorizing the Chairman of the Board to contract with one or more banks, trust companies for services as sinking fund depository and paying agent for the Note; directing the preparation, verification under oath, and filing of the Debt Statement and Borrowing Base Certificate with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, together with all documents required by 53 Pa.C.S. § 8111, including certified copies of the Ordinance and proofs of proper publication; providing that the Note shall not be delivered to the Lender until the Township has received actual or deemed approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development as provided in 53 Pa.C.S. §§ 8204 and 8206; and authorizing and directing Township officers and legal counsel to execute and deliver all documents and to take all actions necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Ordinance. Section 3 contains a severability clause, and Section 4 provides that the Ordinance will become effective in accordance with Section 8003(c) of the LGUDA, 53 Pa.C.S. § 8003(c)—i.e., on the fifth (5th) day following the Township's publication of the notice of the Ordinance's enactment required by Section 8003(b) of the LGUDA, 53 Pa.C.S. § 8003(b). Copies of the full text of the Ordinance may be examined, without charge, or obtained for a fee equal to the Township's cost of production, at the Franklin Township Municipal Building located at 889 Fairyland Road, Lehighton, Pennsylvania 18235, during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Additionally, in accordance with Section 1601(a) of the SCTC, 53 P.S. § 66601(a), copies of the full text of the Ordinance have been supplied to this newspaper. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP NICHOLAS STORM, CHAIRMAN Nov 7