By ERIC SLAGLE Daily News Staff Writer eslagle@dailynewsemail.com Forward Township supervisors say they'll hang on to the townships financial auditing firm for another year, provided the company matches the price of a competing firm. Supervisors voted Thursday to retain Cypher & Cypher of Cannonsburg as its certified public accountants if it can meet or beat the price of Seals & DeMillion PC of Charleroi. Seals & DeMillion submitted a bid of $6,800 to the township to provide auditing services in 2008. Cypher & Cypher, which has been the townships auditor for several years, provided the service last year at a cost of $7,806. Township officials said they

are satisfied with the service of the current provider but want to see they can get a better price. We should give Cypher a chance to meet the price, Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom DeRosa said. Im sure they'll do it for the same price quoted by the competitor. And if they don't meet the price? Then they're out, DeRosa added. Well go to the other people. Supervisor Dave Magiske initially said he'd support hiring the competing firm, but after a brief debate voted in support of retaining the current auditor. The board will advertise a proposed amendment to its realty transfer tax ordinance. According to township Solicitor Bernie Schneider, the ordinance change would take the responsibility of collecting and refunding adjusted property transfer tax rates out of the townships hands and make it the responsibility of the state Department of Revenue. Schneider said the amendment will not change the townships property tax rate.