The Gettysburg Borough Council will apply for two major grants related to needed stormwater repairs.
Borough Engineer Chad Clabaugh said the grants were directed toward repair of failing stormwater system infrastructure including channel walls on “The Tiber” (Stevens Run).
Harbaugh said the Gettysburg Borough Storm Water Authority (GBSWA) would be responsible for matching funds, which he expected to be about $500,000 if the grants are approved, and that $4 million in work needs to be done on the Stevens Run project.
Harbaugh said GBSWA chair Mike Malewicki is looking through past records in an attempt to determine the ownership history of the various structures and walls around Stevens Run.
Borough Council President Wes Heyser thanked Malewicki for the work he is taking on. “He’s steadily pouring through,” said Heyser. “We’re talking about a lot of money here. But we’re also talking about a lot of exposure and liability.”
The council also:
- Adopted the proposed 2023 budget of $6,051,389 or 4.177 mills, which includes no tax increase as well as the hiring of two new police officers, new safety equipment, and funding for ongoing capital improvement plans. “[The budget] remains tax-neutral in a time that is economically very difficult for a lot of people,” said board member Matt Moon.
- Approved budgets/funds for fire services, the Community Development Block Grant, capital projects, debt services, capital reserves, liquid fuels, and revolving loans.
- Moved some reserve funds to the Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust (PLGIT).
- Approved tax relief to borough residents who actively volunteer for fire or EMS services. For detailed information about this program, please click here. Borough members agreed this program would encourage volunteers to join local forces and that it would be expensive if the borough needed to move to paid forces.
- Re-appointed board member Chris Berger to a 5-year term on the Gettysburg Municipal Authority.
- Re-appointed borough staff member Sarah Kipp to a 4-year term on the Gettysburg Planning Commission.
- Approved a new employee transparency and accountability policy.
- Set dates for borough council meetings (generally the second Monday in the month) and work sessions (generally the fourth Monday in the month) for 2023.
In other business,
- Police Chief Robert Glenny commended his officers for their work solving an arson crime in the borough and helping with the deer that was trapped in the Blue and Gray Bar and Grill earlier this week. “Officer Bryan Holden wrestled the deer to ground,” said Glenny. “The deer was not put down but released to mother nature.”
- Gable said there was just over $2.2 million in the borough’s general fund checking account. “That’s fairly high compared to other Nov. 30 dates,” he said. “That’s good news.”
- Council member Chad-Alan reflected on his first year on council, noting how well the council worked together and how much they had accomplished.
- The borough said leaf collection was continuing but would end by the end of the year.
Main Street Gettysburg President Jill Sellers thanked borough staff and volunteers saying the 2022 Christmas Festival had been a success and that over 1,000 people had visited the planned welcome center on Baltimore St.
Borough Manager Charles Gable said parking revenue for the Christmas Festival weekend was over $17,000, which he said was “essentially double” what the revenue was in 2019.
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.
Who is Heyser?
Borough Council President Wes Heyser. Sorry about that 🙂