With parking revenues reported as being much better than last year, Gettysburg Borough Manager Charles Gable was optimistic about revenue trends in the borough. “The pillow tax is running a little below 2019 levels but the trend lines are good,” he said. Gable said some funds from the American Recovery Plan were expected to arrive this month.
The borough council approved about $15,000 in special funding to get a large grant application started for a continuation of downtown revitalization projects. The borough will work with Michael Baker International, a consulting company that specializes in engineering projects and with which the borough has worked in the past. The initial down payment of $30,740 will be split 50-50 with Main Street Gettysburg.
The due date for the next round of Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants is July 12.
Main Street Gettysburg President and Chief Executive Officer Jill Sellers said she was looking forward to future projects that would “provide us with a visual continuity that will bring visitors all the way up in Lincoln’s footsteps from the train station all the way down to the cemetery.”
Sellers said she had met with U.S. Congressman John Joyce who had asked what the borough’s vision was and where it was going. Joyce said he was enthusiastic about the future of Gettysburg and was complimentary about how the citizens and the organizations of the community work together.
Gable said the borough also had strong advocates at the state level for downtown revitalization. Gable said he was optimistic the project would be moving forward “I daresay faster than we might have thought.”
Police Chief Robert Glenny showed the council one of the borough’s new police body cameras, noting it was small enough to fit behind his business card. Glenny said residents could expect to see officers wearing body cameras within a week and that the program would be fully in place by July 1.
Other news
Brush pickup will be the week of May 24
Edith Smith is retiring as Police Department Secretary/Records Manager after 41 years with the department. Gable said there would be a police department gathering to honor her. Gable said the borough was considering two candidates for her replacement.
Charles Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Publisher and Editor in Chief.