When: Elizabethtown Borough Council meeting, July 18.
What happened: Representatives of the Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation & Community Services want to restrict parking in the community center’s lot on Poplar Street for GEARS use only, Borough Manager Ann Roda told council. GEARS is also requesting similar restrictions for the borough-owned parking lot on High Street and Peace Alley.
Details: Parking in the borough lots is free but limited to 72 hours. GEARS said that with planned expansion of programming space to the second floor of the center, the parking restrictions are necessary to accommodate more visitors, Roda relayed.
What’s next: Council expressed reluctance at restricting the High Street lot for GEARS use only, instead tabling the discussion in order to confer with GEARS representatives.
Diversity: For the first time since adopting a resolution in 2020 committing council to regularly discuss borough efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Hershey brought up projects that aim to increase accessibility and opportunity. Projects he mentioned include the opening of an inclusive playground at Elizabethtown Memorial Park, the near completion of a walking path through town and support for expanding space and programming at GEARS. Hershey also touted the adoption of a new regional comprehensive plan, which includes expanded public transportation plans, and the borough’s participation in the Lancaster County Land Bank, which works to refurbish vacant, blighted, abandoned and/or tax-delinquent properties for new use.
Sister city: Kim Whiney of Discover Elizabethtown asked council to consider renewing its sister-city relationship with Letterkenny, in County Donegal, Ireland. Whiney said on a recent trip to Ireland she was surprised to find the previous partnership had lapsed with the dissolution of Letterkenny’s town council in 2014. Whiney discovered the lapse when trying to set up a pen pals program.
Response: Council agreed to look into restarting the partnership.
Roof: By a vote of 4-2, council approved $176,000 for a new asphalt shingle roof on the borough-owned property at 56 N. Market St. The building, vacant and last used by an insurance company, is the oldest structure in town. Multiple attempts to repurpose the building since the borough purchased it in 2018 have failed. The borough doesn’t have a long-term plan for the site, but a new roof is crucial whether the borough decides to use the building or sell it, President J. Marc Hershey said.
Dissenting vote: Council members Jay Hynicker and Lanty Moss voted against the roof. The two said the borough is spending too much money on a building that is getting no use.
Trash hauler: At the request of Noble Environmental, council approved the transfer of the contract for trash removal from that firm to Good’s Disposal Service. Good’s will acquire all Noble employees and four of its trucks. Noble is divesting from all regional hauling, ending contracts with three municipalities. The dates and times of trash removal will not change.
Events: Out of concerns for traffic disruptions and a shortage of volunteers to direct traffic, council denied Liv Etown’s permit application to hold a car show Sept. 13.
Water: Vice President Jeff McCloud, representative to the Elizabethtown Area Water Authority, informed council the authority is seeking estimates for the replacement of water main pipes throughout downtown. Some of the cast iron pipes are nearing 100 years old, he said.
Quotable: “Will this lead to an increase in water bills? Probably,” McCloud said. “But we can’t expect those pipes to last forever.”
What’s next: Work is expected to begin in the fall and continue for three years. Authority members will discuss the project at their Aug. 7 meeting.
Winter maintenance: Council accepted a contract proposal from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for snow removal reimbursement in the amount of $18,400, about 2% higher than last year. PennDOT pays for the borough to plow state-maintained roads during winter weather events.
Next meeting: Council next meets on Aug. 15. The scheduled Aug. 1 meeting was canceled.
