LEWISTOWN - The Lewistown Borough Council agreed to help fund a North Main Street revitalization project presented by Mifflin County Planning Director Bill Gomes Monday evening at the council's regular meeting.
Gomes said the project, which has been discussed for the past year, would include the addition of eight trees and four street lights. He said it would also refurbish the sidewalks, lay down 3-foot-wide brick pavement on each side of the road and add new ADA compliant ramps at North Main Street's intersection with Third Street.
He said the planning commission has elected to pursue a grant from a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation program, which became available in February. He said this grant would presumably pay for the total cost of construction, $217,420. He said the bulk of the design work has been completed. Gomes said the planning commission will apply for this grant in early April.
Gomes asked for $17,000 from the borough to pay for engineering costs and the environmental clearance. The council agreed to explore the feasibility of reallocating the $16,900 from the 2010 Community Development Block Grant.
The council approved the motion with a 4-2 vote as council members Nelson Reiffenacht and Larry Searer casted dissenting votes. Council member Frank Berrier abstained from voting and Council member Matt Moore was not present.
The council also agreed upon the following actions:
approved a request from area resident Crystal Jost to allow the 148th Regiment re-enactment of Logan Guard from 1 to 3 p.m. on May 7. The march would start at the historic courthouse from West Market Street and go through the U.S. 22 and 322 crossover and memorial bridge. The march commemorates the 150th anniversary of Logan Guard
authorized the code officer to send a letter to the owner of the burned apartment building that stands at the intersection of Catherine and Walnut Street. The letters tells the owner the building needs to be demolished;
approved a resolution that reduces the municipal parking lot lease from $12,300 to $3,800;
approved a recommendation from the law and ordinance meeting to amend the stormwater management code;
agreed to move pursue a sewer connection ordinance;
approved a request to use Victory Park for a tax day tea party from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on April 16;
accepted a report from Borough Manager David Frey in which he told council solar power bids have went out. He said he has discussed the bids with the Uni-Tech engineering staff;
recommended new parking restrictions to the law and ordinance committee. The regulation would restrict overnight parking from Juniata Street to Grand Street only one night a week;
agreed to increase the Lewistown Police Department building lease from $1,000 to $3,500 for the month of March. Police Chief Bill Herkert said the building is approximately 85 percent completed. The rent will then increase to its normal rate of $4,000 beginning in April;
accepted the police report from Herkert. He said they have received more than 1,000 calls since the department's start on Jan. 1. He said the department has began foot patrols as the weather has began to get warmer;
accepted a wastewater treatment facility update from Frey in which he said the project will go out to bid in May or June. He expects construction to begin in July;
agreed to allow Derry Township to access the river inceptor, behind Kish Bank, to address issues for their collection system that connects to the river inceptor;
approved the financial statement for the borough's non-uniformed personnel pension plan;
approved the T.D. Wealth Management Fund paying agent financial summary for Feb. 2011;
approved the U.S. Bank paying agent financial summary;
approved the First National Bank statement report for bond issue accounts;
approved staff incentive time requests.
