Ellwood City Borough Facade Improvement Program Accepting Applications

Applications are now being accepted for the Ellwood City Borough Facade Improvement Program.

During the February 20 meeting of Borough Council, Borough Manager Kevin Swogger said, “The façade improvement project is up and running.”

Packets have been mailed to businesses with details, and owners are encouraged to visit the Borough’s website, https://www.ellwoodcityborough.com, which provides an external link at the top of the page to fill out an application.

In January, the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners approved $1,124,305.00 in American Rescue Plan Act funding for seven impactful projects across Lawrence County include Ellwood City’s program. Ellwood City received $25,000 for its Facade Improvement Program. With state grant support through the Keystone Communities Program previously awarded in December of 2022 for the project, the county’s $25,000 provides matching funds for Ellwood City to leverage against state funds for a total public investment of $100,000.00.

Motions passed by Ellwood City Borough Council:

• A motion to approve the Minutes of the Special Meeting held 1/4/23 and the Regular Meeting held 1/16/23, as submitted.
• A motion to approve the Pre-Paid Voucher List dated 2/15/23, in the amount of $1,770,875.75, and the List of Vouchers to be Paid dated 2/17/23, in the amount of $208,555.83.
• A motion to approve the Departmental Reports, as submitted.
• A motion to adopt a Resolution, as submitted, amending the Borough’s Food/Health permit and associated fees.
• A motion to adopt a Resolution, as submitted, designating the Borough Manager, Administrative Assistant, Billing Clerk and Borough Secretary as authorized contacts with Berkheimer, the collector of certain local taxes.
• A motion to appoint Kevin Swogger to the Board of Health for a term that expires 12/31/27.
• A motion to exonerate the tax collector from further collection of the 2022 real estate taxes charged to her. The tax collector has accounted for all monies as either collected, exonerated or liened in accordance with her report.
• A motion to approve the quote in the amount of $32,645 (Costar Pricing) for a plow, salt spreader and converting the hydraulics on the 2021 Chevy 5500 dump truck. This amount will be paid from the General Fund.
• A motion to approve the feasibility study proposal, as submitted, from Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) for the sanitary sewer system upgrade (siphon lines) in an amount not to exceed $30,000. This amount will be paid from the Sewage Capital Reserve Fund.
• A motion to approve the proposal, as submitted, from Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) to develop a geographic information system (GIS) dataset of the Borough’s sanitary and storm sewer infrastructure in an amount not to exceed $24,970. This amount will be paid 50% from the General Capital Reserve Fund and 50% from the Sewage Capital Reserve Fund.
• A motion to approve the request by the EC Area School District to use the Women’s Field at Stiefel Park for girls softball March 1 – June 30, Monday – Friday 12pm – 9pm, Sat/Sun 12pm – 6pm.
• A motion to approve the request by the EC Girls Softball to use the Girl’s field at Stiefel Park, March – November, Monday – Friday 3-10pm & Saturdays/Sundays 10am – 7pm and the SW corner of the multipurpose field, March – November, Mondays – Fridays, 4-10pm.
• A motion to approve the request by the EC Girls Softball to use the Girl’s field at Stiefel Park, July 15 & 16 from 6am-10pm.
• A motion to approve the request by the EC Fast Pitch Softball (Time Travelers) to use Merit Book field March 27 – August 3, Monday – Thursday from 5pm-8pm.
• A motion to approve the request by the EC Area Chamber of Commerce to use Ewing Park and the swimming pool parking lot for the annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 8 from 11-4pm. This request is also asking for permission to invite food trucks to the event and paying the appropriate fee to the Borough.
• A motion to approve the request by the EC Area School District to use the swimming pool and tennis court parking lot on May 18 (rain date May 19) for the 3rd and 4th graders career day called “Careers on Wheels”.
• A motion to approve the request by Boy Scout Troop #806 to camp at shelter #8 on April 21 & 22 during the Earth Day Festivities and to have a small camp fire.
• A motion to approve the request to hold the Ellwood City Ledger 10K Race on Saturday, July 1 at 9am. It is further requested to utilize the changing facilities at the Veteran’s Memorial Swimming Pool as well as the parking lot from 7am to 11:30am.
• A motion to establish the 2023 employee hourly billing rates as follows (first number hourly billing rate, second number overtime billing rate:
  • Supervisors 50.53 75.79
  • Clerical 31.80 47.71
  • Police Full Time 46.79 70.18
  • Police Part Time 20.69 31.04
  • Fire 42.69 64.03
  • Public Works, Electric, WWTP 45.46 68.19
  • Parks Labor 15.33 23.00
• A motion to approve the 2023 YMCA Swimming Pool Management Agreement, as submitted. The cost for the YMCA to manage the pool is $13,800. This amount will be paid from the General Fund.
• A motion to approve utilizing Diane Daubenspeck for clerical support services on a limited, as needed, basis for $100.00 per hour (not to exceed $5,000).
• A motion to approve the travel request of Devin Marshall to attend Basic 1 Lineworker Training in Columbus, OH. September 11-14 and October 9-12. The total cost will be $4,610. This amount will be paid from the ElectricFund.
• A motion to approve the travel request by Judith Dici, Anthony Court, and Kevin Swogger to attend the PSAB Conference June 4-7 in Hershey PA. The total cost is $3037.71 plus any meals, and mileage.
• A motion to approve the Conditional Use request by the Ellwood City Area School District to erect a 24’ x 60’ storage building at 531 Carmen Beatrice Blvd., without conditions.
• A motion to award the bid on the sale of 1219 Crescent Avenue (11-016100) to Cecil Ables, 1220 Border Ave, at the cost of $5,000.
• A motion to approve the request to hold a Wine & Bourbon Walk on May 13 from 12-4pm along Lawrence Avenue from 4th – 8th Street. It is also requested to block off parking on the north side of Crescent Avenue between 5th and 6th Street from 11am – 6pm for registration and purchase pick up.
• A motion to approve the request by the Ellwood City Farmers’ Market to use the Beaver Avenue parking lot, stage and comfort station Saturdays from June 3 – October 7 from 8:00am – noon.

Announcements:

• Picnic shelter reservations will begin on the fourth Monday in February (Feb. 27) for Borough residents and beginning on the fourth Monday in March (Mar. 27) for non-Borough residents.
• EC Community Gardens are seeking volunteers to cultivate garden plots in Ewing Park, email garden@ellwoodcityborough.com to volunteer