Borough Manager: Ellwood City to Host Innovative Readiness Training (IRT)

Ellwood City Borough Manager Kevin Swogger announced during Monday night’s regular meeting of the Ellwood City Borough Council that Ellwood City will be the home of Innovative Readiness Training (IRT).

IRT is a Department of Defense (DoD) military training opportunity, exclusive to the United States and its territories, that delivers joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness. Simultaneously, IRT provides key services (health care, construction, transportation, and cybersecurity) with lasting benefits for communities.

Ellwood City has been earmarked to receive FREE medical services for the community. Swogger said the service is 100% free to the community with no strings attached and no eligibility requirements.

Services might include optometry and dental care among others. He said the military has already made a visit to Ellwood City to tour potential facilities for the program and that it is likely to commence in June 2025 and last through August of 2025.

“There will be about 200 military personnel from different branches that plan to provide services for 2,500 to 3,000 people,” Swogger said.

More details will be released as the program specific to Ellwood City is planned and finalized, but community members may see flyers around town.

“The services will truly be free,” Swogger said.

Swogger also provided an update on the Wampum Pump Station Project, which is at 70% completion and still slated to be finished in April 2025. He said Youngblood Paving will be beginning projects this week on the following streets: Thursday and Friday they will chip seal Bell Ave./ 4h to 6th, Hazel Ave./ College to Smiley, and North St./ Line to Hazen; The week of the 26^th they will fog seal Hillcrest/Penn to Joffre, Birch way/ 2^nd to 4th, Crestview / Skyline to Skyline, Jefferson Ave. / 5pts. To Joffre, 6^th St. Wolverine way to Division, Park Ave. / 6^th to 8th, Union St. / Lane to Orchard.

In other Council news:

Mark your calendars! Mayor Anthony Court announced that Trick or Treat will be held on October 31 from 5 to 7 p.m.

He also urged residents to slow down while driving on the streets in the borough.

“Speeding has again become a major problem,” he said.

Court also announced that the Ellwood City Police Department will undergo Firearm Qualifications in September.

From the pubic:

David Parker of Franklin Avenue urged borough officials to never consider the use of tarring and chipping as a money saving technique to remedy issues with roads.

Parker, who said he is a former employee of PennDOT, has never been a fan of the technique and cautioned the borough that residents don’t like it either. He stated chipped windshields, scratched paint, and more significant issues cause costly repairs and could actually lead to lawsuits for the borough.

“It’s like putting lipstick on a pig,” Parker said.

Citing a recent road project on Route 18, he said millions of dollars are spent on a process that is supposed to last for years, but he said just months later the treatment is swept away and the roads are just as bad as they were before the tar and chipping.

Emily Denome of Wood Street spoke about the traffic surrounding on the newly opened Dunkin’ on Fifth Street. She said since its opening, she has already witnessed at least two vehicles making an illegal left turn out of the drive thru onto Fifth Street. She said one vehicle nearly clipped the front of her car.

“There are going to be accidents,” she said. “People aren’t doing what they are supposed to.”

Motions passed:

A motion to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held 7/15/24, as submitted.
A motion to approve the Pre-Paid Voucher List dated 8/16/24, in the amount of $995,606.55, and the List of Vouchers to be Paid dated 8/16/24, in the amount of $294,535.55.
A motion to approve the Departmental Reports, as submitted.
A motion to adopt a Resolution, as submitted, appointing Amy McKinney as the Fair Housing Officer.
A motion to adopt a Resolution, as submitted, appointing Rebecca Shaffer as the Section 504 Housing Officer.
A motion to accept the 2023 audit performed by Mark Turnley, CPA.
A motion to approve the request by the American Legion to suspend the burning ordinance for a flag retirement ceremony September 14, from 9am-lpm at Legion Park.
A motion to accept the following street address change: 1 INMETCO Drive to 1 American Drive (American Metal Recycling, LLC).
A motion to adopt an Agreement with Ellport Borough, as submitted, for police services for the years/rates as follows 2026 $61,500 and 2027 $63,000.
A motion to advertise an amendment to the Traffic Ordinance amending the East and West Truck Route 351.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Parade Committee
to hold the Halloween Parade October 26 beginning at 3:30 p.m.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Parade Committee to hold the Christmas Parade December 7 beginning at 3:30 p.m.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Area Chamber of Commerce to hold a Let There Be Lights event December 6 from 6-9 p.m. on Lawrence Avenue. It is further requested to close Lawrence Avenue from 4th – 6th Street at 3:30 p.m. for the event.
A motion to approve eliminating traffic control and intersection #5 (7th/Beaver) from the CDBG 2022 ADA Curb Ramp Project and for the Borough to contribute $4,346.44 towards this project. This amount will be paid from the General Fund.
A motion to rescind the motion made at the Regular Council Meeting held 6/17/24 approving “the quote from Insight Pipe Contracting in the amount of approx. $140,365.70 to line the 6″ and 8″ diameter sanitary sewer lines along 4th St., S. Second St., Adams Ave. & Jefferson Ave. This amount will be paid from the Sewage Collection Fund.”
A motion to approve the quote from Insight Pipe Contracting in the amount of approx. $123,270.80 to line the 6″, 8″, 10″, and 12″ diameter sanitary sewer lines along 4th St., S. Second St., Adams Ave. & Jefferson Ave.
This amount will be paid from the Sewage Collection Fund.”
A motion to approve the request by the EC Recreational Fastpitch to use Merit Book August 25, Monday – Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Area Chamber of Commerce to use Ewing Park from November 30 – December 23 from 6-9 p.m. for the annual Christmas in the Park event.
A motion to approve the request by the EC Area Chamber of Commerce to hold an “Ugly Sweater SK” event December 14 from 3-5 p.m. in Ewing Park.
A motion to approve the request by the LHS Girls Tennis Team to use the Ewing Park Tennis Courts August 1 – October 1 from 3-5:30pm.
A motion to ratify the employment of the following individual for summer work effective 6/10/24, contingent upon satisfactory background checks/clearances: Derek Allen, Parks, $13.00/hr
A motion to approve the quote from DuroLast in the amount of
$80,573.38 (TIPS pricing) to replace the roof on the Fire Department. This amount will be paid from the General Capital Reserve Fund.
A motion to promote Devin Marshall (Electric Department) from Lineman III (95%) to Lineman II (95%), effective 8/23/24. His current rate of pay will increase from $26.08/hour (90%) to $29.35/hour (95%).
A motion to employ the law firm of Leymarie, Clark, Long, PC to perform the duties of Borough Solicitor at the rate of $28,000 (prorated for the remainder of 2024), effective 9/1/24.
A motion to approve the travel request by Kevin Swogger, Anthony Court, and George Celli to attend the PSAB Fall Conference in Lancaster, PA October 11-13. The cost is $190 per person plus lodging, meals, and mileage. This will be paid from the General Fund.