Ellwood City Borough Council

Council Approves Change Order for Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project; Recognizes Councilman Jim Barry for Years of Service

Ellwood City Borough Council voted to approve a $35,820 change order for the Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project during the July 15 meeting. The change stems from unforeseen field conditions. Tyler Watts, project manager, from Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., the engineer firm overseeing the project, said the cost could not be detected prior to a field inspection which is required for any contractor. “There are five laterals that need to be tied into the system,” she said. The amount will be paid from the PennVest contingency. Borough Manager Kevin Swogger said the project is 67% completed with an on-target completion date of…


Ellwood City Borough Council Announces 2024 Road Paving Project

Ellwood City Borough Manager Kevin Swogger said that residents can expect to see a lot of road construction this summer as part of the 2024 Road Paving Project during the June 17 Ellwood City Borough Council Meeting. He said that many of the projects are already underway. “The crews are working,” he said. “But completion of all projects will take a while.” He expects the projects to carry well into August. Some of those projects include work on 4th to 2nd Street; 5th Street to the area of the Sheetz convenience store; and Lawrence Avenue from Dollar General to the…


Ellwood City Borough Council Approves Two Year Agreement with Valley Waste Service

During Monday night’s Ellwood City Borough Council meeting, Council approved a two-year option agreement with Valley Waste Service to provide for refuse, recycling & yard waste collection. The new contract expiration date will be June 30, 2026. Borough Manager Kevin Swogger said the first year there will be no increase, and the second option year will come with a four percent increase. Monthly costs are as follows July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025: 95 gallon, $17.96; 35 gallon: $14.95; and Yellow Bags, $25 per roll and for July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026: 95 gallon, $18.39; 35 gallon, $15.53; and Yellow Bags,…


Ellwood City Borough Council: Per Capita Letter, Application Sent in Error

When residents opened their electric bills this week, they also received a letter and a Per Capita Tax Exemption Application, but borough officials said both the letter and application should be discarded. Borough Council President Brad Ovial said the letter and form were sent in error. “Disregard the letter and application. It was a mistake that will be corrected and sent out next month,” he said. According to Ovial, residents should throw away the additional items received this week, but do need to fill out the form that will be received next month. In addition, there is no per capita…


Ellwood City Police Department Recognized for Involvement in Drug Related Indictment

Ellwood City Borough Council applauded the Ellwood City Police Department for its involvement in a recent federal drug investigation during their Monday night meeting. United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced on March 14 (see original story here) that seventeen individuals from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and Youngstown, Ohio, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal narcotics, firearms, and racketeering laws. The defendants, four of which were from Ellwood City, were charged in the indictments and allege that, between September 2022 and March 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute cocaine throughout Western Pennsylvania, specifically…


Borough Of Ellwood City Announces Utility Account Budget Payment Plan

In a press release made available by the borough on Friday, March 1st, the Ellwood City Borough Council has adopted a Utility Account Budget Plan. The Borough Council adopted Resolution #2004-4 approving a budget payment plan for utility accounts under the following provisions: Customers may complete the application form provided by the Borough during the annual open enrollment period from the third Monday in March through the third Friday in April. The first budget-billing amount will appear on the May utility bill. The maximum budget periods will be twelve (12) months with all balances due to be settled in the…


Council Approves YMCA Swimming Pool Management Agreement with No Cost Increase to Community

Ellwood City Borough Council approved the 2024 YMCA swimming pool management agreement for $13,800. Borough Manager Kevin Swogger said there will be no cost increase for community members to use the pool this year and the borough will be releasing more details regarding the pool’s 2024 season as well as activities planned including youth parties and featured DJs. Swogger said the borough is also working on securing the America250PA grant, which helps organizations conducting projects that improve the community and engages volunteers. Projects could include community cleanups, park improvements, revitalization efforts, river sweeps, graffiti abatement, murals, etc. The project must…


Borough Manager Provides Update on Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project During Council Regular Meeting

During the regular meeting of Ellwood City Borough Coucil Tuesday night, Borough Manager Kevin Swogger said the Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project is about 40 percent completed. The Borough had announced the start of the project in October in an effort to improve the infrastructure in the area. The project is a sewer upgrade for multiple existing sewer transport lines in the wooded area East of Wampum Ave. A pump station will also be built to collect from these lines to be transported to the Ellwood City Borough Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment. The tentative construction completion date of the…


Council Reorganizes, Reappoints Borough Manager

Ellwood City Borough Council held its reorganizational meeting on Tuesday January 3. In a unanimous vote, Brad Ovial was chosen as President and Michele Lamenza was chosen as Vice President. Borough Manager Kevin Swogger was reappointed in a 6-0 vote (Lamenza was absent from the meeting), for a two-year employment agreement for $80,000. General election incumbants George Celli and Caleb Cragle were sworn into office as well as new Councilman the Rev. James “Jimmy” Johnson. Jim Barry and Celli were reappointed as council representatives for Ellwood City Revitalization. Barry was also reappointed as the borough representative for the Lawrence County…


Ellwood City Borough Council Approves Police Use of PepperBall Guns; Provides Update on Wampum Avenue Pump Station Project

During Monday night’s voting meeting, Borough Council approved a change order #1 from Pollard Land Services, Inc. in the amount of $98,000 for the purpose of milling and overlaying the full width of Wampum Avenue from Fifth Street to Madison Avenue Ext. and from Madison Ave. Ext. to the entrance of the access road. The approved change order is in conjunction with the Wampum Avenue Pump Project, a sewer upgrade for multiple existing sewer transport lines in the wooded area East of Wampum Ave. and construction of a pump station to collect from these lines to be transported to the Ellwood…