jfrederick

The public input phase of the Bellwood-Antis Pool Feasibility Study kicked-off February 28th to big crowds and lively discussions. A Focus Group welcomed nearly three-dozen participants at 5:30 and the group discussed the value of a public pool, while raising concerns over how the community might pay for the work to assure the pool would be viable for the long-term. A public meeting followed at 7:00 p.m. to a crowd of more than 75. The crowd was a diverse one, that included younger parents, their children and older borough and township residents hoping to better understand the issues related to the [...]

Public Hearing for Rutter's Store Held, Written Comments Accepted Until August 16th  A public hearing for the proposed Rutter’s Store on Sabbath rest Road and East Pleasant Valley Boulevard was held August 4th. The hearing was to accept testimony regarding the company’s application for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The permit is intended to assure that water quality impacts of the project are within the law. Eight individuals representing themselves and several organization spoke during the comment period. DEP also gave an overview of the project and the NPDES permit review process. Written comments, by the way, will be [...]

Tax Credits Available to Farmers for Water, Soil Quality Investments The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for tax credits through the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) program for agricultural producers who implement best management practices or purchase equipment to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff, which enhances soil and improves the quality of Pennsylvania’s waterways. A total of $13 million is available to fund the tax credits. Recipients can combine the credits with other state funding, including the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Chesapeake Bay Program or Conservation Excellence Grants. Farmers may receive REAP tax credits of 50% to [...]

Coal Waste Pile Work to Begin After two years of planning and preliminary work, the Kerbaugh Refuse Pile Project will begin in 2022. Funding is available through a grant program administered by the Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Mines and is intended to cleanup legacy coal waste sites. The project will address up to 22 acres of what DEP calls Priority 2 Dangerous Pile Embankment (DPE) abandoned coal refuse in Antis Township, a short distance from the Little Juniata River south of Bellwood  Borough. Much of the tree cover was removed in 2020 and the remainder will taken down this [...]

New Construction Projected for 2023 Planning for the long-awaited Logan Valley Streetcar Trail has continued through the second half of 2021 and early 2022. Seemingly minor right-of-way and stormwater issues with Norfolk Southern Railroad has been the primary source of the construction delay, originally projected for late 2021 or early 2022. Design of the trail is complete, but funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) cannot be released, and bids solicited, until the last details are finalized with the railroad. The township solicitor, township staff, and the township's consulting engineers have all been working toward resolution of the last few [...]

Douglas Brown was named Township Manager in early autumn and began work on October 11th. With a Business degree from Penn State and a Accounting degree from Saint Francis University, his studies focused on financial services, management, and marketing. Doug brings considerable experience in financial management, also having spent the previous nine years at Northwest Bank, most recently as an Assistant Vice President for Business Banking in State College. He lives in Antis Township with his wife and two children.