With only one item on its agenda, Lebanon City Council’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 28, promised to be quick and uneventful, maybe even a little dull.
In its lone piece of official business, council unanimously approved a resolution supporting the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquencentennial’s observance of the 250th anniversary of American independence. The year-long, statewide celebration in 2026 will be officially known as America250PA.
Lebanon County’s America250PA organization met last month with County Commissioners, who gave their support to the celebration. So, it was no surprise that City Council, without objection, passed a similar resolution Tuesday evening.
Read More: County commissioners asked to help celebrate U.S.A.’s 250th birthday
That appeared to end the matter, until council chair Joseph Morales mentioned that the city will be required, as part of the 2026 festivities, to open a time capsule buried in Coleman Memorial Park as part of the city’s 1976 Bicentennial celebration.
The city knows where it’s buried, Morales explained, but no one remembers the combination or where it might be stored.
“We have a time capsule out at Coleman Memorial Park that we are required to open,” Morales said. Unfortunately, he continued, “there’s a combination to that time capsule, and we have no idea what that combination is.”
Morales added that “we have a news article from 1976 that states that the instructions for what we are to do with the contents, and the combination, was given to a bank, Lebanon County Trust, which is no longer with us.”
A newspapers.com search located a June 5, 1976 article in the Lebanon Daily News stating “the combination to the capsule, as well as a list of its contents and instructions for it to be opened in 50 years, will be placed in the care of the Lebanon County Trust Co.”
After some discussion, it was agreed that Lebanon County Trust Co., through a series of bank mergers, probably ended up as part of Wells Fargo Bank.
If the combination isn’t found by 2026, “we’ll just, I guess, have to have a hacksaw or something,” Morales joked.
City finance update for first third of 2024
As she does every month, Mayor Sherry Capello updated council on the city’s financial status. Through April 30, with the year 33% complete, she reported that revenues and expenses are at 47% and 26%, respectively, of 2024 budget projections.
Camps for city’s kids set for this summer
At last Thursday’s pre-council meeting, director of administration Melissa Quinones briefed council on a number of youth camps set for this summer, all of which are free to city children ages 6 through 12. Out-of-city kids can sign up for $20.
Read More: City departments organize several educational summer youth camps
- The city will hold its sixth annual Nature Camp on Tuesday through Thursday, June 25-27, 9 a.m. to noon, at Stoever’s Dam Nature Barn. “The nature camp utilizes an outdoor, hands-on approach to provide science education for children,” Quinones said. 17 children had signed up for 30 available slots as of last Thursday.
- The city will sponsor its inaugural Recycling Mini-camp on Monday, July 1, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Optimist building in Southwest Park. According to Quinones, the program will “educate children in the importance of recycling and the benefits it has on the environment.” 13 kids had signed up as of last Thursday.
- Firefighter for a Day mini-camp will be held on Friday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Optimist building. Quinones said the camp will concentrate on “fire safety education, which involves the importance of having a fire escape plan, simple tips to follow to prevent fires, hands-on activities, and an interactive inflatable house.” 20 children had signed up as of last Thursday.
- City police will hold a Detective for a Day mini-camp on Friday, July 26, from 10 a.m. to noon at at the Optimist building. “City detectives will have activities that teach children the skills and methods used by detectives to solve crimes, which include fingerprints and other fun investigative activities,” Quinones told council. 23 children had signed up as of last Thursday.
Children can be enrolled in any of the camps by completing a form posted on the city’s web page.
Next Lebanon City Council meetings
City Council’s next pre-council planning meeting will be on Thursday, June 20, at 4:45 p.m. The next regular monthly council meeting will be on Monday, June 24, at 6:30 p.m.
City Council meetings are open to the public. They are held in the City Hall multi-purpose room, 735 Cumberland St., first floor, Lebanon.
Meetings are also streamed live on YouTube, here.
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