Finances and roads were the focus of Lebanon City Council’s Aug. 26 monthly meeting.
Resolutions passed
Council unanimously passed three resolutions.
The first approved the 2024 action plan to spend $703,277 of Community Development Block Grant funds received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The amount is $11,270 less than the city received in 2023. CDBG money can be applied to a broad variety of community needs.
This year’s CDGB money will be allocated as follows:
- Police and crime prevention in low income areas – $100,000
- Street improvements in low income areas – $253,277
- Housing rehab and home buyer assistance – $80,000
- Code enforcement in low income areas – $130,000
- General administration – $140,000
In a second resolution, the city accepted a “deed of dedication” from Quartz Creek Holdings LLC for a .007-acre sliver of land at the corner of 10th and Maple streets. Quartz Creek is the developer of the former Northwest Elementary School building at that location. The deed creates a public right-of-way that will create a wider turning radius for traffic at the intersection.
A third resolution passed by council authorized Mayor Sherry Capello to sign a five-year Winter Traffic Services Agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. PennDOT will reimburse the city for salting and plowing two small portions of Cumberland Street and South 5th Avenue that straddle the city and South Lebanon Township.
Reimbursement to the city for maintenance costs for other state roads in the city comes from state liquid fuels tax receipts, Capello said.
Firefighters’ pension amendment ordinance gets preliminary approval
On first reading, council passed an ordinance amending the paid firefighters’ pension plan. An arbitrator’s award with the firefighters’ union ruled that firefighters can retire, pension eligible, with 20 years of service, regardless of age. The same arbitrator’s award held that firefighters who have entered the city’s Deferred Retirement Option Plan are not eligible for cost of living adjustments.
The ordinance updates the firefighters’ pension agreement accordingly, and will only take effect if passed a second time next month.
Mayor’s report
In other city business, Capello reported that through July 31, with the year 58% complete, city receipts and expenditures were at 74% and 45%, respectively, of annual budget projections.
Capello also urged city residents to be aware of West Nile virus and the need to ensure that their properties are free of standing and stagnant water.
Next Lebanon City Council meetings
City Council’s next pre-council planning meeting will be on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 4:45 p.m. The next regular monthly council meeting will be on Monday, Sept. 23, 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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