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Jonestown Borough Council approved uses for its remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds during its Oct. 1 meeting.
The borough has about $58,000 in ARPA resources remaining and will use about $20,000 to pay Columbia Excavating for an ongoing park project. The rest will go toward putting up flashing crosswalk lights and lights for when the fire truck crosses through town.
The crosswalk lights will go on both sides of the road and will flash when a pedestrian is standing ready to cross the street — like Annville currently has. Council president Tom Keefer said there will be four sets at the square, one set at King and Market streets, and one set at Broad and Market streets.
Keefer said the total price for the project will be $60,989.50 and will utilize $10,000 from a Marcellus Shale grant.
ARPA funds need to be designated by the end of 2024 and used by the end of 2026, according to state budget resources that say the borough received over $212,000.
The lights will be put up in 2025 when Market Street’s curb bump-outs and curb extensions are worked on.
Councilmembers approved the motion unanimously, but vice president Rick Kline said there are several more streets in the area that would benefit from flashing crosswalk lights.
“I find that I can hit more people crossing at the Buck,” Kline said. “In fact, I almost hit some lady the other day because there was a truck sitting at the corner and I didn’t see her at the crosswalk.”
Keefer said council could purchase more lights later, but he wanted to designate the remaining ARPA funds before the end of the year.
Council also discussed a decision to reject the proposed Founders Park design.
Keefer said council members took issue with the proposed parking lot and the required upkeep.
In a provided list of objectives for the park, top priorities included “functionality, flexibility and beautification.” The borough is seeking an additional $2,500 from Chesapeake Bay Trust to “revise and simplify the design.”
“It just wasn’t Jonestown, we felt,” Keefer said. “We could maybe relook at it to simplify things a little bit more and move the parking lot away from where they wanted to put it.”
In other business, council:
- Approved the first reading of the 2025 budget. Keefer said expected revenue and expenses are both around $500,000. He said he doesn’t anticipate needing to raise taxes at this point, but there are several more budget meetings before everything is finalized.
- Approved a $12,500 donation to the Northern Lebanon Fire and Emergency Services.
Jonestown Borough Council will have its next regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 6 at 295 S. Mill St.
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