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Lebanon City Council needed just 21 minutes to dispose of a short February agenda at last night’s monthly meeting. There was no business requiring a council vote.
Mayor Sherry Capello told council that she has appointed police officer Travis Pidcock to the city’s police pension fund board. He will fill the unexpired term of Steven Bord, who recently retired after 38 years on the police force. Pidcock’s term expires on Jan. 5, 2026.
Capello also reported that she has reappointed Lebanon County treasurer Sallie Neuin to another five-year term on the city’s land bank, effective Feb. 9. Neuin has served since the land bank’s creation in 2017.
Pennsylvania land banks were created to help municipalities return vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties to productive use.
Through the end of January, with 8 percent of the budget year complete, revenues and expenses were at 4 percent and 8 percent, respectively, of 2025 annual projections, according to the mayor.
The revenue lag is expected early each year because real estate tax bills don’t go out until March. Property taxes make up about 27 percent of annual revenue, Capello said.
The mayor also gave a brief update on some long-awaited recreational projects.
Columbia Excavation has been selected to build the city’s dog park at Coleman Park, which is expected to open in late June.
“This will be the first dog park in our county,” Capello said. “It’s going to have two separate areas, one for large dogs, one for small dogs.”
Read More: Lebanon city solicits bids for dog park at Coleman Memorial Park; first in county
The conversion of Coleman Park tennis courts to pickleball courts is on track. Requests for bids will go out on Feb. 26, and Capello expects the project to be completed by the end of summer.
Capello concluded by summarizing the progress of ongoing playground and trail improvements.
Hearing held last week on how to spend federal block grant money
Last Thursday’s pre-council planning meeting was preceded by a public hearing seeking input on how to spend 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money. No members of the public attended or spoke.
According to Janelle Groh, the city’s community and economic development administrator, the city expects to receive about $650,000 from the program this year, and another roughly $20,000 in income generated by the funds.
The city has prepared a public survey that has been sent to about 2,700 people and businesses on its email list, and made it available online (PDF) or at City Hall. The deadline to answer the survey is March 7.
Community organizations seeking CDBG money must submit applications no later than 4 p.m. Friday, April 25. Application forms are available online or at City Hall.
The city has used CDBG funds in years past for street and water main improvements, affordable housing, crime prevention, code enforcement, playground projects, and general administration.
Groh said the city expects to submit this year’s CDBG application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development around July 1st.
Read More: Lebanon seeking public’s input on where to spend federal block grant money
Next council meetings
Council’s next pre-council planning meeting will be on Thursday, March 20, at 4:45 p.m. The next regular monthly meeting will be on Monday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. Both meetings are open to the public and will be held in the City Hall multi-purpose room, 735 Cumberland St., first floor, Lebanon.
Meetings are also streamed live on the Lebanon PA City Council YouTube page.
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