Millcreek Township to pursue Quality of Life ordinance for adoption in December

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At its monthly meeting Wednesday, the Millcreek Township Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to direct its solicitor to begin drafting a Quality of Life ordinance, with adoption expected in December.

The township recently adopted the International Property Maintenance Code and appointed a code enforcement official with Commonwealth Code Services, following difficulties enforcing its old property maintenance code. Since then, Karen Brown of Commonwealth Code Services has worked toward addressing outstanding violations in the township, explained solicitor Andrew Morrow.

However, residents have complained that many issues have not yet been resolved, with common complaints including overgrown lawns and use of yards to store junk (including vehicles). They say some of these issues went on for years before the township had a code enforcement official, and they are anxious to see progress.

Morrow reached out to Brown, he said, who explained that the Property Maintenance Code involves a fairly drawn out process and can take a while to resolve for residents unwilling to address the issue without a court hearing.

A Quality of Life ordinance, Morrow explained, would also be enforceable by Brown and would operate in conjunction with the International Property Maintenance Code. It would allow the code enforcement official to ticket residents for outdoor violations such as tall grass or storage of junk cars.

Supervisors expect the ordinance to be ready for advertisement in November and hope to adopt in December.

As they enter budget season, supervisors also hope to hear more feedback from residents on the possibility of instituting a fire tax and/or incentive program.

A fire tax would be a separate item added onto local taxes, and would be measured in mills. These funds would go toward fire department expenses including equipment.

An incentive program would create financial incentives for fire department volunteers. This is in response to difficulty finding volunteers and an aging volunteer base, an issue faced by police departments throughout the area.

In other news, supervisors:

• Unanimously approved a contract with American Rock salt for $92 per ton, a $3.96 increase from last year.
• Unanimously approved the use of Memorial Park by Newmanstown United Christian Church for a community outreach event Sept. 28.
• Unanimously acknowledged the 2026 MMOs of $49,782 for uniform employees and $8,431 for non-uniform employees.
• Unanimously approved a Trick-or-Treat date of Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Unanimously approved a request from Myerstown Borough for fire police assistance for its annual holiday parade.
• Heard from the police department that a new taser system would cost around $7,000 and a new vehicle/upfitting would cost around $70,000, with no immediate requests. Supervisors asked to consider these items as they enter budget season.
• Heard that the township is looking into Municipal Assistance Program funding for reviews to the township’s zoning ordinance, and that the township’s comprehensive plan was last updated in the 1970s.
• Held an executive session to discuss the Henry family and damage to White Swan Park, ultimately announcing that they no longer plan to pursue the matter.
• Unanimously approved a new 200 AMP service for the new salt shed for $3,700.
• Unanimously approved minutes and reports.

Millcreek Township Board of Supervisors meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.