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Amidst routine end-of-year business, Myerstown Borough Council’s Dec. 9 meeting was weighted with the knowledge that four of seven council members will not return in January.
Terms expired this year for council president Park Haverstick, president pro tem Ronald Ream, and council members Samuel Moyer and Kathy Yang. Haverstick, Ream, and Moyer lost the Republican primary in May, while Yang did not run for reelection.
Newly elected council members Daniel Ebling, Todd Kahl, Matt Mulvaney, and Bradley Kahl, who ran together as Conservative Republican candidates, will take office at council’s January reorganization meeting.
Ebling, a regular attendee of council meetings and founder of the Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity, thanked outgoing council members during public comment.
“I just wanted to say thank you to the four of yous, Park, Sam, Kathy, and Ron, for all the service to the public over the past many years,” said Ebling.
Ebling also requested that the borough host a public outreach town hall. Haverstick said the new council can schedule a meeting and appropriate funds for it in the new year.
At December’s meeting, council unanimously agreed to approve drafted general fund, special funds, and wastewater budgets for 2026, with no deficits or tax/millage increases planned. However, the new council will be able to reopen the budget to make changes if they agree to do so in January.
In other end-of-year business, council:
- Unanimously agreed to approve 2026 meeting dates for council, work sessions, zoning hearing board, planning commission, recreation board, Myerstown Water Authority, and sewer advisory committee.
- Unanimously approved a proposal from Jones & Co. for auditing services for 2025 following the retirement of the previous auditor, with a three-year term starting at $18,000, and unanimously approved a resolution to appoint the auditor.
- Unanimously approved a Professional Services Agreement with RETTEW for engineering services.
- Unanimously approved a resolution establishing real estate and street light tax rates, which are not set to change in the new year.
- Unanimously agreed to a resolution authorizing routine disposition of records.
- Unanimously approved a routine escalation clause resolution, establishing that the borough is willing to pay slight adjustments for contracted services.
- Unanimously approved a resolution authorizing borough fund depositories, with no changes planned.
- Unanimously approved an amended agreement with the Humane Society of Lebanon County to pay $50 per animal for up to four stray dogs over 2026.
- Unanimously approved lease renewal agreements with Modern Gent Hat Co. and Mission Church, with rent increases attributed to electric increases.
Haverstick’s final address
Following a brief executive session to discuss lease renewals and personnel matters, outgoing president Haverstick made a public address regarding his 14 years on council.
In an emotional speech, Haverstick said he stands by his efforts on council over the years.
“While some major goals alluded us, I believe that we made every effort to accomplish what we could, and I believe that overall, we are leaving Myerstown in a better place than we started,” he said. “And that should, in my opinion, be the goal of every council person.”
He listed one high point as the receipt of a $1.5 million grant to purchase and renovate the community center. The center, he said, is now filled to capacity.
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“When we had the public meeting to discuss the purchase of this building, one of my first big meetings ages ago, I’m not afraid to admit that I was a little worried that the dream wouldn’t work,” said Haverstick.
He also referenced a $1.2 million DCNR grant to renovate the community pool.
“For those of us that were on council at the time, I think there was a lot of fear that we wouldn’t be able to sustain the pool and that its closure would be imminent,” said Haverstick. “But we took the right steps, and we secured the grant, kept the pool alive.”
Haverstick said council twice refinanced a sewer debt service loan, obtained grants to support infrastructure, and “consistently passed fiscally responsible budgets with zero deficits and minimum tax hikes.”
Tearing up, Haverstick thanked borough employees by name, saying that “none of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for our amazing staff.”
Haverstick described local government as “thankless but necessary,” saying that officials are rarely praised but often criticized (though he said that was how it should be). He said local government, though having the least power of government levels, has the most one-on-one time with constituents, hearing and addressing concerns.
“None of us did this for fame, fortune, or power – because there is none,” he said. “We did it because we care about this town. I think that we believe that Myerstown is great, and we just wanted to make our effort to make it a little bit better. That’s where we grew up, where we work, raise our families. It’s a special place, and we all want to see it thrive for a long time, and we always tried to make the best decisions for this town with all the information and resources we had available.
“I want to finish by saying that it has been an honor and a privilege to serve this town and to have served along all of you. I’ve made a lot of friends, created a number of critics along the way, had some intense arguments, and also had a lot of laughs. But most importantly I still got a lot of joy in a very small role that I played trying to make this town a better place for everyone who lives here, and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve all of you and with you.”
Though Haverstick typically sought motions and seconds from other council members, he closed his final meeting by making a motion to adjourn.
In other news, council:
- Unanimously approved minutes, payment of bills, and reports.
- Unanimously agreed to apply for $498,200 in Local Share Assessment Grant funds to upgrade electric facilities in the community center.
- Discussed revisions to the proposed South Railroad Street Curb design, though no formal action was taken.
- Unanimously agreed to release the remaining escrow of $181.85 for 701 S. Railroad St.
- Unanimously authorized the purchase of two decorative lantern replacement heads, not to exceed $700, out of the street lighting budget.
- Discussed the purchase of a used 2021 John Deer Gator TS 4×2 for $8,500, but opted to delay action until next year (with funds budgeted for the purchase in 2026).
- Unanimously approved an hourly wage increase for Brooke Moyer upon completion of her probationary period.
Myerstown Borough Council meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.
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