Myerstown Borough Council seeks applicants for vacant council seat

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Following the resignation of councilwoman Stacey Hackman, Myerstown Borough Council is looking for letters of interest from residents who wish to serve the remainder of her term.

Council unanimously accepted her resignation at its monthly meeting Feb. 10, a roughly three-hour meeting not counting an hour-long executive session.

The vacancy will be filled by vote of council, and the appointee will serve out the remainder of Hackman’s term, which ends in January 2028. At that time, the appointee may run for reelection for a four-year term.

Council president Daniel Ebling said the borough will accept letters of interest and resumes (optional) until March 3 and will hold interviews for candidates during council’s regular meeting March 10.

This comes after four out of seven council seats were filled by new members after the 2025 municipal election, with three prior members being voted out in the Republican primary.

In other news, council announced that, following debate as to whether to replace solicitor Amy Leonard of Henry & Beaver, they have chosen to remain with Leonard for the rest of the year. The matter was discussed during a roughly four-hour work session on Jan. 28. Minutes for that meeting have not yet been finalized.

Council discussed representation on the Lebanon County Tax Collection Committee (TCC), which has been selected by Jackson Township for several terms on behalf of Eastern Lebanon County School District municipalities.

Jackson officials, Leonard reported, were unaware they were selecting a representative for other municipalities until it was recently brought to their attention that their selection must be ratified.

As the term is about to start, other ELCO municipalities have been asked to approve the selection of Thomas Houtz as primary municipal voting delegate and Warren Weaver as alternate, which council did unanimously.

However, Leonard said she has opened discussion with other solicitors on possible plans for future terms to balance representation between ELCO municipalities.

She noted that Cornwall-Lebanon School District municipalities operate based on an intermunicipal agreement that rotates voting delegates and alternates each term, to give each municipality equal time on the TCC. She said this is an option, but not the only one, and that all municipalities have indicated they are open to discussing how delegates be appointed in the future.

Council held extended discussion on Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity events and approvals. The charity is headed by Daniel Ebling in honor of his late grandfather and hosts events in the borough including an annual carnival, a summer concert series, and Christmas in the Park.

Council vice president Bradley Kahl asked whether he and brother Todd Kahl should abstain from votes on charity events, as they run a food business that has set up at the carnival and other charity events and hope to set up at future events.

Leonard said the answer is complicated, and depends whether the Kahls have been promised prioritization in vendor selection that could be tied to their vote. Bradley said they fill out an application like the other vendors and have not been offered special approval.

Ebling said that, last year, the only vendors who were rejected applied after the application window.

Following further discussion, the Kahls opted to abstain from the vote alongside Ebling (who abstained due to running the charity) to avoid possible issues down the line. Councilmen Matthew Mulvaney, Mark Kirsch, and Bryan Rittle voted to approve the charity’s 2026 event calendar at the Myerstown Recreation Area subject to requirements including an agreed-upon facilities use agreement.

Council did not take action on a proposed facilities use and municipal services agreement, as Leonard has not had a chance to review it. Ebling questioned utility repayment requirements, noting that the charity’s events (which began last year) have not yet made a profit and fees will make it harder to put on events. He said the charity would voluntarily repay utilities if a profit is made.

“I want to be clear on this; these events are for the community, it’s not for the charity to make profit and put in my pockets,” said Ebling. “I put a lot of money of my own, a lot of my time of my own, to give this to the community, and I wouldn’t expect the borough to say, ‘You gotta pay us to have a community event that you’re going to lose money on anyways.'”

Bradley questioned whether the contract might be too hard on a new charity, and asked whether other organizations had similar requirements. Rittle said that other events also require approvals and other fees where applicable, adding when questioned that the block party receives electricity donated by a property owner, not from the borough.

Leonard said that other events and space rentals require use of facility forms. Council directed Leonard to examine the draft agreement, compare it to use of facility agreements, and offer counsel on appropriate next steps at a future meeting.

Council also unanimously approved the following use of facility requests:

• Lebanon County Children & Youth, a youth-only fishing event at the recreation area pond and lower west pavilion at no cost, April 18, contingent upon receipt of documents.
• Evonne Zimmerman, a “Mommy Swap Shop” at the community center gym March 26-28 and Oct. 1-3 for $25 per day, contingent upon receipt of documents.
• Myerstown Community Library, annual book sale at community center Oct. 15-17, contingent upon receipt of documents.
• State Rep. Russ Diamond’s office, use of borough meeting room the third Wednesday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. starting in March to meet with constituents.

Council also unanimously approved the scope of work for the borough’s 2026 roadway projects and authorized the engineer and borough manager to solicit bids. Contracts are as follows:

• Contract one: paving, milling and preparation from South Railroad Street from Richland Avenue to railroad tracks, as well as Valentine, Monroe, and Walborn alleys. The contract includes traffic calming speed tables on Locust Street from West Main to West Maple.
• Contract two: surface treatment for Valentine, Monroe, and Walborn alleys.
• Contract three: line striping and pavement markings, including on all PennDOT intersections and piano crosswalks at the Main and Railroad and Main and Locust intersections.

In other news, council:

• Heard the borough was the recipient of a $352,256 Pennsylvania Small Water and Sewer grant for a main interceptor lining project. Including a 15% borough match, project costs are expected to total $414,419.

• Unanimously agreed to direct Leonard to draft an ordinance to restrict parking on East Richland Avenue between 616 S. Railroad St. and Walnut Alley, as has been recommended by a PennDOT LTAP study. A resident voiced concerns with the ordinance, saying she is handicapped, has been through multiple surgeries, and will struggle to make it to her home if she cannot park along the street. Ebling agreed to meet with her to further discuss the issue, though council noted they are not yet passing the ordinance and there will be future opportunities for public comment. At the earliest, the ordinance could go into effect in April.
• Unanimously approved the surpassing of the budgeted amount for eligible educational trainings for elected officials, in particular paid (but discounted due to borough membership) Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs trainings. Ebling has requested to attend multiple PSAB trainings in 2026, both free and at cost, including a three-day police civil services training for $75 this month. Rittle called the cost “money well spent” in response to a resident question, noting that the budget is low due to usual low council interest in trainings.
• Thanked the road crew for its efforts during snow this winter, in particular after around a foot of snow on Jan. 25. They discussed the difficulty enforcing snow emergency requirements that residents not park along borough roads without a police department, and finding a towing company willing and able to work during snow emergencies.
• Unanimously approved a COSTARS cooperative purchasing contract with Moser Roofing for roof repairs at the public works highway garage not to exceed $24,620.
• Unanimously accepted the resignation of Coby Long from the borough’s Uniform Construction Code Board of Appeals and International Property Maintenance Code Board of Appeals.
• Unanimously agreed to direct Leonard to draft an amendment to the Uniformed Pension Plan Ordinance addressing current compliance requirements.
• Unanimously approved Myerstown Community Pool rates to remain the same as in 2025, aside from an after 5 p.m. admission rate of $5.
• Heard that the borough has received a thank-you letter from the Union Kanaal Grundsau Lodsch for support of the annual Uni Float. Ebling asked whether the borough donated to the event, and borough manager Michael McKenna said the thanks was due to council approval and borough labor clearing the parking lot of Myerstown Recreation Park in advance of the event.

• Unanimously approved a $250 sponsorship for the Lebanon County America250PA Independence Day Parade July 3, to be held in Jonestown Borough, and approve borough participation in the parade.
• Tabled action on the USPS ground lease renewal for 120 W. Jefferson Ave.
• Unanimously approved reports and minutes.

Following a roughly one-hour executive session, council unanimously approved maintaining Myerstown Community Pool seasonal wage rates from last year, aside from a 50-cent increase for lifeguards and managers and a $1 increase for Michael Wagner following completion of his probationary period.

Myerstown Borough Council holds its voting session the second Tuesday of each month and a work session the fourth Wednesday of each month. These meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.

Council will also host a forum at the community center at 12 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, to discuss options for police coverage in the borough and hear from residents on the issue.