Palmyra Borough moves forward with pump station relocation plans

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

Palmyra Borough Council on Feb. 10 authorized the borough engineer to issue a notice of intent to award a contract to two low bidders to relocate pump station three. 

The general construction contract went to PSI Pumping Solutions Inc. for $624,500, and the electrical contract went to ElectraTech Services LLC for $150,700. Brenda Pera, who was appointed as interim borough manager, said the money will come from the special sewer fund.

Pera said the pump station was in the middle of a field before Hillwood built a warehouse, and the company agreed to move the pump station if it ever expanded the facility. In the meantime, the borough updated its other pump stations to newer facilities. Hillwood then sold the warehouse and nullified the original contract, she said.

“We’ve added more years to PS3, and it isn’t getting any younger,” Pera said via email after the meeting. “The inner workings of the PS are not compatible with the rest of our PS’s. Therefore, it’s time to move it, build a new PS that will have similar equipment as our others.”

She said there isn’t a timeline for the pump station’s relocation at this point. Following the intent to award letters, the borough and engineer will work with the contractors to develop a construction schedule.

Now-retired borough manager Roger Powl told council at the Jan. 27 meeting that the project will cost about $1.3 million.

In other business, council:

• Heard from three residents who expressed dissatisfaction with the borough’s snow removal following January’s storm. Councilman Marcus Riddell made a motion for a 60-day review of snow removal operations, including staffing, equipment, routes, communications, and response procedures, with the findings to be presented to council after the 60 days. Pera said the borough already has snow removal operations that she can pass along. She said they were last updated in 2009 and could use another refresh.
• Heard from council president Denver Wilson that he is creating a committee to fill the borough manager position. Wilson, Nancy Fleegle, and Matthew Andrews will be on the committee, with Riddell serving as alternate. “We owe him some gratitude for his dependable leadership and wish him the best in his retirement,” Wilson said.

Palmyra Borough Council will meet next at 325 S. Railroad St. on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. Meetings are streamed on the Palmyra Borough, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania YouTube page.