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Douglas Shade was appointed and sworn in as a Richland Borough Council member at the Aug. 11 meeting.
Borough secretary and managing treasurer Rebecca Schnoke completed the swearing in due to Mayor Owen Landes’ absence. Schnoke is authorized as a notary public to administer the oath of office.
Shade takes the place of former council member Shawn Watrous, who moved out of the borough. Council president Kelly Bricker said Shade’s term will continue through 2027.
Township engineer Casey Kerschner of HRG said they are in the process of searching for a cellphone provider for the new elevated water storage tank. A groundbreaking ceremony for that project took place July 25, with construction expected to begin later this year.
On Aug. 5, HRG, Keystone, and TriStar representatives met at Well No. 9 to confirm communication systems between the well, reservoir, and SIM cards are functioning properly.
Water samples at the site continue to fail the bacteriological test (Bac-T). Kerschner said Kinsley Construction took apart the contact pipe and flushed it in July. After doing so, the requisite water samples passed with the exception of Bac-T.
Kerschner said they have been in communication with Kinsley regarding chlorine content and ensuring nothing in the well is contaminating pipes leading to the reservoir.
A pressure switch and transducer still need to be installed for the well to be fully operational. Kerschner said the transducer was expected to arrive and be installed Aug. 12, and no arrival date had been confirmed for the pressure switch.
In other business:
- Bricker thanked members of Neptune Fire Company and all those involved for their heroic efforts on Aug. 1 in rescuing the driver of a construction truck that came to rest on the railroad tracks following a vehicle collision. Firefighters Daulton Faust and Kevin Kepley and bystander Rory Righter removed the trapped driver from the truck approximately 16 seconds before it was struck by a freight train. Bricker said plans are in the works to honor individuals involved in the rescue with an official proclamation of heroism, with a date and location to be determined.
- Council approved a resolution authorizing a grant application for the state Municipal Assistance Program.
- Walnut Street is scheduled to be tar and chipped between Aug. 19 and 21, depending upon weather.
- The railroad crossing intersection will be closed to traffic for three to five days sometime between Aug. 19 and 28, when Norfolk-Southern replaces the rail and completes paving restoration work.
- PennDOT did not approve a request for a multi-way stop at the intersection of Elm and Chestnut.
- Council approved a request from Womelsdorf Borough for fire police assistance on Aug. 30 at the Ride for Freedom. The motorcycle ride, designed to promote awareness for prisoners of war and those still missing in action, begins at the Reading Motorcycle Club and concludes at Reading City Park with a remembrance ceremony.
Richland Borough Council will meet next on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. in the borough building at 5 Pine St., Richland. Meetings are open to the public.
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