Palmyra Borough reviews Subsurface and Stormwater Investigation Report

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

At the Aug. 25 meeting, Palmyra Borough Council welcomed Dr. William Seaton, senior hydrogeologist at ARM Group LLC, who summarized the Subsurface and Stormwater Investigation Report for council and community members.

Seaton said Palmyra Borough features fractured limestone, with limestone being the first cause of sinkholes and leaking utilities (water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater conveyance lines) a close second. Seaton added that the borough is also located within a sinkhole belt that runs from eastern Pennsylvania through southcentral Pennsylvania to the Maryland border.

Seaton’s presentation described the water cycle within the borough, which features 42 inches of average annual precipitation, of which 21.4 inches (51%) evaporate or are absorbed by plants, 6.7 inches (16%) are runoff, and 13.9 inches (33%) are groundwater.

Seaton explained other concepts, such as topographic changes, watershed divides like the one that runs vertically through the center of the borough, watersheds like the Killinger Creek Watershed (east side) and Spring Creek Watershed (west side), subwatersheds, injection wells, the impact of Millard Quarry, surface water, ground water, and more.

Seaton’s presentation identified areas of concern within the borough, which included South Grant Street near the Cherry Street grouting and within the breakline area, East Cherry Street within the breakline area, South Locust Street near the Palmyra Area Middle School, and southeast Palmyra near the Forge Road Elementary School, including East Walnut Street, South Franklin Street, East Cypress Street, and Sandalwood Drive.

Seaton said the report can help the borough budget for potential issues and help engineers remediate sinkholes and other issues underground. He added that the borough can use the report to increase transparency with sellers, current owners, and buyers of property within higher risk zones within the borough.

During public comment, Greg and Maddie Reed of Palmyra separately took to the mic to criticize the borough’s plans for a “Welcome to Palmyra” sign and to suggest those funds be used to make the borough more presentable.

Greg Reed asked council if they will add a small sign underneath “Welcome to Palmyra” that says “the trashiest borough in the county.” He listed overgrown grass, motorcycles parked on curbs and walkways, and maintenance needed at Memorial Park. Maddie Reed added that maintenance is needed at the municipal property.

Mayor Tom Miller agreed and further criticized council’s lack of discussion on areas of concern. “I’ve driven around this town a lot, and I see it crumbling as well. I hope the council recognizes that and will take that into consideration. … It didn’t used to happen a few years ago, but it’s certainly happening now.”

Assistant borough manager Brenda Pera also agreed. She said council has taken the office staff from seven people to six, and as of January 2027, to five.

“You’re stripping your staff to nothing,” said Pera. “I understand that you don’t want to raise taxes, but you have a responsibility to this community to meet the needs. And right now, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, you’re not meeting them.”

Pera said they should maintain a sixth person and that person should be a zoning officer, because codes enforcement officer William Garber II is currently serving as a zoning officer — even with RETTEW serving as assistant zoning officer. She said she will put a zoning officer in the budget and will leave it up to council to remove it.

On a semi-related note, council unanimously approved vice president Marcus Riddell’s proposal for the formation of a borough code modernization committee, including himself and councilwomen Beth Shearer and Nancy Fleegle. The committee will update outdated portions of the borough code and bring suggested changes to council for approval.

In other news, council unanimously voted to:

• Approve the Aug. 11 meeting minutes, approve the payment of the borough’s bills, and approve the treasurer’s report.
• Approve the financial report; fire department/EMS report, which included being in the process of switching over to a new system called First Due; library report, which included over $18,000 raised by the fund drive to date and over $14,000 raised by the book sale — the second-highest amount raised in the book sale’s history; police report; recreation commission report, which included working with the Western Lebanon County Regional Emergency Management Agency for event planning; solicitor’s report, which included a case management hearing for the eminent domain case with 310-312 E. Cherry St. at the Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas on Sept. 2; zoning and codes enforcement report; and borough manager’s report, which included “the end of a dynasty” through the final sales of the orange borough vehicles and equipment and a renewed fleet of all-white vehicles and equipment.
• Grant a 30-day extension for the review of the Jonathan and Sarah Wyse Lot add-on plan for 321 S. Horstick Ave., moving the expiration date of Oct. 19 to Nov. 18.

Palmyra Borough Council will meet next on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m, at 325 S. Railroad St. Meetings are also streamed on the Palmyra Borough, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania YouTube page.