Millheim Borough Newsletter – April 2022
Introduction
This is the Spring newsletter for 2022. Borough Council meetings are open to the public and are held at 7:00 PM on the second Tuesday of each month. This year the Council has also scheduled additional meetings on the third Friday of each month at 8:30 AM. The Friday meetings will only be held if business on the Tuesday evening agenda cannot be completed. Although meetings are open to the public, only Borough residents and Borough property owners are able to make comments, unless prior approval is obtained. The meetings are held at the Borough Building, which is located at 225 East Main Street. The meeting dates are listed on the recently updated Borough website at www.millheimborough.net. A copy of the minutes can be seen on the Borough website or at the Borough Secretary’s office.
Community Events
There are so many upcoming events in our community! At the most recent meeting, Council approved the following:
Triathlon benefitting the pool
Fireman’s parade
Route 45 Getaways
Millheim Walkfest
Keep an eye out for what our local businesses are also sponsoring throughout the upcoming spring and summer months – we’ll do our best to also share their events on our Facebook page. Council is also considering a community picnic for Millheim residents. Over the last several years the Borough has invested in much needed infrastructure improvements that are vital to the community, but the people who live here are just as important as roads and bridges. Council will be exploring various options and logistics to have a picnic of some variety for residents along the lines of old celebrations from years past.
Want updates on what’s happening? Email us at millheim@verizon.net to get added to our email list!
Tax News
Millheim Borough council repealed the Per Capita Tax with the passing of Ordinance 270 at the November 9, 2021 council meeting.
Kathy Highbaugh,our Millheim Borough Tax Collector, will hold spring hours in the Millheim Borough Office at 225 E. Main Street. The hours are as follows:
April 19, 20, and 21st 6 to 8pm
April 26, 27, and 28th 6 to 8pm
Also Saturday, April 30th 10am to 12 noon.
Borough Improvements and Grants
After administrative delays from the state along with high bids pushing back our Park Road project, we are pleased to let the community know that it will start moving forward this month with completion before or by mid-July. Also, PennDOT expects to begin work on Penn Street around the race this spring or early summer. We will keep the community informed as we get more details from the state.
Earlier this year, the Borough received a grant for $404,000 from the Department of Community and Economic Development to add an equalizer tank and replace filter membranes at the sewer plant. The Borough is working with the engineer on quotes and we feel confident that the grant funding should fully cover project costs.
Council has approved the use of American Rescue Plan Funds to replace the dam weir and filter plant screen on our water system in the summer or fall of this year. A grant application was also made for a competitive state program to finance the replacement of the raw water line that runs from the dam to Rt. 445 that was originally installed in 1905 – a decision should be made by the state in the fall of this year.
Spring Cleanup Collection Dates
Brush Cleanup will be April 18th to the 22nd.
Leaf Cleanup will be April 25th to April 29th.
Please refer to the enclosed notices:
Please note brush pickup is only for small branches and limbs. Branches must be less than 4 inches in diameter. Brush and limbs should be neatly stacked beside a named road for easy access for the Borough employees. If a Borough resident cut down a tree simply to remove the tree, Borough employees will not pick up the branches, limbs, or trunk.
Collected brush must be available for pick up on Monday, April 18th by 7am.
Collected leaves must be available for pick up on Monday, April 25th by 7:00 AM. Throughout each week the Borough’s friendly maintenance team will be making one single pass on each street for brush and the next week one single pass on each street for leaves. Once your brush and leaves have been picked up on a street or alley the crew will not be back to pick up anymore on the same street or alley. Brush and leaves are not picked up simultaneously. The first week is strictly brush, the second week is strictly leaves. Clean up will be held weather permitting.
Please check our web page www.millheimborough.net or our Facebook page for any updates or changes due to weather.
Borough Maintenance and Clean up
If residents happened to notice this winter, our maintenance staff tried a new snow removal schedule. Due to complaints in prior years about middle-of-the-night parking area clean up after more major snow events, they switched to a two shift system to clean spaces beginning in the evening. The Borough has saved substantial overtime costs with the new schedule, and Main Street residents are not being kept awake. Now that our newest maintenance employee has received appropriate training on plow routes and procedures, we hope this next winter will be even more efficient and we are looking at extra signage to help to better alert drivers coming into town.
Along with winter maintenance, the Borough staff is looking at projects for some spring clean up and beautification. We are happy to take suggestions from residents about Borough-owned properties. We will be working with a local 4H group and other regular community volunteers to spruce up plantings and the playground by the Borough building. Additionally, a portion of the Borough beautification fund was allocated in 2021 towards purchasing some duck feeders with appropriate feed near areas where our duck population typically congregates. Council is also looking into places where bike racks and benches could also be placed while we continue work with the Centre County Conservation District on plantings near the race to help with erosion. We hope the community joins us as folks are able in our spring clean up and beautification efforts – even pulling a few weeds here and there can make the Borough a little more welcoming as we get ready for all sorts of events in the coming months!
Borough Ordinances
Have any code enforcement or permit concerns, issues, or questions? Contact Code Enforcement at 814-349-8177. The Code Enforcement Officer only responds to complaints received. Residents must be willing to sign a written complaint if necessary. Their office is at 225 East Main Street. Ordinances that commonly lead to complaints are as follows:
- Ordinance 263, Chapter 21, Part 2, Section 106 – Grass, Weeds, and Other Vegetation a Nuisance under Certain Conditions.
- The sections of the sewer ordinance regulating sump pumps, Ordinance Chapter 18 Sewer: Section J. Prohibited Wastes, Paragraph 299.1; Section L. Violations and Enforcement; Section M. Miscellaneous, Paragraph 299.32 Right of Access. It is illegal to have your sump pump discharge into the Borough sewer system. Borough employees will be monitoring households with sump pumps and violators will be prosecuted. The Borough code permits Borough employees the right to inspect household sump pumps without notification to the homeowner. We appreciate your cooperation.
- Ordinance Chapter 21, Part 2, section 202 – Snow, sleet and ice must be removed from sidewalks within 24 hours after the end of the precipitation. Vehicles must be moved from all streets, alleys and the municipal parking lot at Fountain Park, on which Borough employees remove snow.
- Ordinance Chapter 7 – This applies to outdoor burning. Only paper, cardboard, and wood are allowed to be burned outside. Burning must be done in an approved container.
- Ordinance Chapter 21- All signs require a permit and must be approved by Borough Council before the sign is erected. If the sign is within the historic district of the Borough it must also be approved by the Historic Board.
- Ordinance Chapter 2, Part 1, section 103 – This refers to animal droppings and proper clean up and disposal of them. Citizens are required to clean up after their animals. Please be respectful of our neighbors and guests.
To review our Borough Ordinances, they are available at www.millheimborough.net
Parking Reminder
Residents need to be mindful of the parking signs posted on Borough streets. There is a two hour restriction, between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM on parts of East and West Main Street as well as no parking as marked by signage, parking in the no parking areas creates safety and travel issues within the borough. A reminder that much of Penn Street is ‘No Parking’ on both the east and west sides of the street. The Borough has approved, and will hold a final vote in May, the addition of a 15 minute parking spot directly in front of the Post Office. After consulting with Post Office staff, we hope this will provide additional accessibility to the Post Office on busier days.
Water and Wastewater News
Water Plant:
Please notify the Borough office of any loss of water pressure. Keeping our water use under control helps keep the operating costs down. The Borough continues the planning process to replace the water line from the reservoir on Philips Creek to the water treatment plant, then along North Street to Main Street.
Sewer Plant:
Millheim Borough provides sewage collection and treatment to the residents and businesses within the Borough. It is important that any sewage from the Borough is of such a nature that will not harm or hinder the treatment process. The Borough’s wastewater plant continues to discharge an exceptional effluent to Elk Creek. Even as the treatment plant operates well, please remember that water from sump pumps and downspouts is prohibited. Additional water from these sources increases operating costs at all aspects of the treatment process.
What can you do to help?
- Minimizing or eliminating the use of garbage disposals will significantly reduce the amount of grease, solids, and organic material in the sewage. Though a household convenience, a garbage disposal sends highly organic food scraps, vegetable peelings, cuttings, bones, and other food wastes into the sewer system, where this increases operational costs and is easily minimized. We ask that you place food waste into garbage cans or utilize a compost pile if possible.
- Never pour oil or grease down the drain. Allow cooked fats, oil, or grease to cool and pour them into a container that can be tossed into a garbage can.
- Scrape plates, pots, and pans into the trash to remove waste prior to rinsing.
- Use sink strainers to catch food waste during dishwashing.
- Do not allow any rags or debris to enter the collection system. This has caused pumps to clog at the treatment plant.
- Disposable items such as baby wipes should not be flushed into the sewer system. These items do not disintegrate like toilet paper and can clog the system.
We know that we include the above reminders in every newsletter, but please be aware that when items are put into the sewer system that should not be there, it comes with an expense to the Borough and ultimately the ratepayers. For example, this winter the Borough had to spend over $2,000 to flush stuck items such as a gatorade bottle and toilet brush.
East Penns Valley Branch Library
The library has posted hours on Mondays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Tuesdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Access to computers and the internet is one of the many resources available at the library. Stop by the library or give them a call at (814) 349-5328. The library is staffed by volunteers and occasionally there is no one available on a particular day. You may want to call the library before you plan on going to make sure it is open.
Millheim Borough Representatives
Mayor – Steve Myers
814-933-6529 steve.myers@millheimborough.net
Council President – Katie Blume
570-713-8085 katie.blume@millheimborough.net
Council Vice President – Nick Engle
814-933-6292 nickelaus.engle@millheimborough.net
Council Member – Cecelia Gallup
814-574-9697 cecilia.gallup@millheimborough.net
Council Member – Beth Cowher
814-349-4374 beth.cowher@millheimborough.net
Council Member – Robert Zeigler
717-262-3530 robert.zeigler@millheimborough.net
Borough Secretary – Denise Immel
814-349-5350 denise.immel@millheimborough.net
Borough Treasurer – Sherry Corman
814-349-5350 sherry.corman@millheimborough.net
Water and Sewer Plant Operator – Justin Kerstetter
814-360-0995 justin.kerstetter@milllheimborough.net
Road Master/Maintenance Supervisor – Adam DeGarmo
814-325-1042 adam.degarmo@millheim.net
Full Time Maintenance Employee – Michael Confer
814-349-5350 michael.confer@millheimborough.net
Part Time Maintenance Employee – Lester Kerstetter, Jr.
814-349-5350
Code Enforcement Officers – Michael Lesniak, Chris Williams and
Ray Hankinson
814-349-8177 pvcode@outlook.com
Tax Collector – Kathy Highbaugh
814-349-8150 khighbaugh@gmail.com
Millheim Borough PV Code Enforcement Office
225 East Main Street 225 East Main Street
P.O. Box 421 P.O. Box 357
Millheim, PA 16854 Millheim, PA 16854
814-349-5350, Fax 814-349-5733 814-349-8177, Fax 814-349-8017
Email: millheim@verizon.net Email: pvcode@outlook.com
Web: www.millheimborough.net Web: www.pennsvalleyvcode.com
Hours: Monday 7 AM – 1 PM, Hours: Monday 1 PM – 5 PM
Tuesday 8 AM – 4 PM Wednesday 2 PM – 6 PM
Thursday 8 AM – 2 PM Thursday 1 PM – 5 PM
