News

Invitation To Consult

Millheim Borough Solar Partners LLC is planning on installing a solar array for use at Millheim Boroughs’ waste water treatment plant located at 637 Tattletown Road, Millheim PA 16854.

The project will use 0.5 acres of land that is within the Penns Valley and Brush Valley Rural Historic District (Key #119404) and nearby Millheim Historic District (Key #079032). The proposed project has applied for federal financial assistance from the USDA Rural Developments’ Rural Energy For America Program. Federal undertakings are subject to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act which requires federal agencies to consider the effects of projects on historic properties. This consideration includes engaging members of the public who may have interest.

Millheim Borough Solar Partners LLC is seeking local stakeholders, residents, local and county historians, local and county historic commissions, and other interested members of the community to participate in a meeting to review the proposed project from a historic preservation standpoint.

Please respond in writing weather or not you are interested in participating. Your response can be submitted to Sel Edor at sedor@baigroupllc.com. Interested parties are requested to respond by Friday, May 8^th although responses will be accepted for up to 30 days from the date of this publication. Interested parties will receive an invitation to the meeting, date to be determined.

Below is a project description and project map identifying the location of the proposed project. Due to current gathering restrictions this meeting will be held via conference call.

Project Description

The Millheim Solar Project is a ground mounted solar project located in Millheim, Penn Township, Centre County Pennsylvania.

The Solar project will produce electricity for use at the Millheim Borough water treatment facility. The project will utilize approximately seven hundred and eighty (780) solar panels mounted on aluminum or steel posts that will be pile driven into the ground at the project location of 637 Tattletown Road, Millheim PA 16854. The pile driven method will not require any auguring of holes and is minimally invasive. The piles are driven using construction equipment that is like a standard small tractor used on a farm. The solar panels will be connected to grid certified inverters, which will be mounted on posts, that will convert the DC electricity from the panels to AC electricity for use at the treatment plant. The interconnection will be completed in accordance with the rules of West Penn Power – the electric distribution company, and Penn Township who is the authority having jurisdiction. The installation is expected to be ongoing for 20 to 30 working days with no permanent earth disturbance.

The U.S. Census only happens once every 10 years, but census data is used every day to shape our future. Millheim Borough relies upon federal funding and grants for many projects and initiatives in our community, which are allocated based on Census data. Our Borough must be accurately represented, and we need everyone’s help in ensuring a complete count.

The Census has consequences that all Borough residents will live with for the next 10 years. For every person missed, it costs our local governments $1,600.

You can help ensure everyone is counted by filling in the 2020 Census form. It will be a short set of questions about the number of people living in your household, their ages, race, and ethnicity. It’s critical that you fill out your form because your response will determine Millheim Borough’s population and federal benefits for the next decade.

The Census Affects National Emergencies, like COVID-1

If you want Millheim Borough to get its fair share of federal funds and recover from an economic disaster, it’s important to fill out the census. An accurate census count will be crucial for public health officials going forward.

Did you know that Census data helps first responders by:

• Identifying where and how much help is needed
• Determining the distribution of resources for public health systems
• Determining policy and budget decisions
• Receiving federal funding. The Census is the baseline for policy and budgeting for the allocation of public benefits and health programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare.

An inaccurate census could limit first responder’s ability to:

• Understand the spread of the virus
• Identify what groups were most affected by it
• Assist researchers in finding ways to stop future viruses from spreading

Take the Census at: my2020census.gov

Millheim Borough Council recognizes that the finances of many taxpayers in the borough will be negatively affected by the closure of businesses, layoffs and uncertainty in the financial market. The Borough has passed a resolution to reduce penalties for late tax payments beyond the Face Date for a period of three months or until September 30, 2020.

Beginning Thursday April 30th, the Central PA Food Bank will be delivering boxes of food to Millheim and Aaronsburg. These deliveries will be made made every other week. The first delivery will be to Salem Lutheran Church in Aaronsburg. Two weeks later they will deliver to St. Johns Lutheran Church in Millheim. The deliveries will alternate between the two churches. There are no restrictions or qualifications to receive food. Time for pick-up 9:15 AM.

In accordance with Centre County’s “Stay-at-Home” order that was effective Saturday March 28^th at 8pm the Borough has closed the playground to public access. Our efforts are to ensure the safety and well being of all our residents.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Recommendations on how to minimize the risk and spread of COVID-19:

Wash your hands often, for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in public, coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Cover your hands completely and rub them together until they feel dry.

Avoid touching your face.

Practice social distancing, maintaining 6 feet of distance between you and others and avoid groups of 10 or more.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

If you are sick, stay home or seek medical assistance if needed.

For information and resources regarding COVID-19, please visit the following websites for more information:

• General information and updates:
• https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

• How to protect yourself and others:
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html

• Guides to resources for individuals, families, businesses, and other entitites:

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. The deadline to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan is Dec. 21, 2020. For more information about Coronavirus, please visit: Coronavirus.gov. For more information about available SBA resources and services, please visit: SBA.gov/coronavirus.

Penns Valley School District is offering breakfast and lunches for students for the duration of school closure. To see pickup locations and register go to pennsvalley.org.