Bowmanstown takes $1.5M loan for treatment plant

The Bowmanstown Council reviewed the terms of a $1.5 million loan with First Northern Bank and Trust on Tuesday evening. The loan involves the refinancing of a current loan and an additional amount to cover the reed bed expansion at the wastewater treatment plant.

The state Department of Environmental Protection sent the borough a notice of violation in July citing three violations. These violations included inadequate sludge drying beds, a lack of dechlorination, and inflow of stormwater and groundwater into the sewer system.

Council approved the loan at the November meeting. It will be a 10-year tax free loan with a fixed interest rate of 2.85%. Repayment will be based on a 25-year amortization.

In addition to the loan, the council authorized Van Cleef Engineering Associates in Bethlehem to apply for grants through the Pennsylvania Small Water and Sewer Program and the H2O Pennsylvania Water Supply, Sanitary Sewer and Storm Water Program. They are applying for $500,000 for the Reed Bed Expansion. The estimated cost of the project is $520,000.

“If any money is received, it will be applied directly back to the loan,” said Tracy Burbage, secretary and assistant treasurer for the borough. “If approved from First Northern.”

The borough council also adopted the 2020 budget as advertised recently. There will be no tax increase.

The tax rate on real property is 9.444 mills on each dollar of assessed value. The rate for fire protection purposes is 1.348 mills. For street improvement purposes, the tax rate is 1 mill. Lighting and illuminating the streets, highways and other public places is 1.146 mills, and the tax for the local library is 0.067 mills.

The borough received $260.88 from the state police for collected fines, as well as $143.96 from the Magisterial District Court for fees assessed in October, $607.60 from the Recorder of Deeds and $729.30 from the Tax Claim Bureau.

Borough engineer Jessica Rehrig asked the council to approve the first payment of $37,863 to Ankiewicz Enterprises Inc. in Tamaqua for work done on the Lime Street Connection Project. Ankiewicz has started general earthmoving activities and construction of the upslope diversion swale. This parallels the proposed roadway.

“They will continue with installation of stormwater management facilities this winter,” Burbage said after the meeting.

In other business

The council also reviewed the Lot Line Adjustment Plan for 530 and 510 Craig St. An application for the lot line adjustment was received and reviewed by the Carbon County Office of Planning and Development, Bowmanstown Borough Planning Commission, zoning and the borough engineer. The council authorized a letter be sent to the land surveyor to make the recommended corrections on the plans and resubmit them for approval. “This would adjust the size of both of these adjacent lots,” Burbage said.

The council received a Notice of a Petition from residents seeking to repeal Ordinance 2019-03. The petition was submitted by residents on Lincoln Avenue regarding three 30-minute parking spaces beside a restaurant at 709 Lincoln Ave. The ordinance was enacted a few months ago to limit parking in these spots to 30 minutes. The council voted to not repeal the ordinance.

Burbage said the council is interested in hearing the residents’ concerns.