The borough provided a briefing to the Finance Committee on Sept. 10 on the stream protection fund and a major Taylor Run restoration scheduled for next year.

Why it matters: the stream protection fee program dedicates the majority of its revenue to capital projects and maintenance; the Taylor Run work is a grant-funded restoration that the borough expects to begin in coming weeks pending final contract execution and contractor mobilization.

A staff member presenting the stream protection budget said the fund converts an impervious-cover fee into administration, legal fees and capital spending, and that roughly $0.84 of every dollar collected is directed to capital projects, maintenance and debt service for built projects. The program's revenues have been steady at roughly $1.2 million annually in recent years, the presenter said.

The presenter described an upcoming project on Taylor Run behind the new medical office building on Hanham Avenue: sediment removal, invasive species removal and replanting to daylight a portion of the stream. Design and engineering costs to date total about $41,000; the low contract award was $249,028 and the budget includes $250,000 in grant revenue to cover that work. The presenter said bids varied widely, with the highest bid reaching about $1.6 million, but two consistent low bids led staff to proceed. Staff said the contract documents are in execution, which typically takes about two weeks for signatures and bonds.

The presenter also noted ongoing maintenance work planned through the borough's contract with a BMP maintenance provider, and about $250,000 of maintenance work will be bid in the coming weeks. The budget includes a placeholder for legal fees tied to a pending Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that could affect the legal status of stormwater fee programs; staff said they did not include revenue from potentially taxable properties as a conservative measure in case the court rules against the borough.

The project is grant-funded in part; staff said they will notify nearby property owners and begin a public information process in advance of construction. "If we can get it planted before the ground freezes, that would make me very happy," the presenter said. No formal council action was taken at the Finance Committee meeting; the presentation summarized the 2026 stream protection budget and upcoming capital work.