Officials weigh stormwater fixes and a potential CDBG application for lower‑income neighborhoods

Public works staff told council that investigations into sinkholes on the 900 block of East Cherry Street show high groundwater 15–20 feet below the surface and fluctuating water levels that can flush subsurface material and create sinkholes. A consultant (Dr. Seaton, referenced) recommended excavating and installing a pipe at the groundwater level to route water to an injection well; staff said this approach might be more cost‑effective than grouting and could provide a durable fix if successful. Separately, staff discussed eligibility for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) from the county housing authority for stormwater work in designated lower‑income neighborhoods. The staffer said projects must generally remain below $25,000 per application for the program being considered, and suggested connecting an unlinked system in Pear Alley and collecting runoff from Maple Street as potential candidates. Why it matters: Sinkholes affect public safety and infrastructure integrity; identifying eligible grant funding could allow the borough to address stormwater connections in low‑income areas without relying solely on local capital funds. Next steps: Staff will continue engineering evaluation of the sinkhole locations and develop a scoped cost estimate for potential CDBG submittal for eligible low‑income districts. Councilors were asked to identify candidate curb, sidewalk or stormwater repairs in the eligible West End and adjacent strips for future applications.