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Council discusses DCED small water and sewer grant for East Ridge Road stormwater; PennDOT permit delays noted
Summary
Palmyra Borough Council discussed applying for a DCED Small Water and Sewer Program grant to fund an off-site stormwater system for East Ridge Road and Melrose, but staff said PennDOT permit approval is required before work can begin.
Palmyra Borough Council reviewed a potential application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Small Water and Sewer Program to fund an off-site stormwater system for East Ridge Road and Melrose.
A resident, Dave McCloskey of 212 East Ridge Road, spoke during public comment in support of completing the long-running stormwater project in his neighborhood and urged the borough to use the grant for that work. McCloskey said neighbors have been fighting the stormwater issue for more than 20 years and asked the borough to proceed.
Borough staff reported the project team has met with the developer and contractors; the work is largely ready to begin but is awaiting an updated PennDOT permit for the pipe crossing the road. Staff said obtaining PennDOT sign-off could take three to four weeks and that the contractor indicated it was prepared to begin work once borough staff authorize it.
Council members discussed whether the DCED grant was the right fit for this particular project. One councilor said there may be other projects better suited to the application and expressed concern about delaying the East Ridge work another year. A motion was made on the floor to remove the grant item from the table and was seconded; subsequent discussion concluded with the council agreeing to file the grant opportunity for future reference rather than proceeding with an immediate application.
No formal roll-call vote on grant acceptance or a specific application was recorded in the transcript. The transcript records the council direction as filing the opportunity for future reference while staff continues to pursue required permits and clarify suitability.
Key operational points recorded in the meeting: - Resident support: Dave McCloskey urged the borough to use the grant for East Ridge Road stormwater, noting the issue has persisted for two decades. - Permitting dependency: Staff noted the need for an updated PennDOT permit for the pipe crossing and estimated a three-to-four-week review window. - Council action: Motion to remove the item from the table was made and seconded; the council later said it would file the opportunity for future reference rather than proceed immediately.
The DCED program and PennDOT permitting were referenced during the discussion; no dollar amounts or specific grant application language were given in the meeting transcript.
