Carlisle council approves routine purchases, park and infrastructure contracts; rejects traffic-signal bids to rebid

Carlisle Borough Council on June 12 approved a series of routine purchases and contracts, voted to sell a decommissioned fire engine and rejected bids for a downtown traffic-signal upgrade so the project can be rebid to fit grant funding.

The council unanimously approved a consent agenda and then voted on items brought forward by committees. Under Budget & Finance, council approved a $92,670 quote from Hinton & Associates for purchase and installation of replacement computers as part of the borough IT maintenance program. The council reaffirmed fuel contracts with Diesel Direct to purchase 40,000 gallons of gasoline at a fixed price of $2.4486 per gallon and 33,000 gallons of diesel at $2.6953 per gallon to supply public works, the water plant, the sewer plant and volunteer emergency apparatus. The council also approved a $22,039.34 quote from Tuckie Restoration to repair water damage at town hall, with costs to be reimbursed by the borough’s insurer.

In public safety business, the council adopted a resolution to sell a 2008 Sutton fire engine (VIN 1S9A1BLE081003093) to Silver Springs Community Fire Company for $225,000, subject to borough solicitor review.

Public Works items approved included an engineering design services contract not to exceed $87,750 with Gannett Fleming (referred to in the meeting as Gannett/Cannon Fleming) for the 2025 water-distribution system rehabilitation program and a $52,219 cooperative-purchase rebuild of an existing washer compactor for the wastewater treatment plant from CAPI/Cappi Associates under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cooperative purchasing program (CoStars No. 016-E23-310). Council awarded a lump-sum contract for the Biddle/Middle Mission Park forested riparian buffer project to the lowest responsive bidder, Malco Landscaping Inc., in the amount of $76,500, pending required bonds and insurance, and authorized the borough manager to approve change orders up to $10,000 each with retroactive council notification as needed.

Councilors voted to reject all bids received for the 2025 downtown traffic-signals equipment upgrade project so the scope can be revised and the project rebid to fit the GreenLight-Go PennDOT grant funding. The council also authorized the solicitor to advertise an ordinance amending Chapter 212 (Solid Waste and Recyclables) to provide definitions for “community activities” and “third-party collector” and delete references to licensed haulers.

On development matters, council approved a waiver of preliminary plan requirements and limited the Lot 7 Carlisle Auto Industries site to a single Northside Lane parking-lot entrance and approved final plans subject to planning-commission and staff conditions. Council also approved sending a letter of support for increased statewide public-transit investment referencing House Bills 1523 and 1524 and companion memoranda introduced by state senators Lindsey Williams and Nikil Saval.

Most votes were taken by voice; individual roll-call tallies were not read into the record. Where bids or contracts required pending administrative actions (bonds, insurance, solicitor approval), council conditioned final authorization on those items being supplied.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda: approved (motion: Deputy Mayor Landis; second: Councilor Mellon). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - IT replacement computers, Hinton & Associates, $92,670 (motion: Councilor Miller). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Fuel contracts with Diesel Direct, 40,000 gal gasoline and 33,000 gal diesel at fixed prices (motion: Councilor Miller). Outcome: reaffirmed/approved by voice vote. - Town Hall water-damage restoration, Tuckie Restoration, $22,039.34 (motion: Councilor Miller). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Sale of 2008 Sutton fire engine to Silver Springs Community Fire Company, $225,000 (motion: Mayor Sean Schultz; second: Councilor Bruce). Outcome: approved by voice vote, subject to solicitor review. - Engineering contract (water rehab), Gannett Fleming, up to $87,750 (motion: Councilor Stuve). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Washer compactor rebuild, CAPI/Cappi Associates, $52,219 (motion: Councilor Stuve). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Biddle/Middle Mission Park riparian buffer, Malco Landscaping, $76,500 (motion: Councilor Stuve). Outcome: approved by voice vote, pending bonds/insurance. - Reject all bids for 2025 downtown traffic signal upgrade (motion: Councilor Stuve). Outcome: approved by voice vote to allow scope revision and rebid to match GreenLight-Go grant. - Authorize solicitor to advertise Chapter 212 amendments (solid waste) (motion: Councilor Stuve). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Waiver and final plans for Lot 7 Carlisle Auto Industries; limit one Northside Lane entrance (motion: Councilor Schalles). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Letter of support for public-transit investment referencing HB 1523 and HB 1524 (motion: Councilor Charles). Outcome: approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: The package of actions funds routine operations (IT, fuel, equipment), starts or continues several infrastructure projects (water system design, wastewater equipment, riparian buffer), and preserves the borough’s ability to secure and align grant-funded traffic-signal work with PennDOT requirements. Rejecting the signal bids is intended to align scope and cost with grant funding; the riparian-buffer award advances a park restoration project but remains contingent on submittals required by the borough.

What’s next: Contracts conditioned on bonds, insurance, or solicitor approval will return to staff for final administrative processing. The traffic-signal project will be re-scoped and rebid to match GreenLight-Go grant limitations.