Finance committee forwards $38.4 million bond ordinance to full council; water main financing to use PENNVEST or interim loan

Lancaster City’s Finance Committee voted to send an ordinance authorizing a 2025 general obligation bond—now estimated at approximately $38.4 million—to full council for a first reading on March 11.

Director Tina Campbell said the bond package, as presented to the committee on March 3, would fund projects across three funds: about $19 million for general-fund projects, roughly $10.3 million for sewer projects and about $9.1 million for water projects.

The bond matter matters because the financing would pay for a range of capital work the city expects to complete or substantially finish within about three years, including implementation of the parks master plan, active-transportation improvements, facility maintenance tied to facility-condition assessments, right-of-way upgrades, and multiple water and sewer projects. “This funding would mainly be spent over the next three years,” Director Tina Campbell said during the presentation.

The water portion of the package was reduced…