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Carlisle council approves grant, vehicle purchases, appointments and schedules rezoning hearing
Summary
At its Feb. 13 meeting, Carlisle Borough Council approved a $46,500 county clean-water grant for a park buffer project, authorized multiple vehicle purchases, approved event parking for a July festival, appointed three commission members and directed a public hearing on a rezoning request for May 8.
Carlisle Borough Council on Feb. 13 approved a package of routine items including a Cumberland County clean-water block grant, several municipal vehicle purchases and three civic appointments, and directed a public hearing on a proposed rezoning for a borough parcel.
The most substantive action was approval of a $46,500 Cumberland County Countywide Action Plan Clean Water Program block grant to support the Biddle Mission Park Forest Buffer Enhancement Project. Council authorized the mayor to execute the agreement subject to final review by the borough manager and solicitor.
Council also authorized purchases and equipment for public works: a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD work truck with service body and plow for $94,995; a Peterbilt dump truck for $172,674 and upfits for $121,834; and the trade-in and purchase of a 2025 John Deere compact utility tractor (the transcript did not specify the final purchase price for the tractor beyond the trade-in authorization). All purchases were made through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cooperative purchasing program (CoStars), with the council citing the CoStars contract numbers on the record.
For public events, the council approved a request to restrict parking on the north side of West High Street (from West Street to College Street) on July 12, 2025, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. to provide handicap parking accommodations for attendees of the Dickinson College Bluegrass Festival. Approval was contingent on the applicant providing a valid certificate of insurance naming the borough and PennDOT as additional insureds and reimbursing the borough for 100% of variable costs and 10% of fixed costs associated with the event.
The council made three appointments to local commissions: Rachel James and Isabelle (Isabel) Harmon to first full terms on the Carlisle Borough Planning Commission (terms effective March 1, 2025, through Feb. 28, 2029) and Nathaniel Norton to a partial term on the Carlisle Borough Civil Service Commission (effective immediately through July 31, 2026). Each appointment was moved and seconded on the record and approved by voice vote.
On land-use procedure, the council directed the borough solicitor to schedule a public hearing on May 8, 2025, at 5:45 p.m. and to proceed with required public notification for a proposed zoning-map amendment under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code to rezone tax parcel 5-20-1796-001 from R-3 (high-density residential) to Urban Mixed Use.
Council also directed the solicitor to prepare and the mayor to sign an easement for a driveway through tax parcel 06-20-1798-339EX to parcel 06-20-1798-313; the council approved recording authority during the meeting.
All motions in these items were carried by voice vote after brief procedural remarks; none produced extended debate during the public meeting. The council took a brief recess earlier in the meeting for a ceremonial award presentation before returning to routine business and adjourning.
