MILL HALL — Mill Hall Borough council is moving ahead with its plan to make permanent improvements to the Mill Hall Community Pool.
In April, council approved creating a Request for Proposals (RFP) with help from the Clinton County Recreation Committee’s pool subcommittee, chaired by Lenny Long.
Now, with a recommendation by the borough’s Park and Recreation Committee, council approved advertising the RFP and soliciting proposals on Tuesday night.
Five proposals must be sealed and submitted to the borough office by 4 p.m. Oct. 13. Council will review the bids and consider awarding a contract during its regular meeting on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.
A pre-bid meeting is also schedule to discuss the scope of the project on Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. with plans to travel to the pool complex.
Any firm interested in submitting a proposal can contact Borough Secretary Brandi Yost to receive a copy of the RFP.
Work to obtain funding to conduct renovations at the pool began earlier this year, when council was approached by Lenny Long.
Long is the chair of a Mill Hall Pool subcomittee from the Clinton County Recreation Committee.
Long initially worked with Yost to prepare an application for a large DCNR grant which could help with the renovations. However, a feasibility study is necessary and the application was put on hold for 2021.
The last time the borough completed a feasibility study on the over 50-year-old pool complex was in 2009.
During the discussion in April, Long noted that Mill Hall was among only 30 municipalities that DCNR was interested in awarding the grant to.
The feasibility study can take about seven to nine months and, once completed, will offer the borough a better scope of potential projects.
POLICE COVERAGE
Mill Hall Borough Police could begin coverage of Lamar Township soon.
Both the borough’s council and the township’s supervisors motioned to consider adopting an ordinance which would allow the police department to offer coverage of the township during the week during their August meetings.
The contract and ordinance would be similar to what the borough and Castanea Township signed in 2018. The department would offer 10 hours of service at week at a cost of $55 per hour, or about $26,000 per year. The contract is under a one year expiration with the option for the township to renew it.
When the discussion regarding police coverage in the township began in May, Chief Brandon Coleman noted that his officers would still be available for calls outside the 10 hours of coverage.
In May, Supervisor Larry Rhine told borough council the township was looking for alternate police coverage as they considered their options. The township had previously dissolved its own police department and are covered by state police at Lamar.
Borough council and the township supervisors will consider adoption of its ordinance and the contract during their monthly meetings in September.
In other business council:
— Approved the purchase of a blighted property at 364/366 Main St. from Wayne Williams for $1,197.91. Yost said the borough budgeted $500 to purchase the property at a sheriff sale but was outbid by Williams. She said, once he saw the scope of the damage to the property he agreed to sell it to the borough at the price he paid for it. The additional funding will be pulled from the General Fund with an additional $10,000 for the demolition already budgeted in 2021.
— Approved the purchase of a Whitmoyer Auto Group 2022 Ford F-250 4×4 with accessories for the Costar cost of $45,300. The purchase was recommended by the sewer highway committee and approved in a 4-2 vote with Council members Fred Bucheit and Rainelle Wallace voting against the purchase.
— Tabled a recommendation from the Park and Recreation Committee to enact a Mill Hall Community Park Athletic Agreement for the use of athletic fields in the park.
— Approved renewing the pavilion and reservation fees and agreement at the park for 2022.
Council’s next meeting will be held Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. in the borough office.