Community Development Block Grant funding will pay for a portion of the demolition of a crumbling structure in Lansford, Council President Bruce Markovich said Tuesday.

The borough was awarded $78,818 in CDBG funds to raze 151-151½ W. Ridge St., a towering double home that began buckling earlier this year, he said.

The cost to tear down the structure is estimated at $118,000, and the borough will have to come up with the remaining $40,000, possibly using COVID relief funding to make up the difference, Markovich said.

He said he made it clear to the county that the borough needs to use the funds by the end of 2024, and a contract must be awarded by then.

The borough is still waiting for the release of CDBG funds from 2022 to tear down two structures at 314 W. Patterson St. and 336 W. Bertsch St., Markovich said.

He also noted he was contacted by Sen. Bob Casey’s office regarding a grant application for a sewer study to install vortex separators to reduce the overload at the sewage treatment plant during heavy rains.

The borough along with the sewer authority applied for $500,000, but under federal rules that amount was reduced to $350,000, Markovich said. It appears the grant is moving forward, he said.

Streets

The borough will be addressing a void under Coal Street, adjacent to the St. Luke’s medical building, Councilman Bill Chuma said. The street between Patterson and Bertsch will be closed until further notice starting Monday, he said.

The borough crews have been working on sewers and preparing to do paving work, Chuma said.

The borough is also looking at hiring a part-time borough worker through the summer, and possibly hiring full-time in September, he said. Action could be taken at Wednesday’s regular meeting, Chuma said.

Website

The borough is looking for a new website designer/provider following issues with posting meeting agendas.

The borough sought quotes from several providers, and discussed a proposal from Course Vector of Camp Hill, which had the lowest price at $2,117 to start, said borough secretary Wendy Butrie.

The price includes creating the website for $1,500 and $617 a year to maintain it, she said.

Butrie also has prices from Civic Plus, which does other local municipal government websites, and Revise, she said. Both quotes are higher, she said.

Land

Resident Ryan Eidle approached council members about buying a tract of borough property. The land is on East Dock Street between the fire company property and Silberline tract.

Eidle explained he has been looking for land to site a self-storage business in the borough for about a year and half, and this land came to his attention.

He wasn’t sure how to proceed, which is why he came to talk to council. Eidle said was willing to do the necessary due diligence on the property, but wanted to know if the borough would be interested in selling first.

Council favored the proposal, as the borough needs this type of business and that Eidle wanted to locate within the borough. Markovich said they will discuss the proposal and get back to him.

Parks

Council discussed reviewing the rules for local parks and posting signs listing the rules, such as no dogs allowed. Some signs exist, and others are needed. Chuma suggested they post all the rules on one sign.

Council previously discussed rules for the parks, but never finalized what they were going to do, Chuma said.

Councilwoman Gwyneth Collevecchio said mulch was delivered, and Key Bank employees will be doing a community service project on June 13, helping to spread mulch at the pool park.

A resident asked what the plans were for the skateboard park. Markovich said the former tennis courts and skateboard park along with Kennedy Park are part of the redevelopment park planning being done by Ed Black of Harrisburg.

The borough applied for a state Recreation and Parks Technical Assistance Program grant to look at the parks and come up with redevelopment plans, using Black, a certified park planner.

A public input meeting will be held before the plans being finalized, Markovich said. The borough has a better chance of getting additional grants with a master plan design, he said.