Walnutport is seeking a grant to pay for facilities improvements.

Among them would be to replace the heating system in the borough building, along with some work in the recreation building.

Borough public works director Mike Wentz updated borough council last week about the furnace inside borough hall.

“Right now, temporarily we have heat blowing,” Wentz said. “Most of the rooms are working off heat pumps.”

Wentz said it would cost $16,000 to update all the heat pumps, and said it could come out of American Rescue Funds.

The furnace is 70 years old.

Wentz said that while the building has temporary heat, a permanent solution is necessary.

Council then on a 6-0 vote agreed to have the borough secretary transfer money out of American Rescue Funds to cover furnace repair expenses and extra police vacation/sick time expenses that was approved earlier in the year.

Council President Michael Gaston was absent.

Later on under his report, Wentz, who also serves as grant coordinator, mentioned that Gov. Josh Shapiro has opened up the COVID-19 ARPA PA Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program.

“This is our ticket to a new heating system,” Wentz said. “I think this is our golden ticket.”

Wentz said the period to apply for the grant opens Jan. 11, and closes April 9.

He then suggested council look to approve a resolution to apply for the grant at next month’s council meeting.

Last month, council agreed to have LVR reline the furnace at a cost of $3,800. Wentz said the borough only paid a small portion of that after it was discovered what the exact problem was.

That came after Wentz said the age of the furnace, coupled with the fact inside brick is deteriorating, caused the back wall behind the furnace to crumble and fall in.

Yard waste recycling

In other grant-related matters, Wentz said that the borough was approved to start its yard waste program/facility.

“We could have it up and running by spring,” Wentz said. “We are now part of another comp post in the area.”

He said the borough is in conjunction with Slatington and Washington Township.

Washington Township has a Department of Environmental Protection approved yard waste facility.

Wentz said the borough can take its yard waste there, and that it won’t be at a cost to taxpayers.

Last month, council approved Wentz, as Public Works Supervisor, to oversee the yard waste program/facility.

The borough was previously awarded a $27,000 Department of Environmental Protection 904 grant for recycling commodities last spring for the purpose to run a yard waste center and continue the leaf collection program.