Around the Borough

(7/2011) More than two months after flooding damaged its walking trails, Carroll Valley Borough’s trail are still not back to normal.

Resident Phyllis Fosnaught said she found the trail that runs around the Carroll Valley Commons in terrible shape.

"I’m afraid to walk on it. It’s dangerous. You could trip on it just like that," Fosnaught told the borough commissioners during their June 14 meeting.

Borough Manager David Hazlett told the commissioners that trail was still being remediated with the intention that it would be totally completed by the town’s July 4 celebration in the park.

Rough rock had been laid along the trail to replace what was lost during the flooding and fill in holes, but the town crews were allowing the rock to settle rather than having to pay to have it compacted. The savings are important since this year’s budget is tight and the town is not being reimbursed for any of the flood-related costs by the federal government.

Rather than keeping the trail closed during popular walking months, Hazlett allowed it to be reopened believing that while not smoothed out, it was at least safe enough to walk on. He told the commissioners that he would check the trail out and if he found that it had become unsafe, he would speed up the remediation and not wait until July 4.

No flood damage reimbursements for borough

Carroll Valley Borough’s request for disaster funds to cover repairs and emergency response from April’s flooding was denied.

"We were not awarded any disaster relief funds," Borough Manager David Hazlett told the borough commissioners on June 14. "It seems we were the only ones that received damage."

Though said somewhat facetiously, other areas either did not receive as much damage or did not apply for disaster funds because the region’s total amount did not reach the threshold required by the federal government.

This means that Carroll Valley must find a way to pay for the $150,000 in flood-related costs on its own. This represents an additional cost equal to nearly 9 percent of the current borough budget.

Sections of two streets in the borough also remain closed because the borough has not decided on how to best address the storm damage, which is extensive. The cost to repair Cardinal Trail will be around $42,000 and the cost for Creek View Trail will be around $34,000. Hazlett told the commissioners that the cost of the Creek View repairs can be significantly reduced using borough staff, but that isn’t an option with Cardinal.

One option that remains if a way can’t be found to make the repairs cost-effectively is that the trails stay closed.

July 4th Celebration schedule announced

Carroll Valley Borough will hold its 7th annual July 4th celebration at Carroll Valley Commons on July 4th. As always, there will be rides and activities for children, a Civil War encampment, horseshoe tournament, a car show, food and music.

New this year will be a 3-on-3 double-elimination basketball tournament that begins in the morning. Rides and other activities will start at 2 p.m. and the fireworks show will be at dusk. Also new this year, there will be a small ride-on railroad that circles the Civil War encampment.

"Everything is free except the food," said Mayor Ron Harris.