It’s a peaceful early Sunday morning as the eastern red horizon is displaying “sailors take warning” as a Winter Storm Warning is in effect beginning early Monday for Franklin and Adams counties. After all, it’s Farm Show week! PennDOT had pre-treated commonwealth roads by early Saturday morning. Greencastle and Antrim Township roads will be pre-treated later Sunday.
Happy New Year as my household is still celebrating the 12 days of Christmas! It’s 18 degrees outside at 6:30 a.m. and, yes, winter is upon us. The days are getting a little longer as we are one day closer to some good ole’ fashioned porch sittin’!
Join me for a few minutes with a hot cup of tea or coffee and sit a spell as we review the holidays, more of the Greencastle budgets (plural) and we’ll even visit with the Greencastle-Antrim High School Class of 1955.
Meanwhile, the family room is nice and warm with the fireplace taking the chill off the morning coolness as the heat temperature was lowered overnight as suggested by our utility companies.
I hope you had a good Christmas season. Remember, the 12 days of Christmas continue into this week and I’m still listening to the season’s music.
I congratulate the G-AHS Concern Choir, 9th Grade Concert Band and Symphonic Band for your wonderful concert held on Dec. 17. Thanks to WRGG for playing this concert on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. What talent we have with our high school students. I’m already looking forward to next year … or should I say this year?
My family also enjoyed the third-grade concert the week prior in the high school’s Shockey Family Center for the Performing Arts. We also ventured to Mercersburg Academy for the Mercersburg Community Chorus concert.
Our downtown continues to be busy as I do hope our local merchants had a wonderful Christmas season. Remember the January sales are now in progress! See you downtown.
What to know about water, stormwater and sewer funds
I believe it’s so important for you to have a full understanding of the 2025 budgets that were approved in December by borough council, so I impart the economic forecasts over the next 12 months as municipalities operate on a calendar year basis (Jan. 1 through Dec. 31). Most of the budgets may be viewed on the borough’s website. School districts operate on a fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).
Let’s visit Greencastle’s Sewer Fund (08. Accounts). Council approved a 3 percent (3%) rate increase that was reflected on your sewer invoice. Although Pennsylvania mayors do not vote on budgets, I must approve budget rate increases by ordinance. A 3% rate increase is justified due to operational/inflationary costs increases over the past several years. Total operational cost is $1,321,152. Examples are chemical costs and utility rates that continue to dramatically increase. Some capital improvements are also built into the 2025 budget plan. Our sewer (wastewater) operation is handled seven days a week by two full-time employees and two part-time employees. Good job, team.
The Stormwater Fund (09.) totals $100,671 and includes staffing costs, engineering, maintenance and storm piping upgrades. The Capital Reserve Fund (30.) has no major expenditures planned. In 2024, capital funds supplemented Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and the General Fund for capital equipment purchase replacements.
The Greencastle-Area, Franklin County Water Authority (separate board) approved their budget in December that also included a 3 percent (3%) rate increase with a spending plan of $2.6 million. The water authority is also faced with rising operational and maintenance costs with this 24/7 operation. Like many municipal funds, a healthy fund balance of at least 25% of annual operating costs is warranted along with capital reserve funds for future capital (larger upgrade) projects, which are certain. The increase is also reflected in your water utility invoice that came last week.
Good planning is very important. One example … Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection inspects and assures the authority is meeting the needs of the greater Greencastle community. Equipment and operations must be efficient and effective. Otherwise, communities could see large rate increases if equipment is not up to appropriate environmental standards. Our water authority keeps a close eye on these standards now, and in the future.
A visit with the Class of 1955
I was thrilled to be invited and attend a pre-Christmas luncheon for the G-AHS Class of 1955 members and guests at a Greencastle eatery. It was so wonderful just to listen to the stories of the very first class of the “Greencastle-Antrim School District” after the merger took place.
The high school was in the first block of South Washington Street. The “townies” attended all 12 grades at this location while the township students would have attended one of the one- or two-room schools for several years before transferring to the high school.
On Dec. 13, I visited the Besore Library to view the 1955 Conococheague yearbook. All the pictures were black and white. Their class song was “Anchors Aweigh.” The colors were navy blue and white. The class motto … “Today we launch, tomorrow we sail!” That explains the class song with a ship in the right-hand corner of the yearbook page sponsored by the Echo Pilot.
Although not a member of the class, I feel as if I’ve received honorary status and thoroughly enjoyed the comradery of these former students.
Thanks for the memories! Meet you at Moe’s after school!
In closing
Congratulations to our new Pennsylvania State Rep. Chad Reichard. Chad will receive his oath on Tuesday (Jan. 7) in the Capitol rotunda in Harrisburg. I look forward to working with Chad on issues affecting the citizens of Greencastle. A special thanks to former Pennsylvania Rep. Paul Schemel for a public service well done.
My next writing will be about the early warning systems of Greencastle, yesterday, and today.
I close by celebrating the 11th day of Christmas! You know … the eleven pipers pipin’! In 1955, Perry Como was a popular singer. My suggestion is that you close your 12 days of Christmas by listening to Perry Como sing two songs; “There is no Christmas Like a Home Christmas” and “Bless this House” as we are certainly blessed.
May your blessings be bountiful in 2025.