Deposit needed for keys to access Whitehall facilities
Residents will have to fork over cash before they are handed a key to Whitehall Borough's shelters.
Borough officials, in an effort to encourage residents and athletic association members to return keys to the borough facilities more promptly, at their Dec. 7 meeting, agreed to collect a $25 fee from anyone requesting a key to one of the borough's six shelter houses.
Upon return of the key, the money will be returned to the resident or athletic group, officials said.
Borough administrators started a system, signing out keys to the shelter houses, last year after an athletic association group changed the locks to the buildings without the knowledge of municipal staff or officials, borough Manager James Leventry said.
Officials have started to rekey all borough shelters and plan to have the project completed by the end of the year, Leventry told council on Dec. 7.
Since the new system has been implemented, getting keys back and in a timely manner can be challenging, Leventry said.
“I think with a $25 fee, that might get them returned a little more promptly,” he said.
Council members also urged that keys made for the facilities not be able to be duplicated and that proper procedures for access to the facilities be in place.
“As long as we have a system,” Councilman Robert McKown said.
Savings in tank replacement
Whitehall officials will save $79,000 by replacing parts to an old fuel tank, thanks to the work of a public works employee.
The cost of a new, 4,000-gallon diesel fuel tank would cost about $80,000, borough Manager James Leventry said.
But instead of the costly purchase, public works supervisor David King has spent hours, even on his own time, converting a 3,000-gallon regular tank to diesel at a cost of $1,000.
The borough's 4,000-gallon tank will continue to be used for regular gas and 3,000- and 1,000- gallon tanks will be used for diesel, Leventry said.
Progress is made every day on the construction of the Whitehall Fire Company's new station along Route 51.
“It's moving quick,” project manager Mark Edelmann, of EPM Architecture, told borough council members Dec. 7 as they approved the latest payments for the station.
The $2.6 million station likely will be $160,000 to $180,000 under budget, Edelmann said.
The project manager said he is looking into getting signage for the site to place along Route 51, possibly with a reader board that could alert residents of public safety issues in the municipality.
