Ridgway Borough Council seeks new operator of Ridgway Mills Campground
RIDGWAY- Ridgway Mills Campground was a central focus at February’s Ridgway Borough Council meeting. The Ridgway Borough is requesting proposals from concessionaires to operate the Ridgway Mills Campground for the 2023 camping season.
The Ridgway Borough owns and has managed the 20 sites at the campground since it opened in 2021. Due to the various responsibilities the Ridgway Borough is tasked with, Ridgway Mills can not be effectively operated by the borough during the camping season. Council approved advertising for another small business or nonprofit organization to effectively run the Ridgway Mills Campground. If interested, proposals can be submitted to the Borough of Ridgway, P.O. Box 149 Ridgway, PA 15853.
Earlier in the meeting, the Ridgway Borough Council February meeting was started off by attorney Danny De Vtio being recognized as a visitor at Monday night’s meeting, as he recently announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Elk County District Attorney. De Vito stated that he has made an emphasis on attending municipality meetings in the county since his announcement, and will continue to do so if he is elected to serve as the Elk County DA in the May primary. De Vito expressed an eagerness to attend such meetings in the future to be aware of and get further input on crime reports from local police departments in Elk County.
Chief of Police Shawn Geci shared with borough council members that the recruit the police department hired to go to the police academy withdrew from the program. Geci went on to state that the department did not have to pay tuition for the individual’s attendance in the academy.
On July 1, 2022 there was a mid-year earned income tax (EIT) increase by the Ridgway Area School District. According to Borough Manager Mike Handley, Berkheimer will resend a flyer as well as a 2022 EIT filing that will have a blended rate to borough residents and school district residents. Essentially, instead of paying an EIT rate of 1.4% or 1.17%, this blended tax rate will be approximately 1.28%.
Handley went on to share that he was recently contacted by DCED (PA Department of Community and Economic Development) in regards to the Johnsonburg Borough being interested in entering an inter-municipal agreement.
The Ridgway Borough has completed their phase one funding source to the state, and the state identified areas where the borough had staff needs. They have also been approved for phase two funding through the state, and are expected to receive it this July. The two positions of need for the Ridgway Borough was assistance with code enforcement as well as community economic development.
Handley was informed by the DCED that the Johnsonburg Borough also has completed their phase one funding, and that they also have a need to hire a Community Economic Development Coordinator and a Code Enforcement Officer.
Lastly, Handley noted that there has been a request to see if the Ridgway Borough and Johnsonburg Borough can partner in hiring individuals to these full-time positions. The two individuals that would be hired would be sharing duties. Handley will be meeting with their DCED Coordinator along with a representative from the Johnsonburg Borough next week to further discuss this initiative. He explained that in this potential partnership, the state will pay the salary of a fulltime position as part of
a three year plan.
The state would pay 75% of the salary for the first year, 50% for the second year, and 25% for the third year. If the filled position goes according to plan after the third year, the borough will fund the rest of the salary.
Borough council would like to remind the community that chickens, livestock, or any other wild animals are not permitted to be kept within borough limits. There is also a cat ordinance that is in place, with a limit of four cats per residential location in the borough.
Cat owners also have to have their cats licensed and registered with the Ridgway Borough. Borough council praised the Ridgway Animal Haven for assisting the borough greatly at no charge when cat issues persist.
Borough council approved the Ridgway Mills Campground to be the host site for the 2023 Ridgway Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous that will be taking place on April 26 through April 29.
Additionally, the borough will allow the use of the warehouse located at the campground in case of inclement weather. The dates for the use of grounds for the Rendezvous that event coordinator Liz Boni requested was April 23 through April 30 and the following week needed for cleanup.
Lastly, the borough will potentially be applying for the DEP Section 902 Grant to assist with recycling and other measures associated with it in the borough.
The next Ridgway Borough Council meeting will be held on March 20 at 6 p.m. in the Ridgway Municipal Building.