Community center seeks funding from Hilltown

Patricia Guth, an advisory board member of the Pennridge Community Center, spoke on behalf of the center at the Hilltown Township Board of Supervisors meeting Monday, Oct. 9, and asked to have the center considered when the township drew up its 2012-13 budget. Guth expressed her thanks to the township in allocating funds to the center last year.

The center seeks an anticipated $17,801 to help with its monthly mortgage payments and other needs, such as an emergency repair fund.

According to its mission statement, the Pennridge Community Center was founded in 1964 as the Upper Bucks Branch of the Bucks County Association of Retired and Senior Citizens. The current center opened in Silverdale in 2007, and it serves as a community institution for citizens ages 55 and older, according to Guth.

“$s WKH EuLOGLNJ wDs LN WKH fiNDO stage of completion, we became aware that we were not going to get a rather huge amount of money from the state,” Guth said.

As a result, the center was re-

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It was business as usual at Dublin Borough Council’s meeting Tuesday night.

Two community members attended t he meeting to discuss the progress made on the Mayor’s Race for the Clock campaign.

According to council President Nicholas Rosica, about $20,000 has been raised for the clock, but the borough is still looking for donations.

“Just keep donating as much as you can,” Rosica said.

The plan is to have the clock dedication in the spring or summer of 2013.

Dublin Mayor Christopher Hayes explained that Carter van Dyke, a landscape architect/planning firm, was awarded the contract to work with Dublin’s Main Street sisualizing Steering Committee. The committee, composed of business owners and community members, will begin meeting in early December to decide what direc- tion the Main Street project will take.

Hayes also discussed a Business Forum that will take place Oct. 27 at the Pearl S. Buck House. The forum will include representatives from Delaware salley College, Pennridge Chamber of Commerce and Discover Dublin.

“We’re expecting a pretty good turnout,” Hayes said.

According to Borough Manager William Wert, changes are being made to Dublin’s recycling program.

Instead of working with Hilltown and West Rockhill, Dublin will now join its recycling efforts with Hilltown and Plumstead. With this change, there is an estimated $9,000 net increase.

The next council meeting will take place Oct. 22. quired to secure a mortgage of $147,819.18, which means the center is responsible for a monthly mortgage payment of $1,059.

Of the 583 individuals who are members, 165 of them are Hilltown residents, according to Guth. Both the manager, Debbie Scollon, and the assistant manager, Sara Kelly, are Hilltown residents, Guth said.

Participation has increased, Guth said, with an average of 75 people per day visiting the center. This is an increase from the average 35 people who participated daily prior to the new building in 2007.

In addition to operational expenses, the center is responsible for maintenance of the building, administrative expenditures and expenses for programs and activities, Guth said. The programs and activities are paid through fees from the participants, according to Guth.

“The center is run frugally,” she said. “All expenditures must be approved by the executive committee, and all activities must be self-supported.”

Some of the activities that have been offered are jewelry and craft shows and a monthly dinner dance, which 80 to 90 people attend on average, Guth said.

“The senior center is the only — the only — facility in the Pennridge area dedicated to providing recreational activities for the senior population,” she said.

Guth, however, also emphasized that the center is a community center, which is available to all citizens — not just those 55 and older.

Board Chairwoman Bar- bara Salvadore said the board would “absolutely consider” the center when drawing up the budget.

The center will host a Founders’ Day celebration Sunday, Oct. 21, from 3 to 5 p.m. to recognize Nancy Keenan and Clarence Applegate, who contributed to the construction and operation of the center. The event is free to the public but requires tickets, which can be purchased at the center. For more information, visit the center’s website at www. p e n n r i d g e c e n t e r. org.

In other news at Monday’s board meeting, the board accepted two bid awards.

Lynda Seimes, township secretary, said it was the fiUVW WLPH LN 15 WR 17 YHDUV that three companies bid for the township’s heating oil. Moyer Indoor Outdoor won with the lowest bid at D fiXHG SULFH RI $3.359 SHU gallon.

“It’s nice to see somebody else bidding,” Salvadore said.

The lowest and only bid for diesel fuel was from Farm & Home Energy with a price of $3.63 per gallon when picked up and $3.74 per gallon when delivered.