Planning Comm. Gives Update on Comprehensive Plan

Sherry Socie of the Blair County Planning Commission attended last Tuesday evening's Williamsburg Borough Council meeting to give an update on the Comprehensive Plan of Williamsburg. Despite the DCNR grant being awarded to the borough two years ago, COVID and staff turnover in the planning commission's office is to blame for delays, according to Socie.

Socie said that a rough draft was complete and the next step is to involve the community via an open house meeting where residents can voice their concerns and goals for Williamsburg. Socie gave a late September/early October time frame for this meeting.

The issues that would arise at the open house meeting would be included in the formal Comprehensive Plan. Then, another community-wide meeting would need to be held. Socie gave the final timeline - dependent on meetings - of the adoption of the comprehensive plan being in February or March of 2023. The idea behind a comprehensive plan is that it gives better avenues for grant funding if the issues (such as flooding concerns or lack of a grocery store) are included in the comprehensive plan. No date was announced for first open house meeting.

Williamsburg Mayor Ted Hyle asked borough council members for their "blessing" to purchase winter/holiday banners for the town. Hyle said there was still money in the Christmas Light Fund and gave pricing on different sized banners. Paula Hamilton made the motion to give the go-ahead to purchase banners with Bruce Hamilton seconding. The motion passed.

In his report, Chief of Police Rowdy Kagarise praised everyone involved with the Farm Show Parade in late August. Kagarise said that all 13 positions to patrol parade were filled and he appreciated the seven other departments who came to Williamsburg to help patrol.

Borough Manager Joe Lansberry said there was a tree in the west side of Barbershop Alley that needed to be cut down or could eventually cost the borough with insurance money. Bruce Hamilton made the motion to allow Lansberry to look for prices. The motion passed. The borough was awarded a USDA grant to replace the HVAC system in both the borough side and the fire company side of the building. The grant funding was equal to about $20,200.

For the last couple of years, the borough has been working on a Streetscape grant, which would help beautify Williamsburg - mostly just working on fixing sidewalks among other things. It was announced at Tuesday's meeting that on High Street that 73.95 percent of homes surveyed would still qualify for the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funds to fund the project. Paula Hamilton made the motion to re-do the engineering study since it had been a while since it was previously completed. The motion passed.

Biddle also made the motion to sign a legal services agreement with Attorney Calvin Webb for the stormwater project along 866. The motion passed.

The Christmas Parade date was announced: Saturday, Dec. 3, with a rain/snow date of Saturday, Dec. 10. It will be the same route as last year's. For more information or to enroll a church or community group's float, contact the borough office.