$84,564 grant awarded for
Carroll Valley Path System

Danielle Ryan

(12/21) During the December Borough Council meeting, Amy Kaufman of GMS Funding Solutions, announced that Carroll Valley was awarded an $84,564 Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). This grant has been awarded to help cover the cost of phase 1 of the Carroll Valley Path System.

Currently no connection between major population centers or adjoining Fairfield and Carroll Valley Boroughs exists; the Carroll Valley Path System hopes to correct this problem. Within Carroll Valley proper, the full-proposed plan calls for the connection of the trails in and around Ranch Park with the Fairfield schools. In addition, the trail will connect to existing trails around the lakes in Carroll Valley and to the trails around Ski Liberty. It is also proposed that a connection trail will be built to connect Michaux State Park with Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve.

The $84,564 grant was $20,000 greater than the amount that was originally applied for, and Kauffman noted that the Regional Manager of DCNR loved the project and was excited to help fund it. The C2P2 grant, however, requires a 20% match from the Borough. To account for this 20% match, Kauffman asked Council to approve the application for an additional grant through the Adams County Parks Recreation and Green Space Grant in the amount of $25,000. If the Borough does not receive the grant, Kauffman mentioned that the C2P2 grant allows for in-kind contributions toward the match, such as providing labor materials, volunteers etc. Borough Manager Dave Hazlett is confident that the Borough has the ability to provide these contributions if need be, however recommended Council still apply for the additional grant. Council voted to approve the application, and the Borough can expect to hear a decision by March.

During the same meeting, Council members voted to adopt a resolution designating all Borough Parks as tobacco free zones. All tobacco products fall under the resolution, including, electronic smoking devices, cigarettes, cigars, snuff and chewing tobacco. Recently, the Adams County Library System partnered with an organization called the Young Lungs at Play Initiative to designate the Adams County libraries as smoking-free zones. Carroll Valley chose to follow suit and do the same. The Young Lungs at Play Initiative will provide all signage free of charge to Carroll Valley to post on their property. All Council members present voted in favor of the resolution except Council member Bruce Carr, who felt as though the resolution may have been "over the top" prohibiting all tobacco products.

In other news, congratulations are extended to Borough Council President Sarah Skoczen who received the 2017 Marley Award for all of her work with the Trap Neuter and Release (TNR) program in Carroll Valley. Skoczen has helped trap over 200 cats in Carroll Valley and proved that the TNR program is an effective way to help with the population control of feral cats in the community. Skoczen was involved in all aspects of the TNR program which she started in the Borough two years ago, and introduced the use of the trail cam to the program. Of the 200+ cats that were trapped, twenty-two of these cats were young and social enough to be adopted out. Additionally, Fairfield is now starting to utilize the TNR program after seeing the success of the program in Carroll Valley.

The Borough would like to thank the three Council members who have served their last Borough Council meeting. Between the three Council members, Ken Lundberg, Dan Patton, and Tom Fitzsimmons have provided 37 years of service to the Council. Great thanks for their years of dedicated service to the Borough.