Carlisle Borough Government

On Saturday, January 16, 2021, the Borough of Carlisle will host an inaugural Community Town Hall on Racial Equity at Borough Hall. Community members will have the opportunity to participate via Zoom. The town hall will be facilitated by the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, Brandon Flood. This inaugural Town Hall is presented in coordination with the Carlisle Martin Luther King Commemoration Committee and serves to kick-off a series of deep dives into the raci...al history, current condition, and the hope for future racial reconciliation. In November, Borough Council passed a resolution citing the past mistakes the Borough committed regarding the Lincoln Cemetery and restated their commitment to doing the work necessary to prevent missteps in the future. The Borough of Carlisle encourages residents and interested parties to submit their experiences or topics for discussion in advance of the town hall to [email protected]. Submissions should be no longer than 500 words in length. Video submissions are also welcome and should not exceed 3 minutes. Advance written and video submissions should be sent no later than January 9, 2021. Residents interested in participating in this meeting should contact Owen Snyder, Assistant Borough Manager, for Zoom meeting access at [email protected] by 9:30 a.m. on January 16, 2021. At the time of issuance of this press release, in-person attendance is limited to 25 individuals in compliance with Pennsylvania’s current restrictions. If you do not have access to Zoom and must attend in person please contact Owen Snyder. For more information, visit https://www.carlislepa.org/news_detail_T29_R217.php

As 2021 begins, please make a resolution to take care of yourself. Mental health is just as important as physical health. If you are struggling, please reach out. There are many free resources that are just a phone call away. Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line: Text PA to 741-741 PA Support + Referral Helpline: 855-284-2494... In addition, a walk-in mental health clinic is available every Wednesday from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM at New Life Community Church, 64 East North Street. The fee is pay as you are able. https://www.inhimchristianwellness.org/services. by Aron Rook

Join us on Wednesday for the first meeting of 2021! Carlisle Borough Council will hold their Workshop Meeting on January 6 at 6:00 PM. The agenda is here: https://www.carlislepa.org/agenda_detail_T36_R227.php. The meeting will be held both in-person and through Zoom. In-person attendance is limited and you must wear a mask. We can provide one for you if you do not have one. If you would like to participate in the meeting via Zoom, please e-mail the Borough Secretary at [email protected] by 4:00 PM on Wednesday. We will also livestream the meeting here on Facebook.

Whether it's pledging to eat more veggies or trying a new hobby, chance are you've set some resolutions for yourself at the start of 2021! One New Year's Resolution that is good for both you and the planet is to focus on sustainability in this new year. There are several easy steps you can take to make your new year greener! Go Paperless. Make the switch from mailed bills and bank statements to digital format. Be Water Smart. Pledge to use a reusable water bottle instea...d of buying plastic water bottles. Minimize your water usage when brushing your teeth, taking showers, etc. Reusable Bags. Ditch the plastic bags at the grocery store and bring your own reusable bags. Think Local. Shopping locally not only helps the economy, it reduces your carbon footprint. Lessening your commute can save money and provide more opportunities for walking or biking. Cut Down on Vampire Energy. Chances are you have several electronic devices around your house. Unplug them when you're not using them to save some energy.

Christmas Tree Collection begins tomorrow! Leave your tree curbside on your scheduled trash collection day.

Forging a relationship with our sister city of Carlisle, England was a highlight of 2020. We even made their holiday card list! Pictured are Carlisle, England’s Mayor Mrs. Marilyn Bowman and the Mayor’s Consort, Mr. Syd Bowman. Carlisle City Council

Still doing some last-minute shopping? Follow along with Stephanie of Destination Carlisle as she picks up some gifts in downtown Carlisle. Maybe you will be inspired! #ShopSmall

Christmas in Carlisle is a magical time! From the downtown tree to Santa visits in the square, there is no shortage of holiday magic. While this year may look a little different, with socially distant Santa selfies and talks with Mr. Claus on Zoom, the holiday spirit is still alive and well! What are some of your favorite Carlisle holiday memories? Are there any new traditions you and your family are adopting this year to keep that Christmas magic?... *The old photos featured in the video are from the Cumberland County Historical Society.

You can drop your ballot off at the Cumberland County, PA Bureau of Elections Office at 1601 Ritner Highway. https://www.ccpa.net/66/Bureau-of-Elections

WEDNESDAY SNOW REMOVAL Crews will be performing snow removal from the following areas on Wednesday, December 23. f you are have a vehicle parked on one of the streets below, it is imperative that you move your vehicle! South side of West South Street from Hanover to College... South side of West Pomfret from College to Hanover South side of West Penn Street from College to Franklin Crews will temporarily close off a block of each street as they are removing the snow.

PennDOT's contractor is unable to finish work on this project today, so work will continue on Wednesday in the area of the intersection of North Hanover and North Streets. Flaggers will be on-site directing traffic.

Happy Day Before Halloween! Some members of Borough staff got decked out in their Halloween finest. We love their spirit! Did you dress up last night or today? Share your costumes in the comments!

The American Red Cross is hosting a blood drive on Halloween! The drive takes place Saturday at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church at 21 South Bedford Street between 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. If you are healthy and able, please consider donating. Registration is required for this blood drive. Visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results and sign up!

Trick or Treat Night is a rain-or-shine event and will be held in the Borough tonight from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. We have some tips on our website to help keep your little ghouls and goblins safe! General Safety Tips: https://www.carlislepa.org/news_detail_T29_R182.php CDC guidelines and suggestions: https://www.carlislepa.org/news_detail_T29_R176.php... If neighborhoods want to make arrangements for an alternate day or time, that is fine. We just ask that you give your neighborhood and our police department a heads up that there may be groups of trick-or-treaters out at a certain time.

If you received your mail ballot, complete and return it now: VotesPA.com/ReturnBallot. If you'll vote at the polls on Nov. 3, make a plan: on.pa.gov/AtThePolls.

Automatic water meter reading is coming to Carlisle Borough! Staff recently began installing meter transponder units (MXU) at properties connected to the Borough's drinking water system. Benefits of the MXUs include early leak detection and improved billing accuracy. This project, expected to be completed by December 2021, is part of the overall Water Resources Capital Improvement Program. The project will be paid for through the Borough’s Drinking Water Capital Projects Account. https://www.carlislepa.org/news_detail_T29_R178.php

These beautiful butterflies, installed in the summer of 2019, are part of a collaborative art project called Wings of Hope. This project is designed to bring awareness to mental illness. #WhereAreWeWednesday

UPDATE: The intersection has reopened. Heads up!

Carlisle Borough, home to Dickinson College, is proud to have made the list of Safest College Towns in America! SafeWise.com, an online safety resource, ranks Carlisle in the top 50 at #20. Only one other Pennsylvania college town made the list! Safewise looks at the most recent FBI crime statistics on property and violent crimes to rate communities. Towns on the list have a property crime rate over 2.5 times lower than the national average and a violent crime rate over fou...r times lower than the national average. To be in the running, cities needed to exceed a population of 15,000 residents and be home to an accredited college that offered four-year degrees. Safewise excluded for-profit institutions, technical and vocational schools, schools that offer only two-year degrees, and those with fewer than 2,000 students enrolled annually. You can view the complete list here: https://www.safewise.com/blog/safest-college-towns-america/.

Carlisle Hope Station is hosting a grocery distribution event this Friday! The event is for families with school-aged kids (preschool to 12th grade). Stop by Hope Station this Friday between 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM and receive a bag. The event is first-come, first-serve and face masks are required.

West Chapel Avenue just got a little greener! The project began with repairs to an existing fence. While examining the area, Borough crews discovered the retaining wall was actually in need of replacement. While constructing and repositioning the retaining wall, the crews were able to add additional green spaces for plantings. Crews were also able to reduce the amount of impervious surface in the parking lot and add even more green space. The entire project was completed using in-house resources. Even the soil for the plantings came from our Compost Facility. We're excited to see what blooms on West Chapel Avenue in the springtime!

The deadline to apply for a mail-in/absentee ballot is tomorrow, Tuesday, October 27! Visit www.ccpa.net/2374 for more information. If you are returning your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked by 8 PM on election day and received by the county election office by 5 PM on Friday, November 6 to be counted. You can also return your mail-in ballot in-person. It must be returned to the Cumberland County Bureau of Elections, 1601 Ritner Highway, by 8 PM on election day.

Trick or Treat Night is less than a week away! Trick or Treat will take place on Thursday, October 29 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) has provided some tips for trick-or-treating safely! Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters.... Give out treats outdoors, if possible. Set up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take. Wash hands before handling treats. Wear a mask. Wear a mask Make your cloth mask part of your costume. A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask. Do NOT wear a costume mask over a cloth mask. It can make breathing more difficult. Masks should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you Indoors and outdoors, you are more likely to get or spread COVID-19 when you are in close contact with others for a long time. Wash your hands Bring hand sanitizer with you and use it after touching objects or other people. Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Parents: supervise young children using hand sanitizer. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you get home and before you eat any treats. For more information, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov//daily-life-co/holidays/halloween.html