Manager's Corner

Current News
Welcome, everyone, to Hampden's Website. Our purpose, of course, is to share with you news and information that is relevant and timely, so, if you have any suggestions on what you would like to see on this website, please feel free to send us an email.

s/ Keith B. Metts, Township Manager

Emergency Services
Hampden's Emergency Medical Services Department conducts an annual subscription drive to help partially finance operations. I encourage you to take advantage of the subscription offer. The EMS Department provides emergency medical coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week to residents and visitors of the Township and neighboring Shiremanstown and other communities through a mutual aide agreement. Subscribers also receive Advance Life Support service from Penn State Health Life Lion.

Annual Membership fee varies depending upon the number of individuals in the household.  The fee provides unlimited emergency calls for residents who require “medical necessity” transports to an emergency room.  For more details about the service and a Membership Enrollment Card, view links. EMS Subscription Brochure (View) Subscription Enrollment Card (View)

The Township EMS, founded in 1975, cost more than $1 million annually to operate and is staffed around-the-clock by paid professional EMTs who answer approximately 3,000 calls a year, according to William Cook, EMS Director.

As a reminder, Township ordinance requires that each residence in the Township be visibly marked with its street number. The purpose for this is to facilitate finding your home in case of an emergency. Our ambulance and all-volunteer fire company are asking that those address numbers be as large as possible and placed conspicuously so that precious seconds can be gained in an attempt to find you in your time of need.

A copy of the Family Preparedness Guide is available electronically by selecting this link.

In this continued time of uncertainty, be assured that Hampden Township has a detailed and frequently reviewed Emergency Operations Plan. The plan outlines specific procedures for Township officials and first responders to follow in order to protect lives and property. Because there are many different scenarios that may constitute an emergency, the Commissioners would like to remind residents that your best source of information will come from your local radio and/or television stations. The Cumberland County Department of Public Safety also provides emergency alert notifications for those who subscribe to the service. Sign up for the service by clicking here. The Township recommends that you always have basic emergency essentials such as flashlights, radios, extra batteries, water and non-perishable food along with any prescribed medicines in your home.

Armitage Golf Club, routinely voted as “Simply The Best” public course, offers Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities.

Each tee box sponsorship includes a bench, ball washer, hole layout, trash and recycling receptacles and, of course, a 12” x 17” sign with your company logo and name. Additionally, as a tee box sponsor, your company will be recognized on our website with a direct link to your website. This will encourage patrons who access our website to learn more about your business as well. Along with the attractive and highly visible advertising, your company will also receive 20 complimentary rounds of golf, excluding a cart, to be used each year of your sponsorship.

SEE OUR SEPARATE WEBSITE @ http://www.armitagegolfclub.com for additional information 

Yard Waste Recycling

The Yard Waste Facility is currently open weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The facility will also be open the first and third Saturday of each month from April through the first Saturday of January 2024  from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The facility is closed on holidays (including holiday weekends such as Saturday, April 8 due to the Easter holiday) and during inclement weather.  For complete details on the Yard Waste Facility, click here

Budget

The Board of Commissioners would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the current Hampden Township real estate tax rate is .156 mills which means for a home assessed at $100,000 a resident would pay $15.60 a year in real estate taxes to the Township. The School District, County and Township are separate taxing bodies and the Township receives no tax revenue from the School District or County and there is no revenue sharing between them.

Miscellaneous

At its February 29, 2024 meeting, the Board of Commissioners took the following actions: 

Tabled the Preliminary/Final Subdivision and Land Development Plan for Overlands of Atizazul and Tahmina Mansoor and Hampden Summit Homeowners Association, Inc., located at Summit Way and Creekview Road.

Approved conditional appointment of Randy Hornberger, Jr. to fill a vacancy for a full-time Public Works Maintenance Worker I position, effective as soon as practicable, to serve a six month probationary period.

Accepted the voluntary resignation of Philip Wagoner, Public Works Wastewater Utility Worker I, effective February 16, 2024 and authorize advertisement to fill the vacancy.

Approved a list of part-time and seasonal employees for various Township Departments.

Approved carpet replacement at various Good Hope Station offices and Armitage Pro Shop through Sherwin Williams at a cost not to exceed $16,600.00.  Lowest of three (3) competitive quotes.

Approved purchase of a utility golf cart from Club Car at a cost not to exceed $10,992.63 through Co-Stars, subject to staff review.

Approved purchase of a garage door for Armitage Golf Club through Baker Door Company at a cost not to exceed $8,265.00.

Approved replacement of the Salem Park maintenance shed roof by C. E. Swartz at a cost not to exceed $4,350.00.

Approved restoration of concrete floors at various parks restrooms through Authentic Concrete Floor Solutions at a cost not to exceed $4,180.00.

Approved award of the 2024 Storm Sewer Project to Mr. Rehab at a cost not to exceed $334,521.00 through Co-Stars Contract No. 016-E22-220.

Waived any conflict with Saxton Stump for lobbying services.

Denied release of Centric Bank Letter of Credit No. 374 in the amount of $11,329.18 for the 5510 Carlisle Pike Development PC File No. 18-01-01.  Work is not complete.

Approved reduction in LinkBank Letter of Credit No. 6200099009 from $1,718,895.29 to $600,422.82 for the Burick Center Project, PC File No. 21-09-03.

Approved execution of an Operation and Maintenance Agreement for Stormwater Management Practices for the property located at 5401 Carlisle Pike.

Approved execution of an Operation and Maintenance Agreement for Stormwater Management Practices for the property located at 107 S. Sporting Hill Road.

Approved execution of an M-950AA form for authorization for Agent to apply for Highway Occupancy Permit for the Townes of Hampden Development PC File No. 22-03-01 relating to the installation of stormwater infrastructure.

Approved Emergency Street Cut Permit Application No. 2024-10 for repair of a broken water main at 3818 Pamay Drive, subject to staff review and approval.  Work has been completed.

Approved the warrants payable for the month of February 2024.

Approved the regular meeting minutes of February 1 and the special meeting minutes of February 12, 2024.

Accepted the monthly report from Police Chief Yerg.

Authorized issuance of Intent to Award, Notice of Award and Notice to Proceed to the lowest responsive bidder for Mowing Services, subject to Solicitor and staff review.

Accepted the monthly report from Public Works Director Jeremy Miller.

Approved Change Order No. 8, credit of $11,321.45 for the Hampden Pool project.

Bill of Rights

The PA Tax Reform Act, passed as PA Act 50, concerned itself primarily with the ability of school districts to relax their reliance on real estate tax. However, the Tax Reform Act also gave you, the taxpayer, the entitlement to receive a written explanation of your rights with regard to the audit, appeal, enforcement, refund, and collection of all local taxes. Accordingly, the Hampden Township Board of Commissioners has adopted the Hampden Township Taxpayers' Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights covers topics such as municipal requests of information from you, the occurrence of a suspected tax over or underpayment, and the process to be followed during a tax appeal. If you ever have any questions about your rights as a taxpayer, a copy of the Bill of Rights is available at the Township office or, if you call the staff at 761-0119, we'll gladly mail you one — or you can download it from here on our Website.