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 April 27, 2023 meeting, the Board of Commissioners took the following actions:
Presented Commendations to various members of the Hampden Township Police Department.
Tabled the Preliminary/Final Subdivision and Land Development Plan for Post Acute Medical Rehab Hospital.
Accepted the voluntary resignation of Maxx Miller, Public Works Maintenance Worker I, effective April 28, 2023 and authorized advertisement to fill the vacancy.
Ratified and approved the hiring of part-time and seasonal employees for various Township Departments.
Approved purchase of ten (10) 2024 Yamaha gas golf carts for Armitage Golf Club from Golf Car Specialties at a cost not to exceed $58,530.00 through Co-Stars Contract No. 14-175.
Approved purchase of Microsoft server licensing from CDWG at a cost not to exceed $33,637.00. Lowest of four (4) competitive quotes.
Approved purchase and installation of a Little John Digester for wastewater Pump Station No. 1 from Maryland Biochemical at a cost not to exceed $19,894.75 through Co-Stars Contract No. 016-E22-219.
Approved a proposal from Keystone Petroleum, lowest of three (3) quotes, for concrete repair of (2) two manholes at the Hampden Park Drive Fuel Island at a cost not to exceed $13,461.00.
Approved purchase of an 18.5 yard open top hooklift container at a cost not to exceed $7,597.00 from U.S. Municipal through Co-Stars Contract No. 025-E22-441.
Approved payment of $4,000.00 to Indian Creek Association for maintenance of the Township-owned island at the entrance to the development.
Approved a professional services proposal from Honor Engineer Co. to provide a preliminary report on the viability to relocate the irrigation pond at Armitage Golf Club at a cost of $3,700.00.
Approved an annual membership with the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $130.00.
Approved Resolution No. 2023-11 authorizing disposition of various surplus Public Works Department vehicles and equipment.
Approved Ordinance No. 2023-05 amending attorney’s fees in Chapter 18 with respect to the collection of sewer use charges.
Ratified Resolution No. 2023-10 honoring Lt. Richard Nulty for his voluntary assumption of duties as Officer in Charge of the Police Department from January 6 through April 2, 2023.
Approved an Adopt a Highway application from the Professional Women & Women Entrepreneurs Association (POWER) for Hunter Drive.
Approved an Adopt a Highway application from Linda Glaser for Locust Lane.
Approved an Adopt a Highway application from Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA for Creekview North Park.
Approved release of Vizo Irrevocable Letter of Credit No. 137 in the amount of $364,698.95 for the Belco Community Credit Union Project, P.C. File No. 19-10-01. Project is complete.
Approved Street Cut Permit Application No. 2023-27 for a water line repair at 45 West Circle subject to staff review and approval.
Approved the warrants payable for the month of April 2023.
Approved the regular meeting minutes of March 30 and special meeting minutes of April 17, 2023.
Authorized issuance of Intent to Award, Notice of Award and Notice to Proceed to the lowest responsive bidder for Mowing Services.
Approved participating in the Cumberland County Small Bridge Inspection Program.
Authorized advertisement for competitive bids associated with the proposed Hampden Pool renovations.
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.