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 November 30, 2023 meeting, the Board of Commissioners took the following actions:
Approved the proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to Chapter 27, Part 17, Section 1721.4.H, for Sign Regulations.
Referred to the Planning Commission a Zoning Map amendment for eight (8) properties located at the southwest intersection of Good Hope and Wertzville Roads from Residential Country to Commercial Park Limited.
Approved, full-time, regular employment for Brian Chamberlain, Public Works Department Maintenance Worker I, effective December 14, 2023, upon successful completion of a probationary period.
Approved Resolution No. 2023-21 and the Kenneth E. Fetrow Public Employee Longevity Award recognizing Public Works Department Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS-4) Coordinator Dennis Heisey’s years of service with Hampden Township and congratulating him upon the occasion of his retirement.
Approved Resolution No. 2023-22 recognizing Public Works Department Maintenance Worker II David Drury upon the occasion of his retirement.
Approved revisions to the Hampden Township Safety Committee Manual.
Approved plan modifications to the Hampden Township 457(b) plan with Retirement Plan Advisors.
Approved Change Order No. 1 for the 2023 Street Resurfacing Project resulting in a net reduction in the amount of $720,632.06.
Approved compensating Change Order for the 2022 Stormwater Rehab Project resulting in a net reduction in the amount of $792,386.60.
Approved payment of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners 2024 membership dues.
Approved the 2024 Municipal Domestic Animal Protective Services Agreement with the Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area.
Approved a list of Hampden Township Volunteer Fire Company Fire Police Officers who successfully completed background checks.
Approved Ordinance No. 2023-12 establishing the 2024 Board of Commissioners’ meeting schedule.
Approved Resolution No. 2023-23 authorizing Cumberland Valley and PennDOT to complete grading work along Lamb’s Gap Road and Creekview Road through a Drainage Maintenance Agreement contingent upon Solicitor approval.
Conditionally approved a Resolution accepting an offer of dedication of streets within Jasper Ridge development contingent upon Solicitor and staff review and approval.
Accepted a time limit deadline extension for the Hyatt at Hampden Subdivision and Land Development Plan through March 29, 2024; PC File No. 23-05-01.
Authorized release of Mid Penn Bank Letter of Credit No. 487 in the amount of $9,366.00 for the Good Hope Farms Phase 9 Project and Mid Penn Bank Letter of Credit No. 476 in the amount of $28,136.60 for the Good Hope Farms South Phase 13 Project; projects are complete.
Authorized reduction in Capitol Indemnity Corporation Bond No. CICI908579 from $3,686,398.75 to $1,787,370.00 for the Hadley Place Project; PC File No. 20-09-01.
Approved execution of an Operation and Maintenance Agreement for Stormwater Management Practices for the property located at 1205 Lamb’s Gap Road.
Approved execution of an Operation and Maintenance Agreement for Stormwater Management Practices for the property located at 1207 Lamb’s Gap Road.
Approved Street Cut Permit Application No. 2023-67 for electrical service at 3918 Brookridge Drive, subject to staff review and approval. Street was paved within the last five (5) years.
Approved Street Cut Permit Application No. 2023-65 to repair a water main at 5017 Lenker Street, subject to staff review and approval. Street was paved within the last five (5) years.
Approved the warrants payable for the month of November 2023.
Approved the regular meeting minutes of November 2, 2023.
Cancelled the December 28, 2023 Board of Commissioners meeting and scheduled the next regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
Accepted the monthly report from Police Chief Yerg.
Accepted the monthly report from Public Works Director Jeremy Miller.
Adopted the 2024 Budget.
Adopted Ordinance No. 2023-11, an Ordinance adopting Real Estate Tax, Sewer Rates and Solid Waste/Recycling rates and reaffirming the adoption of the Hampden Township Code of Ordinances.
Adopted Ordinance No. 2023-10, an Ordinance appropriating specific sums estimated to be required for the specific purpose of the municipal government during the year 2024.
Approved Resolution No. 2023-24, a Resolution establishing fees for various Township services including building and land development/subdivision plan review and permits for 2024.
Approved the 2024 employee compensation and benefits package and authorize associated changes to the Hampden Township Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual and Appendices, as needed.
Approved Change Order No. 4, debit of $91,312.28, for the Hampden Pool project
Approved the 2024 reappointments of Bob Conrad and Fred Shadel to the Golf Advisory Board.
Approved the 2024 reappointments of regular member Linda Plesic and alternate member Shelley Sherony to the Planning Commission.
Approved the 2024 reappointments of regular members James Yaple and Chris Nestor, and alternate members E. Lee Stinnett and Mark Guida to the Zoning Hearing Board.
Approved the 2024 reappointment of Erik Hume to the Vacancy Board.
Approved the 2024 reappointment of Carolyn Pfeifer as the Fredricksen Library Representative.
Approved the Hampden Township Volunteer Firefighter of the Year Award.
Approved the purchase of gift cards in recognition of the commitment and service of the Active Duty members of the Hampden Township Volunteer Fire Company.
Authorized the submission of a Green Light Go grant for two (2) projects in the Township.
Referred to the Planning Commission for consideration a proposed digital billboard lease on Township property.
Authorized sending a representative from the Board of Commissioners to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission hearing to oppose the proposed Pennsylvania American Water Company rate increase.
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.