During the Borough of Bath council meeting on Monday, August 1, council looked ahead to the borough’s return of Old Home Week for the first time in over a century. The weeklong event, starting on August 14 and running through August 20, comes after a year and a half of planning, hard work, and collaboration, said Councilman Frank Hesch.
The celebration will start with a time capsule burial at Borough Hall on August 14 at noon. Next, the festivities will move to Ciff Cowling Field for a softball tournament at 12:30 p.m. Teams are still welcome to sign up. The Verdict will perform at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, August 16 will feature food trucks and a movie starting at 5 p.m. at Fireman’s Field. Food trucks will include Take a Taco, Lattemann’s Corner Store, the Sticky Pig, Sprinkles, Atomic Hogs, Curd Zone, and Slide on By. The movie, “Finding Nemo,” will start at dusk.
Thursday, August 18 is Business Night. Stores will host demos and live music and stay open late to welcome shoppers. The water treatment plant will also be open for a tour.
Friday, August 19 is History Night. Residents can celebrate the borough’s rich history during a dinner at the American Legion. The banquet starts at 6 p.m. and will include a History of Bath display by the Bath Museum and guest speaker Linda Kortz. Tickets are $25 per person and are still available at Hayes Flowers.
Finally, the week will end with the much-anticipated return of Spuds & Suds. The fifth-anniversary celebration will start at noon on August 20 and feature vendors, food trucks, and music. The Bath Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the Siegfried Log Cabin will be open from 10 a.m. to noon.
Borough business owners and residents are welcome to get involved in the celebration by decorating their properties in red, white, and blue.
In other news, the borough has started the public comment period for its Pollution Reduction Plan. This plan, mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, requires a short-term and long-term maintenance schedule outlining steps the borough will take to reduce stormwater runoff pollution over the next five years.
The plan, available for review in the borough office, proposes two retention basins, a rain garden, and street sweeping for a total cost of $480,000. This funding would come from grants, loans, and the borough’s general fund. Construction of the retention basins would begin in fall 2024.
This government mandate has forced small municipalities like Bath to face tough financial predicaments.
“Where are we supposed to get this kind of money?” Mayor Fi asked, adding that many boroughs and townships face the same question.
Should the DEP not enforce this mandate, the EPA may, in turn, fine the state.
The next bi-monthly borough council meeting, originally scheduled for August 10, is now scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. This bi-monthly meeting will include a budget hearing. The public is encouraged to attend.
