Ellwood City Borough

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Measures are taken to ensure a wide range of candidates are interviewed for all municipal job openings i.e., the Rooney Rule.

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Municipality has or is in the process of retrofitting street lights and traffic signals to LED bulbs.

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Municipality works with schools and local nonprofits/community organizations to engage students about community issues such as waste reduction and recycling, public safety, wellness, conservation, nature, etc.

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Municipal planning is coordinated with the school district and the two meet together at least once per year.

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The municipality and local public schools cooperate to share facilities and other resources. (For example, the municipality assists with the cost of evening lifeguards for community use of a school swimming pool or for provision of crossing guards.)

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Drinking water and sanitary sewer rates are based on the real cost of providing service.

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Sufficient investments are being made to the water, sewer, and stormwater systems per real costs and keeping pace with maintenance and operations.

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Water provider(s) prioritize improving service to existing developed areas as opposed to opening up new areas to development.

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Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

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The municipality actively encourages water conservation and efficiency measures in the community and among businesses.

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The municipality utilizes an Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach (as described by EPA) to identify the municipality?s priorities for projects and includes a description of how the proposed priorities reflect the relative importance of adverse impacts on human health and water quality and the municipality?s financial capability. See: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/integratedplans.cfm

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Cooperation is occurring with neighboring municipalities to manage water and sewer supply, treatment and distribution, sewage and stormwater, in the most cost-efficient way.

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Sustainable landscape maintenance practices are in place for parks and municipal grounds.

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Low impact and green development projects, as well as techniques (pervious pavement, bioswales, cisterns, woodland and steep slope protection) are fostered through incentives, ordinances and design guidelines.

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A burn ban has been formally adopted and made part of municipal ordinance, and State or County outdoor wood fired boiler construction and operation is in accordance with state law

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PA State anti-idling law is enforced and compliance is promoted.

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The municipality has a written municipal policy prohibiting discrimination and valuing diversity and inclusion.

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Provide an on-line link to description of a sustainability innovation that the Municipal Manager/Secretary feels strongly is deserving of additional recognition and is not covered by any of the above criteria options.

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The municipality has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code within the last 6 years per good, safe rental housing.

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The municipality has elected to administer and enforce PA's statewide Uniform Construction Code (UCC).

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The comprehensive plan addresses the community benefits of and need for expanding housing choice.

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The zoning ordinance provides for or accommodates a full range of housing opportunities throughout the community.

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The municipality maintains and supports an initiative to encourage residents to buy local.

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Owners and tenants in the retail area are engaged with the municipality to provide attractive sidewalks, trees, and street furniture and make the area safe for pedestrians and bicyclists.

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An expanded material recycling program is being advanced, i.e., e-waste, composting, pharmaceuticals, and household hazardous waste for community-wide collection.

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Trails for walking and bicycling are being developed or maintained

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The municipality utilizes a system for collection of delinquent taxes and fees in order to mitigate blight and abandonment.

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Staffing is in place sufficient to enforce building and maintenance codes.

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Municipality has an active litter prevention/clean-up program.

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The comprehensive plan and ordinances promote pedestrian-oriented, dense, walkable, mixed-use development (in existing and proposed development), and redevelopment in the core or town center.

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Traffic calming techniques, "complete streets" projects, access management and congestion management programs have been evaluated and are being implemented.

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Police are trained on the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists and state law on passing bicycles.

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Alternate transportation (e.g. transit, inter-modal, multi-modal, bicycle/pedestrian) are accommodated and promoted.

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Public transportation and ride sharing are promoted and facilitated, as is transit-oriented development (where applicable).

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All municipal buildings have an active recycling program.

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5-10 percent of operating funds are carried over year to year.

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Obligations for pensions/other post-employment benefits are funded for the long-term to at least 80%.

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Municipality routinely evaluates ability to ensure that revenue is sufficient to maintain public infrastructure, i.e., road, water, sewer, stormwater (community has an asset management based budget system).

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Funds for capital-related borrowing are not used for day to day expenses.

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A revenue-expenditure trend analysis is conducted annually.

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Professional staff are employed or retained, in the areas of budgeting and finance.

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Taxation takes a balanced approach applicable to all sectors of municipal services provided and fees satisfy cost recovery.

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Municipality participates in a regional service program or contracts services to or through other municipalities for fire, police, or EMS.

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Municipality maintains an updated Public Safety comprehensive plan to be sure staffing and financial resources keep pace with municipal needs for Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services.

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Municipality maintains updated public safety mutual aid agreements with neighboring municipalities and shares resources.

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Professional development for municipal personnel and officials includes participating (at a minimum, per year) in quarterly Local Government Academy, PA DCED or other professional training association programs.

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The municipality is committed to passing a resolution (within six months of enrolling) to affirm participation in the Sustainable Community Essentials Certification Program.

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Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements include conflict resolution provisions.

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The municipality utilizes Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements (ICA) to engage in multi-municipal endeavors.

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Municipality is an active participant in a Council of Governments.

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A program exists to actively pursue and match residents and local businesses to volunteer opportunities to better the community and assist the local government.

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All municipal-sponsored events have a sustainability-awareness component

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Civic engagement, public participation and transparency are regularly assessed and facilitated.

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The use of pesticides and herbicides is being monitored and reduced by all municipal departments which use them

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The municipality has reviewed ordinances, resolutions, and other policies to remove impediments to the use of alternative energy (wind, solar, geothermal) installations or green buildings.

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Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.

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Programs by local government, or in cooperation with the non-profit and private sector, exist to address community health concerns, i.e. exercise programs, feeding programs for children and the elderly, crime watches, accessible health care, exercise away from areas of air pollution, etc.

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A community produce garden(s) is available.

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Education programs are made available for residents on the benefits of organic, locally-purchased food; farmers? markets and farm stands are facilitated.

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The municipality supports a program (or cooperates with neighboring communities) to engage residents in strengthening sustainable food systems to link local foods, farms and people (ex. Buy Fresh Buy Local initiative, Good Food Neighborhood, etc.).

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Incentives exist for establishment of farms and gardens within the municipality.