Ebensburg Borough

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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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An executive/management level municipal staff person has responsibility for management of the municipal sustainability program expressly included in their job description.

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The municipality has established goals from the energy audit findings and is methodically implementing the energy audit findings.

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The municipality has recently completed an energy audit of all municipal buildings and operations. The audit includes findings and recommendations and establishes a baseline of energy usage

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Newly elected officials participate in Local Government Academy or other orientation training for public officials.

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

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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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Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

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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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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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Policies, plans and ordinances protect wetlands and waterways and their buffers.

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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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Tree and woodlands protection and management policies are in place (for example, community forestry plan and canopy goal; tree planting programs; tree maintenance programs; tree hazard and health assessment projects; computerized assessment of municipal trees, Tree/woodland replacement criteria in ordinances, etc.).

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

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

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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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Waste and recycling ordinances and regulations are in compliance and enforced per Act 101, or if not a mandatory-Act 101 municipality, a municipal recycling program is conducted.

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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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There is a curbside and/or drop-off recycling program.

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

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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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The greenspace/open space plan has benchmarks and results are reported annually to the public.

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The Comprehensive Plan includes a parks/recreation and open space component with proposed passive or active greenways, parks and trails and the zoning and subdivision ordinances support the vision.

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The Comprehensive Plan and ordinances protect farmland and/or promotes community gardens and infill green space.

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The municipality has assessed Main Street program options and opportunities for possible applicability and implementation.

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

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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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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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Up-to-date ordinances for zoning and subdivision/land development are in place to implement the comprehensive plan.

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A multi-municipal comprehensive plan has been adopted as has an official map.

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Land use and development decisions are assessed to ensure they do not have negative fiscal, stormwater, traffic, infrastructure, or service demands, or quality of life impacts on neighboring municipalities.

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Professional staff are employed or retained to manage the land use program.

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The municipality contracts for solid waste collection as opposed to individual home owners contracting for the same.

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

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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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Bicycle lanes or shared roadways are being developed and a ?Share the Road? education campaign is being advanced

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

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

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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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Municipality communicates with the public via a regularly scheduled newsletter or regularly updated web based communications.

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A Historic Review Commission is active.

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

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

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A program to promote safe walking to school is in place.

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A community produce garden(s) is available.

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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.).