Rankin Borough

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A sustainability assessment has been conducted to evaluate municipal facilities, operations, plans and regulations relative to conserving resources, saving money, and implementing policies and procedures that simultaneously advance the environment, economy, and social equity.

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

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

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

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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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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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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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A Historic Review Commission is active.

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An Environmental Advisory Council is active.

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

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All municipal-sponsored events have a sustainability-awareness component

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Municipality is an active participant in a Council of Governments.

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

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

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

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Written policies exist and ordinances and incentives have been enacted to conserve environmentally and ecologically sensitive places (for example, slopes over 25%, slide prone soils and geology, springs and vernal pools, mature woodlands, Natural Heritage Areas, etc.) in order to protect public safety and natural resources while using green infrastructure for stormwater management.

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

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

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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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Developers are required to submit a comprehensive and detailed fiscal impact analysis including long-term fiscal impacts such as road repair, school infrastructure needs and other public services with their development applications.

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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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A program exists (perhaps in partnership with an outside agency) to facilitate home ownership: homebuyer incentives, employer-assisted housing, community land trust, etc.

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The community is tracking and reporting annually to the public on results toward affordable housing for residents.

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

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

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A program is being implemented to put blighted, abandoned properties back into productive use: smart rehab code, conservatorship, demolition, acquisition, green lot strategies, etc.

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Sustainability policies, goals, and principles have been adopted.

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