During the October Council meeting, Police Chief Cliff Weikert asked the Council to consider a bonus of up to $20,000 for new hires who stay with the department for four years. Weikert suggested the Council determine the bonus case-by-case based on the officer’s experience. The chief hopes the bonus makes Carroll Valley a more attractive workplace, but he warned the Council he may be back with other ideas.

"I am not going to lie to you, some places are starting to do this and it is still not helping," Weikert said.

Another option, Weikert said, is to amend the borough’s civil service laws to allow the police department to hire potential police officers and pay for them to attend the police academy. Gettysburg Borough and Cumberland Township passed similar changes recently, Weikert said. The department currently budgets for three officers and has one vacancy. The Council expressed intent to budget for four in 2024.

Chickens allowed

Once again, Carroll Valley Borough Council dedicated a significant portion of its meeting to discuss chickens.

Katlyn Weimer and Adam Colson, 8 Fawn Trail, have been asking the Council for months to grant their illegal chickens an official pardon. Carroll Valley law states chickens must reside in the backyard of a property. That’s not possible for Weimer and Colson, whose house at 8 Fawn Trail aligns with the rear of their half-acre lot.

At times, the Council seemed to support the Fawn Trail fowl but concerns arose over deed restrictions and selective enforcement of the ordinance. Weimer refused to give up and once again pleaded for forgiveness during October’s meeting. The majority of the Council supported granting Weimer and Colson a permit for their chickens, with Council President Richard Mathews opposing. Mathews previously expressed concern about violating deed restrictions.

Lot sale guidelines

If Carroll Valley decides to sell any of the many lots the government owns, the Council now has guidelines to follow. The elected body voted 8-1 to approve a Lot Sale Guidelines document prepared by Manager Dave Hazlett. Kari Buterbaugh opposed the motion. Previously, Buterbaugh expressed concerns about developers buying the lots and changing the makeup of the borough.

The guidelines are just a document, Hazlett said previously. Council will examine every potential lot sale individually and could ultimately decide not to sell any. If they do explore putting lots on the market, the guidelines remind them to consider several factors, including the economy, interest rate fluctuations, the availability of land, and whether a current resident requested interest in the lot.