(12/2022) At the November meeting of the Carroll Valley Council, the proposed 2023 Budget was tentatively adopted with the intent to set the following tax rates: Real Estate – 2.45mils; Dedicated Fire/EMS –.25 percent; Earned Income – .5 percent; Realty Transfer – .5 percent; and Admissions – .5 percent or as permitted by law. This means that for the 11th consecutive year, no tax increase is proposed. The final adoption of the 2023 proposed budget and tax resolution is scheduled for the regular Borough Council meeting on December 13, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Borough Office. The proposed 2023 budget is available for physical inspection at the Borough Office or online at www.carrollvalley.org.

Hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The holiday season is definitely upon us. Life speeds up – trying to rush to the next store to get the best buy on a gift. This is positively true if you are not purchasing online or have waited until now to start looking for gifts. Do you know where I’m going with this – if you are using the car, don’t rush, and the most crucial advice for all of us is to buckle up. You may not be rushing, but the other driver may. Whether you’re on a municipal road/trail or the interstate, in a minivan or an SUV, traveling cross country, or somewhere in the Borough, buckle your seat belt every trip. And, remember, don’t drink and drive. Keep safe!

Winter officially starts Tuesday, December 21. This day is known as "winter solstice" and is the year's shortest day. Hanukkah is celebrated from Sunday, December 18, to Monday, December 26. Christmas is on Sunday, December 25. The first day of Kwanzaa falls on Monday, December 26, and ends on January 1. During this holiday season, please consider helping other families in need. The Borough of Carroll Valley’s Parks and Recreation Committee, along with the Council, Committees, and Staff, are collecting the following items to make Holiday Meal Kits for local families in need: Turkeys, Roasting Chicken, Instant Mashed Potatoes, Canned Yams/Sweet Potatoes, Canned Vegetables (corn, green beans), Canned Cranberry Sauce, Stuffing Mix, Desserts (non-perishable or mixes), and Dinner Rolls.

Drop off donations at the Borough Office, 5685 Fairfield Road, or cash donations are also accepted. Please make checks payable to the Borough of Carroll Valley. Ruth’s Harvest program is about feeding hungry children. It is a volunteer program that provides hungry children with a backpack for food when they are not getting school lunches. They receive individually packed servings of food to cover seven meals and two snacks for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday. There are three ways to help: donate food, make a monetary contribution, and/or volunteer your time in distributing the food packages. A Ruth’s Harvest collection box in the Borough’s lobby contains a brochure that describes all food items needed, where a check can be sent and the point of contact person for volunteering.

On November 25, when our local young residents visit the Carroll Valley Borough building, they will be excited to see a life-size red Santa Mail Postal Box in the lobby. Santa letters dropped in this special mailbox are guaranteed to be delivered directly to Santa. On December 10 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., you can have Breakfast with Santa. Breakfast is $5.00, while children 12 and under are free. The Fairfield Fire & EMS is sponsoring the event with the support of Carroll Valley Borough and American Bikers on a Mission. Thank you all. Sensitive Santa will be available at 11:30 a.m. by appointment. Call Gayle Marthers at 717-752-0063. On December 18, the Fountaindale Volunteer Fire Department will be chauffeuring Santa. The start time is tentatively set for 12:30, and the travel route will be posted on the Fountaindale Facebook page. Fairfield Neighbors Helping Neighbors are collecting items for the elderly in nursing homes and Meals on Wheels for the holidays. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Robin Dicken at dickenrobim@gmail.com.

Attention: One of the Adams County Board of Commissioners’ goals is to bring access to broadband internet speed to county residents, education institutions, healthcare facilities, and businesses. The first step in the process is to identify where internet broadband speed is either unavailable or where the upload and download speeds are too slow or unreliable to support the needs of its users. The Federal Communications Commission's benchmark to determine whether the internet service counts as "broadband" is if the Internet Service Provider delivers download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second (or Mbps) and upload speeds of at least 3 Mbps.

Adams County has partnered with Franklin County to contract Design Nine Inc., a Virginia-based company, to perform a feasibility study to determine where the internet broadband speed and reliability are needed and to provide an analysis of the types of technology that are required to offer an acceptable level of services in these unserved areas of the county. The tool used to capture the data from the public is a survey.

The survey asks straightforward yet specific questions regarding one’s overall experience with broadband at their address. You are asked to complete it by January 12. The survey is available online at www.tinyurl.com/broadbandresidential or the Carroll Valley website, www.carrollvalley.org. You can also physically acquire a printed copy of the survey from the Borough office.

The printed copy can be returned in person or by U.S. Postal Service to the Adams County Planning Office. If sending by mail, use the following address, Adams County Planning, 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325. As asked, please supply your (location) full street address, city, state, zip code, and county. Your name is not required. Your identity and location will not be retained or disclosed.

Remember, without the location, the data is useless. Please complete the survey and help the Adams County Commissioners improve broadband access throughout the County.

Please reduce your speed to ensure your loved ones, friends, and neighbors will be safe. If you have any questions, call 301-606-2021 or email MayorRonHarris@comcast.net. Happy Holidays and I wish you good health and happiness topped with loads of good fortune in 2023. Happy New Year!!!