Ebensburg Main Street Partnership Earns National Accreditation

Ebensburg’s Community Development Director Danea Koss accepts Ebensburg Main Street Partnership’s 2019 National Main Street Center accreditation certificate alongside representatives from DCED and other accredited communities. From left: Christie Yerger, DCED; Danea Koss, Ebensburg Main Street Partnership; Gordon Manker, Wilkinsburg CDC; Josh Rolon, Wilkinsburg CDC; Jeanine Henry, Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful, Larry Marshall, Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful; Mandy Book, DCED. Ebensburg was also recognized as the fifth “Best Performing Main Street Programs” behind Easton, Boyertown, Hamburg and Quakertown.

Ebensburg Main Street Partnership Receives 2021 National Main Street Accreditation

Ebensburg, PA (July 27, 2021) – The Ebensburg Main Street Partnership has once again been designated as an accredited Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its Coordinating Program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach®.

“Once again, we are thrilled to recognize this year’s nationally accredited Main Street America communities for their outstanding work,” says Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “We are experiencing an exciting era for America’s cities and towns, with a growing recognition of the importance of strong local enterprise, distinctive character, engaged residents, and sense of place. These are things that Main Street America programs have been working to protect and advance for years, strengthening the economic, social, and cultural fabric of communities across the country.”

The organization’s performance is annually evaluated by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet ten performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings.

“We are proud to be one of only 40 accredited main street programs in Pennsylvania” said John Paul Houser, president of the Ebensburg Main Street Partnership. “It sets us apart and affirms that we are following the national standard for all main street programs.”

The Ebensburg Main Street Program represents an important and unique partnership between municipal government (the Borough of Ebensburg) and private enterprise (the Ebensburg Main Street Partnership).  Combined with interested residents from the community, the Ebensburg Main Street Partnership is committed to increasing the economic vitality of the Ebensburg Central Business District.  This is accomplished through a coordinated program of promotional activities, façade and streetscape improvements and economic restructuring efforts.

Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,000 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $65.6 billion in new public and private investment, generated 556,960 net new jobs and 126,476 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 260,000 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

 

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“Retire Your Old Glory” at the Ebensburg Municipal Office

Retire Your Old Glory is a community-based program to collect and properly retire American flags when they are no longer usable. Because borough staff are often asked how and where to properly dispose of old flags, Borough Council voted to participate in this program.

The American Legion Post 363 and Ebensburg VFW Post 4963 have generously agreed to sponsor the program by covering the initial set up fees, and Boy Scout Troop 98 has agreed to mange the program on an ongoing basis. They will periodically collect the flags, report the number of flags collected and ceremonially dispose of the flags.

Thanks to all the organizations involved in making this program possible.

Smoke Test

Residents are reminded that Ebensburg Borough is continuing a DEP-required testing of residential and commercial sewage systems. The tests are intended to detect any connections that are allowing infiltration into the sewage system.

Infiltration is caused by sources of stormwater being illegally discharged into the sanitary sewer system. These sources can be downspouts, driveway drains, footer drains, and leaking service laterals. Borough crews will be smoke-testing sections of town. Smoke is pumped into the sanitary sewer system under pressure and then rises out of any illegal tap identifying the locations of any drains, downspouts and leaks. Property owners that have any such illegal sources of infiltration will be required to pay to have corrections made.

The smoke may on occasion enter buildings. That could happen if your sewage traps are empty or lacking. The smoke is non-toxic and leaves no residue. We will try out best to notify property owners in advance of any testing in your area. You will want to watch the local newspapers for any notices. The testing will occur in a specific section of town each year over the next five years.