KEVIN RAUCH/FOR THE EXPRESS 14th Street rowhomes, pictured above, were part of Renovo Borough Council’s meeting on Wednesday. SEDA-COG’s Betsy Kramer told members there is one hold-out that is barring the property from being razed.

KEVIN RAUCH/FOR THE EXPRESS
Renovo Mayor Justin Lynn, left, swore in newly appointed council member Ted Hill at the beginning of Wednesday’s council meeting. Along with Corey Aungst and Tracy Bruno, four new faces will lead council into the upcoming year.

RENOVO — With a vastly new make up for Renovo Borough Council, several county officials and a member of state police’s Lamar barracks attended the first regular meeting this week, offering introductions and providing information about programs and plans.

Council was officially set in place when Ted Hill was sworn in by Mayor Justin Lynn. Council approved him to fill a seat vacated by Mike Kelley’s letter of resignation.

This was followed by news that many considered astonishing during SEDA-COG representative Betsy Kramer’s update on the fate of row houses on 14th Street.

The 16 connected homes have sat empty since residents were moved following their designation as condemned.

Of the 16 units, the borough owns five and will own five more following a repository sale.

The remaining six units, individually owned, have seen five owners sign letters of agreement to have the structure razed. Each property owner accepted a payout from FEMA that ranged between $13,000 to $30,000 each.

However, council learned that one person’s refusal to sign an agreement has stalled the entire process. This could leave the row homes standing as-is for years and even perpetually.

Kramer did not reveal the name of the lone hold-out.

Kramer said that she did secure a one-time extension running until September of this year, but if the hold-out does not agree, the funding will no longer be waiting to be received.

She said the person who has not agreed would receive the highest price of $30,000.

Taxes would have to be current for individuals to receive the FEMA payouts and Kramer said that one refusal’s taxes are current.

The SEDA-COG representative said that she has spoken to the individual on a couple of occasions. She further repeatedly told council that the demolition and receiving of FEMA funds was an “all or nothing” situation.

Peters Construction is on stand-by to raze the structure, a process that would have to begin within 90 days of securing all six signatures.

Kramer added that it could actually begin within just a few weeks. Considering the September deadline, time is quickly running out.

In other business, council was introduced to Brian Evers, Pennsylvania State Police Commander at Lamar Barracks.

Evers asked officials to keep an open line of communication, as he realized the borough does not have a full-time officer in its department.

Currently, the Renovo Police Department has just part-time Chief Greg Drollinger who holds other employment. In the past his title has been referred to as mainly administrative as he staggers 30 hours of work throughout each week.

Commander Evers explained that Renovo providing communication of their staffing, or lack thereof, can help things run smoother and affect the PSP’s staff shifts and assigned zones.

Also during the meeting, Steve Gibson, Clinton County Director of Planning/Engineer and Commissioner Jeff Snyder asked for and received a letter of assurance from Renovo to begin the Memorial Park Trailhead and Campground Project. The site is where the current Memorial Park sits in East Renovo along Paddy’s Run.

The campground would only be open to members of the Northcentral Regional ATV Trail Council of Governments through prime riding months between Memorial and Labor Day Weekends.

Outside of those months the borough could choose what to do with the area.

Council member Tracy Bruno expressed concerns on how, with a limited police force, Renovo officials could regulate ATV traffic.

She noted that last summer when her husband, Gene Bruno, was mayor they were approached by an East Renovo resident complaining of ATV traffic running stop signs.

Bruno also asked how they could prevent someone from becoming a member of NRAT-COG and using the campground to live and work in the area.

When asked how residents would deal with campfire smoke throughout the community, Gibson offered that he wasn’t sure if fire pits were in the plans and that many of those staying there would be high end campers.

Gibson and Snyder explained that Renovo could set a myriad of rules that they want campers on the property to follow, adding that there would no doubt be funding for state-of-the-art cameras near the campground and at the stop signs in East Renovo.

Snyder added he would continue to help with things, such as speaking to the state police and even the sheriff’s department for those deputies that would want overtime to help monitor the ATV traffic.

In his first act of business, Council President Andrew Simon made his committee appointments as follows:

2026 Renovo Council Committee List

— Administration: Chairman Kristy Serafini-Brooks, Tracy Bruno, Ted Hill

— Police/fire: Chairman Dave Knauff, Serafini-Brooks, Dave Walker

— Building, Health and Sanitation: Chairman Walker, Knauff, Hill

— Streets/Parks: Chairman Knauff, Corey Aungst, Serafini-Brooks

— Grants: Chairman Bruno, Aungst, Knauff

— Ordinance: Chairman Walker, Bruno, Hill

— COG Representative: Mayor Lynn, Alternate, Knauff

— CTA Representative: Aungst

— TCC Represetnative: Serafini-Brooks.