Key Highlights: Lock Haven City Council Discusses Events, Agreements, and Updates for 2025
By Emily Wright
LOCK HAVEN— At the Lock Haven City Council meeting on Monday, January 6, 2025, the council addressed a range of topics, including city-owned property use requests, city updates, and entering into an agreement. Mark Schlesinger and City Fire Chief Tyler Wooding requested approval for a fundraising and awareness event, the “Lock Haven Fire Float,” scheduled for August 17, 2025, to support Lock Haven’s fire departments. The council also discussed a request to close parts of N. Vesper Street and Perry’s Alley for the “Pride in the Haven” event on June 28, 2025, and approved a request from ReVibe Outdoors to hold a youth trail run at Zindel Park on September 6, 2025. During the “Unfinished Business” segment, the council reviewed an agreement to purchase land with high-production water wells for the Keller Dam project, with funding coming from PennVEST borrowing. Additionally, the council was notified of the 2024 Opioid Trust Funds disbursement to the city, and there was some discussion about the Keystone Central School District ceasing collection of Earned Income Taxes, necessitating new subcontractor proposals.
Mark Schlesinger of Schlesinger Communications and City Fire Chief Tyler Wooding addressed the council during the meeting to speak on behalf of their request for permission from the city to host a fundraising and awareness event on Sunday, August 17, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The event will utilize Peddie Park, the City Beach, Perry’s Alley, and a section of N. Vesper Street. Organized in collaboration with Schlesinger Communications, Citizens Hose Fire Company, and Eastside Fire and Rescue, the event aims to support both fire departments through a “Lock Haven Fire Float.”
Schlesinger presented the details about the event to the council, noting, “At Schlesinger Communications, we believe strongly in serving the community. One of the best ways to do that is to serve organizations that also serve the community, and with that, this past week, Fire Chief Tyler Wooding and I got together to discuss an idea.”
The event seeks to attract visitors to Lock Haven while also providing support for Lock Haven’s fire departments. Schlesinger explained that he and Chief Wooding would like to host an inaugural “fire float” on the Susquehanna River, similar to a tube float event that was held in Lycoming County. “Our idea is to partner with the fire departments of Lock Haven, not only as a fundraising effort but also to draw awareness and raise awareness as to what the fire departments are, what they do, who they serve, what they’re all about, and also, in addition to funding, help out with future recruitments too,” Schlesinger explained.
Participants will enter the Susquehanna River using an inner tube or inflatable raft at Peddie Park and float downstream to the City Beach, where the float will end.
Perry’s Alley and the 400 block of N. Vesper Street will be closed to traffic, with the loop at the end of N. Vesper Street designated for registration and bus flow. Food vendors will be set up in Perry’s Alley, and fire apparatus will be displayed on the eastern side of Vesper Street for fire prevention information and volunteer recruitment. Proceeds from the float registration will benefit Citizens Hose Company and Eastside Fire Rescue.
The plan is for the fire departments to deploy rescue watercraft and personnel during the event for participant safety, with the hope of also having assistance from the Fish and Boat Commission. Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) will be stationed at the City Beach and Peddie Park to assist with any medical emergencies.
Schlesinger noted that some logistical aspects still need to be worked out, including determining the best access point to the river and clearing a path through vegetation for attendees. He reported that he and Chief Wooding are working with the county to identify the most suitable location. Schlesinger expressed his hope that this could become an annual event that will bring visitors to the city each year.
The City Council members were supportive of the idea, recognizing it as a creative way to support the fire departments and bring attention to the services they provide. There was some discussion about the logistics of accessing the river from Peddie Park and ensuring proper communication with nearby residents who might be affected by the closure of Perry’s Alley and part of N. Vesper Street. Chief Wooding assured that certified letters will be sent to all residents in the affected area to notify them and provide contact information for any questions or concerns.
Since the event requires closing Perry’s Alley and N. Vesper Street, Schlesinger and Chief Wooding’s request will need a second reading to allow for public input before the council gives final approval. Despite this, the council unanimously voted to approve the event on the first reading, with the understanding that further details would need to be worked out, including coordination with the city’s Public Works Department.
Another request to use city-owned property came from Mark Karichner and Uncle Alberts, who would like to close N. Vesper Street from Main Street to Jordan’s Alley for the “Pride in the Haven” event, scheduled for Saturday, June 28, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Kasey Dumm, Director of Community Life, noted that the event had outgrown its previous location at Triangle Park and will now feature vendors and entertainment at this location if approved by the council.
This request also requires a second reading due to the street closures. However, the council approved the first reading of the request unanimously, following a motion by Council Member Heather Alexander, seconded by Council Member Rick Conklin.
The meeting’s final use request was submitted by ReVibe Outdoors, seeking the city’s approval to host a youth trail run at Zindel Park on Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The 5k course will start and finish at the Durty Dabbers pavilion, taking participants through the scenic trails of Zindel Park. The event will be free for all participants. A motion by Council Member Conklin, seconded by Council Member Brannan, to approve the youth trail run was passed unanimously.
Moving on to the “Unfinished Business” segment of the meeting, the council discussed an agreement to purchase two parcels of land containing high-production supplemental water wells for the city. One parcel is owned by Plow Holdings LP and the other by S. and A. Matz, each housing one of the water wells the city needs to complete the Keller Dam project.
City Manager Greg Wilson elaborated on the financial details, explaining that funds for acquiring these properties will be secured through PennVEST borrowing. “The PennVEST funding will also need to pay off the city’s 2022 C-Note, which has been used as interim financing for the wells and pipeline and was also used partially for the emergency water supply for 2023 and 2024,” he said. This funding will enable the city to permanently install the high-production wells, which were previously utilized as an emergency water supply.
The agreed purchase price is $400,000 for the 12-acre Plow Holdings LP parcel and $275,000 for the 11-acre S. and A. Matz parcel.
On a motion made by Council Member Stevenson, seconded by Council Member Conklin, and carried unanimously, the agreement for the purchase was approved.
The final agenda item under “Unfinished Business” for the meeting was the notification of the 2024 disbursement of Opioid Trust Funds to the city. “The city did receive $37,353.96 in December as part of the distribution of the opioid misuse and addiction abatement trust,” City Manager Wilson confirmed. He noted that previous funds the city received from class action lawsuits related to opioid misuse have been allocated to donations for educational programs at Commonwealth University-Lock Haven and the Keystone Central School District, as well as to other causes and local organizations.
Another notice the city council discussed Monday night was a notice from Keystone Central School District (KCSD) stating that its tax office will no longer be the subcontractor for the collection of Earned Income Tax (EIT) “as soon as feasible.” KCSD has managed the collection of Earned Income Taxes in the Clinton County area since 2010. However, during a school board meeting on December 12, 2024, the decision was made to discontinue this service. In a letter dated December 18, 2024, Superintendent Francis Redmon informed the Clinton Tax Collection Committee (TCC), led by Kristy Serafini-Brooks, that KCSD will not renew its contract for tax collection after the current term, which ends on December 31, 2025.
City Manager Greg Wilson explained that with KCSD stepping down as the subcontractor, the TCC will need to issue requests for proposals to find a new subcontractor for EIT collection. He added that KCSD also serves as the city’s subcontractor for business privilege tax and local service tax collection.
“Berkheimer and Keystone Collection Group are both interested in that, and the tax office at Keystone Central is also the city subcontractor for business privilege tax and local services tax,” Wilson said. “So, as part of that, I will request on behalf of the city that each of those contractors provide a rate so that the council can compare having the collection done by that subcontractor and how much that would cost compared to keeping that business with Keystone Central.”
