Siptroth legislation created study
Marshalls Creek, PA – State Rep. John Siptroth will host a public meeting to provide an update about a study of infrastructure issues within private communities 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8 at Fernwood Hotel & Resort. The study is the result of Siptroth’s legislation, House Resolution 350.
“There are millions of Pennsylvanians who live in these communities, but it is particularly important here in the Poconos where a high number of families reside within residential developments that have outdated and failing infrastructure,” said Siptroth, D-Monroe/Pike. “Residents of private communities pay taxes that fund state infrastructure programs, but, unfortunately homeowner associations cannot access most programs that assist with the cost of financing repairs to their roads, bridges, dams and water and sewer systems.”
Siptroth said some testimony for the study identified a potential lack of technical knowledge within many association boards about the care and maintenance of existing infrastructure, the adequate level of reserve funds needed to cover rehabilitation of aging infrastructure and the difficulty in collecting an appropriate level of assessments needed to address infrastructure issues in this severe recession.
“Through this study, I am hoping to get a clear picture of the private infrastructure across the state, its condition and what the Commonwealth can do to provide technical assistance to communities so that they can take the proper measures to protect their assets before they fall into a state of disrepair that would require significant private dollars to fix,” Siptroth said.
The ongoing study is being conducted by the Joint State Government Commission. David John, acting executive director of the commission and commission economist Karen Maynard will discuss:
- An outline of what is contained within H.R. 350.
- The organization of the study.
- The challenges in finding data.
- Preliminary findings statewide.
- Data from Pike and Monroe counties.
- The remaining timeline.
The commission and Siptroth will take testimony from the Community Associations Institute and other stakeholders about infrastructure issues within private communities and ask and answer questions related to those issues. County planning commissions, municipal officials and residents of private communities in Monroe and Pike counties are encouraged to attend this public meeting to learn about this important statewide study and its goals.
