x
Breaking News
More () »

Duncannon could weigh merger with Penn Twp. to solve financial issues

DUNCANNON, Pa. – A potential merger between two Perry County communities could be in the works. It comes after a full review of Duncannon borough’s ...

DUNCANNON, Pa. - A potential merger between two Perry County communities could be in the works.

It comes after a full review of Duncannon borough's finances that presented a merger with Penn Township as one of the options to solve its financial woes.

According to the study, the borough has three options: sell its utility assets to a private or public interest; merge into Penn Township and relinquish local control; or both.

“The least palatable is the potential for merger,” Kraig Nace, Duncannon’s borough council president, said, “I think that that has a lot of hoops that would be required to make that happen, and it's by no means popular, I don't think, with Penn Township or Duncannon.”

The borough has no way to expand its borders to grow and is landlocked with Penn township surrounding it.

It is well known with hikers on the Appalachian trail who stop in to the Doyle hotel on Market Street.

“Duncannon has been in my soul for a long time,” Patrick Kelly, the hotel’s owner and a Duncannon resident, said. “[It] would be kind of hard to lose it, identification of Duncannon itself. That's the only thing that bothers me a little.”

Some in Penn Township say they would welcome the move, despite concerns about additional strains on resources.

“There's no room for small stuff anymore,” Joseph Ciccocioppi, who lives near the Duncannon/Penn Township border, said. “Honestly I think Duncannon is Duncannon; it's a small town and I think that it should be part of a bigger thing.”

Borough officials stress that any talk of a merger is preliminary, but some residents feel it may be a foregone conclusion.

“There's a lot of questions to be answered, but I can see from the borough's perspective, given the build-up to the situation we're in now, we don't have many options,” Lisa Landis, a Duncannon resident who used to live in Penn Township and runs the This Is Duncannon social media page, said. “I'm certainly not campaigning for us to join with the township, but it's looking now that may be one of our only viable options.”

Supervisors with Penn Township declined our request for an interview, but said they have not received any overtures from Duncannon as of yet.

Public discussion on the potential merger could take place later this month.

Before You Leave, Check This Out