From the desk of the Riverside Mayor

​             RIVERSIDE RESIDENTS INFORMATION LETTER
 
On behalf of the Riverside Borough Council I would like to welcome new residents, renters, as well as those that have lived here for a number of years. This letter is designed for informational purposes to keep everyone in our town educated in the services the Borough provides and the many opportunities we have to offer to make your residency enjoyable.   The services we provide are Borough Council governance, Police Department, Fire Department, Street & Sewer Department, Emergency Management Agency, Zoning Offices, Planning Commission, Tax Collector, Boro Life Committee and Borough Office Secretary who can answer most questions presented or forward to the appropriate office. The following is a breakdown with personnel that serve the Borough both paid and volunteer.
 
Borough Council Secretary:  Lisa Fritz                      570-275-1751
Borough Council Members:  Steve Wagner, Peter Fleming, Ken Gardner, Mike Steimling,
                                                Barb Kriner, Robert Rickard, Rebekah Lenig.
Police Department:   Kerry Parkes,  Brad Harvey, Andrew Rupp
Fire Department:  John Stassel (Chief), Clifford Kriner (Deputy Chief), Jason Alexander (1st Assistant Chief)
Street & Sewer Department:  Dan Gable, Eric Mayan, Chris Henrie
Emergency Management: Jordan Klimas
Zoning Officer:  Brain Anderson
Zoning Hearing Board:  Craig Hort, Walt Reichen, Carolyn Bausch
Planning Commission: Arthur Chap, Carl Romanskie, Jay Jones, John Hockenbrough
Tax Collector: Ruth Peck
Boro Life Committee:  April Bostian-Shuman, Brian Whitenight
Mayor:  Todd Oberdorf
 
Police Department:  Riverside Borough Police Department is currently staffed by 3 full-time officers. The Officers work 10 hour shifts and strive to cover as much of a week as they can. Officers can be reached via phone 911 for emergencies, or non-emergency at 570-275-4305 or via email at [email protected] or Facebook Messenger. Fastest response is via phone call; callers have the option to leave a message or follow directions for non-emergency dispatch, Messenger and email are not constantly monitored. The Police Department enforces state laws and the Quality-of-LifeTicketing program for certain Borough Codes. Borough Codes listed are included in the QOL program: 94;115;170;238;246;268. The Police Department also handles a handful of other codes; all of which can be found at https://ecode360.com/R12751. The Police Department invites residents to call with any concerns or possible issues. If you even think for a half second about calling, please do. We would rather respond to your house for nothing, than to respond because there is a problem. Direct link via Borough webpage is www.riversideborough.org/police-department.html
 
Fire Department:The Southside Fire Company was organized in 1923 and is comprised of all volunteers.  They are located at 270 Avenue D in Riverside. The volunteers depend on donations to keep the company functional. There is a social club within the building to keep the support for the fire company as well. On a yearly basis they hold a Firemen’s Carnival with a Pet & Toy Parade. They also hold an annual Easter Egg Hunt for the area children.  The carnival grounds are very large to accommodate picnics and reunions and are available for rental. They also hold various fundraisers to benefit charities.  Mutual aid is provided to area communities in times of need and it is important to support these volunteers.
 
Street & Sewer Department: The Street & Sewer Department is comprised of 3 full time employees . The winter hours are 7am-3:30 pm. Summer hours are 6am-2:30 pm. To contact the department with any street or sewer issues call 570-275-5338. Please leave a detailed message as to the issue. Calls are answered in a timely manner. The sewer department has requested that residents do not flush disposable wipes. This creates numerous blockages in the sewer lines. Leave collection is also provided from October until the day before Thanksgiving. It is advised to rake leaves near the road on the berm, not on the road or ditches.. They also collect leaves after that time is expired if leaves are bagged. You must call the office to advise your location. No sticks should be placed with the leaves. The department also assists with the annual Dumpster Day which is scheduled by Borough Council. It usually falls in the May time frame. If any issues exist with street lights, such as being out, or traffic lights ,please call the Street Department office and leave a message. Lastly, please call 811 before digging for any type of construction projects, no matter how small. Street Department employees can assist with questions.
 
Emergency Management:  The EMA Office is located in Borough Hall. Mr. Jordan Klimas is the new EMA Director. He has numerous trainings to fulfill this position. The agency handles emergency situations in coordination with other agencies including natural disasters, emergency declarations, flood mitigation, flood mapping issues and is tasked to work with Northumberland County EMA and work closely with Montour County EMA . Other agencies include PEMA and FEMA which is State and Federal Agencies. The Borough has 3 emergency warning sirens within the Borough which are activated for tornado or flood warnings as well as evacuation for residents in the event of transportation incidents.
 
Zoning Office: Mr. Brian Anderson  is the Borough Zoning Officer. He can be reached at 570-205-0496. Building Permit issuance, sewer inspection and other related questions go through this office. If there are any questions regarding new construction, or existing construction, or maintenance projects,  they can be answered with him. Per a Riverside Borough Ordinance, all intersections must be clear of trees and shrubs which can impede driver safety, at a distance of 75’ from each intersection. All trees and shrubs must be no higher than 3 feet in height.
 
Zoning Hearing Board: The board consists of three members who are called upon if a variance is requested by the building permit applicant and Zoning Officer’s permit denial. Once a hearing is scheduled both the applicant and Zoning Officer shall be in attendance. The boards’s decision is then rendered.
 
Planning Commission: The board also consists of three members. This mostly involves subdivisions within Borough limits. Northumberland County Planning Commission is also involved with mapping, boundaries, etc.
 
Tax Collector:  Ruth Peck is our local tax collector for Northumberland County/ Riverside Borough taxes as well as Danville School District taxes. She has established set hours and information can be obtained from the Borough web site or Facebook.
 
Boro Life Committee: This committee is an all volunteer committee comprising 3 members along with the Mayor. They raise money to sponsor various events throughout the year. They include various fund raisers usually held on fire company premises. Some of the events that are planned are the annual Easter Egg Hunt held at Southside Fire Company, Community Yard Sales which occur in July, Trunk or Treat Events at Borough Hall on Halloween night and Parade of Lights held in December. These events are to bring the community together and provide enjoyment to our area children. They can also be found on Facebook with upcoming events.
 
Borough Secretary: Lisa Fritz is the Borough Secretary who operates from Borough Hall located at 415 Dewart Street. She can be contacted at 570-275-1751. Her job is to keep all agencies and Council members notified of any issues to the above named agencies. She processes Sewer Rent payments, LST payments for the occupational privilege tax for our Borough and has all contacts at her disposal to remedy any issues that arise with our residents.
 
Miscellaneous: The Borough has much to offer to our citizens which includes 3 churches for worship, Boy Scout Pack 33 for both male and female young citizens, Fire Company activities which are always looking for volunteers, Borough activities that are listed on our web site and Facebook. We are also associated with the DBA (Danville Business Alliance), Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau, and Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau. Various flyers are available for recreational enjoyment at the Borough Office.  Voting takes place now at St. Peter’s Church on Sunbury Road. This is much more suited with room for the constituents providing comfort from the elements. Many voting volunteers are involved with this process. Many friendly faces in the Borough wish to assist with your needs. Hopefully this gives everyone a greater scope as to what this friendly Borough has to offer. Please take advantage and become involved if you have the time.  
 
Respectfullly
      Todd Oberdorf , Riverside Borough Mayor