The local match for the City of Williamsport regarding River Valley Transit Authority operational needs as part of its state allocation of funding as well as upfits for two recently purchased trucks for the public works department were among items approved recently by City Council.

Council approved a resolution by the municipality certifying provision of local match for state operating financial assistance with River Valley Transit Authority (RVTA).

“This is our annual resolution certifying the City of Williamsport’s contribution towards RVTA’s annual state operating assistance local match requirement,” said Todd Wright, RVTA general manager.

The state allocation is $6.2 million for Fiscal Year 2026, he said, adding it was the same amount the authority received in 2025.

However, the local share did go up 5%, as it typically does every year, he added. The total amount is $543,957. The city share is $340,634.

“We do collect from Lycoming County, and other municipalities, and it is based on our scheduled revenue miles,” he said.

Council President Eric Beiter observed how this resolution comes before the council for several years since RVTA has been its own entity.

One of Beiter’s favorite questions to ask about it is “are other municipalities playing ball?

“Are they paying money?” he asked.

“Yeah, Montoursville is different because they have an agreement with Walmart, and they haven’t updated it in 20 years,” Wright noted.

“We (RVTA) are trying to help them (borough) get more money from Walmart, essentially for their share,” Wright said. “The largest part of the ridership in the borough is going there,” he said of the Walmart destination.

The city also approved a resolution authorizing purchase of two “Old Barn Equipment Truck Body Up-Fits,” as presented by Scott Livermore, director of the city public works department.

This was for up-fits for the two trucks purchased recently. The department attempted to reduce costs and keep the purchases local and bought plows for the trucks and another spreader box for the amount of $38,700, he said.

This was done using surplus money in the parks line item that were in capital projects that Livermore said he had extra money for when it was budgeted for last year.

Councilwoman Liz Miele, chair of the city finance committee, asked Livermore how the streets and parks department was holding up right now, and the plows?

“This will get me pretty close to wrapping everything up that I have, that I’ve done the last few years,” he said. “I have one more truck – I am working on a grant to try to secure it,” he said. “Other than that, everything has been pretty much getting updated now,” he said. “So, we have all good equipment now.”

“So we haven’t had any equipment breakdowns or anything like that?” Miele asked. “Nothing major,” he said.

Councilman Jonah Milliken noted how he knew the public works team has been working on overdrive with all this weather and he said he appreciated it and that is a lot.

“We’re doing our best,” Livermore said. “It shows,” Milliken said.