Bally Borough

Bally Borough is the municipal government serving the Borough of Bally, a small community in southeastern Berks County, Pennsylvania. Borough Hall is located at 425 Chestnut Street, with mail directed to PO Box 217, Bally, PA 19503, and the main office line is 610-845-2351. The Borough operates under the motto "Progress Through Cooperation," a phrase that reflects the working relationship between elected officials, appointed staff and residents in a municipality where most services are delivered directly by a small local workforce rather than contracted out to larger regional agencies.

As a borough government, Bally handles the responsibilities common to Pennsylvania municipalities: public water and sewer utilities, street and park maintenance, permitting and zoning administration, police and emergency management coordination, public records access, and the ordinary administrative work of billing, budgeting and tax collection. The office also operates the Bally Community Pool and hosts a Senior Center, making Borough Hall a point of contact for recreation as well as utilities and paperwork.

Government Structure and Meetings

Bally is led by Mayor David Schott and a seven member Borough Council. Council members include Glenn Mutter as President, Michael Moll as Vice President, and members Michael Bauman, Joshua Sloan, Paul Gehringer, Matthew Gehman and Joel Pilgert. Council meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at Borough Hall, with meetings rescheduled when a federal holiday falls on that date. Meetings are open to the public and residents are encouraged to attend. Agendas and approved minutes covering 2021 through 2026 are posted for anyone who wants to follow Borough business without attending in person.

Day to day administration is handled by appointed officials. Wendy Mutter serves as Borough Manager and Treasurer, and Tammy M. Wood serves as Secretary and Assistant Treasurer. Beth Spaid is the elected Tax Collector. Bruce Hoffman serves as Emergency Management Coordinator. The Borough also maintains a Planning Commission, which meets on the third Monday of each month as needed, and a Zoning Hearing Board, which convenes when appeals or variance requests require a hearing.

Public Water Service

Bally has supplied public water to its residents since 1929, giving the system nearly a century of continuous operation. Water is drawn from underground wells, treated with a small amount of chlorine for disinfection, and pumped to a glass lined storage tank that supplies the distribution network. On November 1, 2020, the Borough acquired Washington Township's water system, and the combined operation became the Bally Borough Municipal Authority. The Authority owns the water system, while the Borough manages it, which keeps billing, maintenance and customer service in a single local office. Water rates are set by Resolution 2022-1.

Each year the Borough publishes an Annual Drinking Water Quality Report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report or CCR, detailing test results and source information for customers. Editions from 2021 through 2024 are available as downloadable PDFs.

Sewer Collection and Treatment

The Borough's sewer collection system and treatment plant were installed in 1969. In 1996, the plant's capacity was expanded from 200,000 gallons per day to 500,000 gallons per day at a cost of just over 2.4 million dollars, providing headroom for residential and commercial growth. Effluent and process testing is performed in an in house laboratory, supplemented by a certified outside laboratory as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Sewer rates are established by Council Resolution 2022-3.

The plant also serves an educational purpose. Borough staff conduct tours of the sewer treatment facility for science students from Boyertown Area Senior High School, giving local students a look at wastewater treatment processes in their own community.

Billing and Payment

Water and sewer bills are issued quarterly, with billing dates of March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1. Each bill covers the preceding three month usage period. Customers can pay in person at Borough Hall. The office accepts checks, money orders and credit cards, with a 3.5 percent fee applied to credit card transactions. Cash is not accepted.

Permits and Code Administration

Building, electrical, plumbing and zoning permits are administered on the Borough's behalf by Kraft Municipal Group, Inc. of Shillington, Pennsylvania, which supplies Bally's building inspectors and zoning officials. Property owners and contractors can reach that office at (610) 777-1311. The current permit application and fee schedule for 2026 is available through the Borough, along with the Bally Zoning Map for reference when planning construction, additions or changes in land use.

Borough Hall also issues several smaller permits directly, including yard sale permits, special event permits and vendor or solicitor permits. These are handled at the counter during regular office hours.

Public Works, Parks and the Community Pool

The Public Works Department carries out daily operation of the water and sewer systems and also maintains Borough streets, parks and the Community Pool. Park pavilions are available for rental through an application form that can be picked up at Borough Hall, making them an option for family gatherings, reunions and community events.

The Bally Community Pool offers season memberships for 2026, private pool rentals for parties and group events, and both group and private swim lessons. Families registering younger swimmers who will attend without a parent present are required to complete an unattended minor emergency contact form.

Police, Emergency Services and Public Records

The Bally Police Department can be reached on non-emergency lines at (610) 845-2400 or (267) 287-6191. For police, ambulance or fire emergencies, residents should dial 911. One service worth noting for travelers is the free vacation property check: residents who will be away can ask the department to look in on their property while they are gone.

Under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, residents and others may request access to public Borough records by submitting a Right-to-Know request form to the Borough's open records officer.

Community Programs and Communication

The Bally Senior Center meets at Borough Hall, typically on Tuesday afternoons at 1:30 PM, providing a regular gathering place for older residents. Borough Hall also hosts constituent service hours with a representative from State Senator Tracy Pennycuick's office on select Wednesdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Those sessions cover PennDOT matters, property tax questions and other state related assistance, sparing residents a trip to a district office.

The Borough has published seasonal newsletters since 2019, with spring, summer, fall and winter editions posted as downloadable PDFs. These cover project updates, utility notices, pool schedules and other announcements. Applications for Borough employment positions are also available for download and can be submitted at Borough Hall.