Sinking Spring Borough

Sinking Spring Borough is the municipal government serving the residents and businesses of Sinking Spring, a small community in Berks County, Pennsylvania, located just west of the city of Reading. Borough Hall sits at 3940 Penn Avenue, Reading, PA 19608, along the Penn Avenue corridor that has carried traffic through the area for generations. The borough office can be reached at 610-678-4903.

History and Name

The land that became Sinking Spring was originally inhabited by the Lenni Lenape, specifically the Minsi or Wolf Tribe. They identified a local spring whose waters appeared to disappear into the ground and referred to it as the "sunken spring." European settlers who arrived later adapted the description, calling it the "sinking spring," and the name eventually attached itself to the surrounding settlement. A monument marks the site of the spring on the south side of Penn Avenue, between 3600 and 3618 Penn Ave., and remains one of the more tangible connections between the modern borough and its earliest history.

Sinking Spring was formally incorporated as a borough on March 10, 1913. More than a century later, it remains a compact residential community with a population of roughly 4,286 residents according to a recent borough notice, making it one of the many small municipalities that ring Reading and form the suburban fabric of western Berks County.

Structure of Government

Sinking Spring operates under Pennsylvania's borough form of government, with an elected Mayor and a Borough Council responsible for legislative decisions, budgeting, ordinances and oversight of municipal departments. Borough Council meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at Borough Hall. Workshop meetings are scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of the month on an as-needed basis. Agendas and approved minutes are posted so residents can follow decisions even when they cannot attend in person.

Several appointed boards and commissions handle specialized functions:

• Planning Commission: a seven-member volunteer body serving five-year terms, meeting the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. as needed to review land development proposals and planning matters.
• Zoning Hearing Board: hears variance requests, special exceptions and appeals of zoning determinations.
• Civil Service Commission: oversees hiring and promotion procedures for certain municipal positions.
• Revitalization Committee: focused on improvement efforts within the borough.
• Library Board of Directors: a volunteer board serving three-year terms, meeting the third Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at Borough Hall.

Borough Staff and Professional Services

Day-to-day administration is carried out by a small staff. Michael Hart serves as Borough Manager and Zoning Officer, Elizabeth Eagelman as Borough Secretary and Debra Bohn as Treasurer. Richard Paplosky is Public Works Foreman, Kim Cherry is Superintendent of the Wastewater Treatment Plant and Todd Miller serves as Code Enforcement Officer. The borough retains Barley Snyder LLC as solicitor and ARRO Engineering as its engineering consultant. The public library operates under Library Director Wenonah Riegel.

Services for Residents

Sinking Spring Borough provides the core municipal services that residents rely on throughout the year, along with a growing set of tools intended to reduce trips to Borough Hall.

• Sewer and refuse billing: residents can pay sewer and refuse bills through the Diversified Bill Pay portal configured for Sinking Spring.
• Trash and recycling: the borough administers a collection program and publishes an annual calendar, including the 2026 trash and recycling schedule, available for download.
• Code Red emergency notifications: an opt-in alert system used to reach residents about emergencies and time-sensitive borough matters. Recent uses have included notice of Norfolk Southern railroad crossing closures at S Hull Street, Columbia Avenue and Woodrow Avenue.
• Stormwater management: the borough maintains an MS4 compliance program and provides guidance to property owners, including reminders to keep storm drains clear of leaves and debris to reduce localized flooding.
• Public works: street maintenance, infrastructure repair and seasonal operations are handled by the borough crew.
• Wastewater treatment: the borough owns and operates its own treatment plant.
• Community newsletter: a seasonal digital newsletter, including the Spring/Summer 2026 edition, is published in flipbook format with borough news and updates.

Zoning, Codes and Inspections

Zoning administration and code enforcement are handled in-house, with Michael Hart serving as Zoning Officer and Todd Miller as Code Enforcement Officer. Residential building inspections, residential plumbing inspections and commercial plumbing inspections are performed directly by borough staff, while commercial building inspections are contracted to Kraft Code Services. Property owners planning additions, renovations, accessory structures or new construction should contact the borough early in the process to confirm permit requirements and setback rules. Applicants seeking relief from zoning requirements present their cases to the Zoning Hearing Board, and larger projects involving subdivision or land development go before the Planning Commission for review.

Police and Public Safety

The borough maintains its own police department serving the local population of approximately 4,286 residents. At the time of writing, Sinking Spring is accepting resumes and salary requirements from candidates for the position of Chief of Police. Public safety communication is supplemented by the Code Red notification system, which allows the borough to push urgent messages directly to residents who have registered.

Parks, Recreation and Library

Sinking Spring maintains two neighborhood recreation sites: Brookfield Manor Playground at 15 Brookfield Ave. and Sinking Spring Playground at 800 Ruth Street. Parks and recreation documents, including facility information, are available through the borough. The community is also served by a public library governed by the volunteer Library Board of Directors, which provides programming and collections for residents of the borough and surrounding area.

Getting Around and Community Information

The borough sits along Penn Avenue, a primary east-west route connecting the area to Reading and to the Wyomissing and Spring Township communities nearby. Public transit service is provided by BARTA Route 14. The borough also compiles general community information covering local schools, dining options, transportation and area arts and music resources, which can be a useful starting point for new residents or people considering a move to the area.

Contacting the Borough

Residents with questions about billing, permits, trash collection, zoning or any other municipal matter can call Borough Hall at 610-678-4903 or visit the office at 3940 Penn Avenue. Meeting schedules, agendas, minutes, downloadable forms, employment listings and public notices are posted at Borough Hall. Attending a Borough Council meeting on the second Thursday of the month remains the most direct way for residents to raise concerns and participate in local decision-making.