About Elizabethtown

Elizabethtown is a thriving community of approximately 11,545 residents located in south central Pennsylvania. Situated in scenic northwestern Lancaster County, our historic downtown is 10 miles south of Hershey and 20 miles from Harrisburg, Lancaster and York.  The Borough’s recently renovated train station is a major stop along the Amtrak Keystone Corridor between Harrisburg and Philadelphia, and we are less than 15 miles from the Harrisburg International Airport.  Red Rose Transit has several transit bus stops in town providing service within the community and to Lancaster City. In addition to train, bus and plane, the Borough is easily accessed by car as we are just off I-283, and Route 230 passes through our downtown.

Within the Borough’s approximate 2.6 square miles you will find 40 miles of public roads and highways, the Amtrak Train Station, the Elizabethtown Public Library, boutique shops and restaurants, microbreweries and coffee shops, the Elizabethtown Area School District administrative offices, East High Street Elementary School, Elizabethtown Area High School and Middle School, the Elizabethtown College campus, the Mars Chocolate factory, Community Park and a growing pedestrian/bicycle pathway network. 

Elizabethtown has an active Chamber of Commerce and is home to Continental Press, White Oak Mills (an animal feed plant), Elizabethtown College, Mars Chocolate North America where Dove Promises are manufactured, and numerous smaller businesses.  A portion of the Masonic Village retirement living campus is within Borough limits, adjacent to the Amtrak Train Station, and its extensive pathway network picks up at the station where the Borough’s pathway ends.

Elizabethtown Borough is a full service municipality organized under the Pennsylvania Borough Code to serve the citizens and businesses of Elizabethtown. The Borough maintains a staff of approximately 40 full time employees to serve the community. The staff is supplemented with part-time and seasonal employees as necessary.  The Borough Office is where most business is transacted and is located at 600 South Hanover Street.  The Borough operates a Wastewater Treatment facility on Amosite Road located in West Donegal Township and a Public Works Department facility on South Market Street in the Borough. 

As a full service municipality, Elizabethtown supplies a wide range of municipal services. In addition to administration and finance, maintenance of roads and highways, the Borough operates a wastewater treatment plant, stormwater facilities, a residential solid waste and recycling program, a residential rental unit licensing & inspection program, planning, zoning, code enforcement, and a police force.  In addition, the Borough boasts a 39-acre linear park complete with trails, pavilions, basketball courts, softball field, and play equipment as well as a growing pedestrian and bicycle pathway network connecting the train station to the downtown area, residential neighborhoods, schools, churches, and Elizabethtown College.

Elizabethtown operates under the Council-Manager form of government. The Chief Administrative Officer of the organization is the Borough Manager, appointed by and serving at the pleasure of a majority of Borough Council. The Council, currently six members, is elected by Wards for four-year terms. The Borough has three Wards with two Council members representing each Ward.  From its ranks Council elects one member to serve as Council President and another to serve as Council Vice-President. Council serves as the legislative branch of local government. Its mission is to preserve the Borough’s fiscal security and adopt Resolutions and Ordinances governing the Borough.

The Mayor is independently elected. Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Borough Code, the Mayor’s duties include preserving order and enforce ordinances and regulations through the faithful performance of the officers in the police department, joining Council meetings as a non-voting member (only voting in tie-breaking instances), and may approve local ordinances adopted by Council. The Mayor also serves as a dignitary representing the community.

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