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Wednesday, January 22, 2003

TOWNS

Duquesne

Duquesne officials are aware of more than 30 abandoned or tagged cars sitting around the city and are working to solve the problem, Mayor Phil Krivacek said.

Two contractors are unable to pick up those cars now because their lots are full. But as soon as they have room, they will do so, he said.

Elizabeth Borough

The borough's lack of a zoning hearing board has caused postponement of a public hearing on a zoning variance request.

Edward Sinnott wants to move his fiberglass manufacturing business into the old Marraccini's warehouse on Tanner Alley in the borough.

The building is zoned for commercial use, and Sinnott is asking for a variance to perform light industrial work.

His business, Reinforced Molding Corp., which makes fiberglass support bows and frames, operates now in East McKeesport.

Council toured the East McKeesport facility last month and was going to make the zoning decision until Solicitor Beth Mills advised them to appoint a zoning board to handle the case.

Council went into executive session at last week's zoning hearing to discuss possible candidates for the board. President Randy Shelton said council will appoint a three-member zoning hearing board Tuesday at its regular monthly meeting.

Then the newly formed board will have to schedule a public hearing on the variance. Shelton said the borough had a zoning hearing board years ago, but for some reason it wasn't maintained.

Glassport

Boy Scout Sam Piazza of Port Vue Pack 57 attended the council meeting to obtain a current borough budget as part of the citizenship requirement for a merit badge.

Legal clearance letters were submitted to the Twin Rivers Council of Governments for the demolition of the following abandoned properties: 508 Vermont Ave., 113 Harrison St., 518 Eighth St., and 534 Cypress Way.

Council appointed James C. Colecchi to the vacant position on the Planning Commission.

Council voted to accept the resignation of Solicitor Charles LoPresti and to advertise for a replacement solicitor for no later than Jan. 31.

In his letter of Jan. 13, LoPresti blamed time constraints placed upon his private practice as the reason for his resignation.

LoPresti of LoPresti Melograne Stewart & Zinski has served as borough solicitor for the past three years. Council has received a letter from Thomas Barry expressing his interest in serving as solicitor.

Council adopted a $2,737,550 budget for 2003 that retains the present 4.35-mill tax rate.

Council voted to advertise the sale or lease of the swimming pool, on which the borough loses money every year.

The borough lost about $25,000 last year on the pool, which was built in 1954. Councilman Terry DiMarco said he knew someone who had expressed interest in purchasing the property.

Council President Robert Stefanic said if the matter is not resolved within the next two months, council will consider closing the pool.

Council voted to raise the borough fee on video machines from $400 to $500 per machine. There are about 60 such machines in borough restaurants and bars.

Homestead

Council made the following appointments: Donna Mima, planning commission; Marvin McKinney, zoning hearing board; Councilwoman Dorothy Kelly and former Councilman Duane Schulte, Steel Valley Enterprise Zone Corp.

The borough had $98,430 in real estate taxes delinquent from 2002.

McKeesport

State Rep. Marc Gergely, D-White Oak, has opened a constituent service office at 4313 Walnut St., Suite 19 in the Olympia Shopping Center.

It is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 412-754-3500, and the fax number is 412-754-3506.

The new legislator plans to open two additional offices -- one in Duquesne and the other in the Munhall-Homestead area, in late spring.

Munhall

Munhall council has given preliminary approval to accepting East Waterfront Drive in The Waterfront as a public street. If given a final OK on Feb. 19, the borough would be responsible for maintenance.

Council made the following appointments: James Stahl and Tim Sailor, planning commission; Mayor Ray Bodnar and Joseph Havrilla, Steel Valley Enterprise Zone Corp.; Councilman Bob Morrison, vacant property review board; Councilman Joe Ballas, Steel Valley Historic Architectural Review Board; and borough business manager Larry Oleksa, 3 Rivers Wet Weather Demonstration Project representative.

Council agreed to endorse Mayor Ray Bodnar's and council President John Tichon's letters to the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh opposing what they believe to be the forced retirement of the Rev. David Crowley as pastor of Holy Angels parish in Hays. The diocese has said the retirement was not forced.

The mayor said he would continue his lobbying efforts to get the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to widen the East Flyover Ramp at the entrance to The Waterfront and to improve the intersection of the ramp with Route 837. The project is expected to cost $6 million.

West Homestead

State Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Carrick, presented West Homestead a $110,000 state grant for public safety.

The money is expected to be used for the repair and updating of the West Homestead Volunteer Fire Co. vehicles and to update the computer system of the police department.

Borough officials are still trying to correct data-base problems that led to some new borough residents having their water turned off because of unpaid sewage bills of previous residents.

Council President Dan Isaacs said the responsibility for collecting delinquent sewage bills has been transferred to the office of secretary. It had been collected previously by Michelle Churilla, who was hired on a part-time basis last year. A number of residents had complained that Churilla was insensitive to their cases.

"We're working to fix the problems that led up to all this," Isaacs said.

SCHOOLS

South Allegheny

The school district has received POW-MIA flags to be flown at each of the schools.

Veteran Thomas J. McAuliffe, commander of VFW Post 803 and an elementary teacher for the school district, presented the flags.

School board members approved having the Carnegie Library Bookmobile visit South Allegheny Elementary School once a week for two hours at a cost of $12,000 for the year.

Ray Wolfe of Glassport said the money should be spent on purchasing books for the new library at South Allegheny Elementary School.

"Where are we getting the money to pay for this?" he asked.

Superintendent Patrick Risha said 300 people used the Bookmobile during the past year and it gives access to thousands of books.

"There is no way [the school district] could ever have a library to match or access books our children would have to the Carnegie Library," he said. " This gives our children and taxpayers access to hundreds of thousands of books."

The money comes from taxpayers.

West Mifflin

The high school is offering registration for its instructional swim program.

Residents may register from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Nonresidents may register from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Courses include Aqua Aerobics ($50 for residents, $60 for nonresidents) and Learn to Swim ($30 for residents, $40 for nonresidents). Registration will be held at the high school's swimming pool at 91 Commonwealth Ave., West Mifflin.