Joe Serkoch, of Main Street, a television commercial producer, told Carnegie council Monday night that he moved into the borough with his fiancee last year because he thought the town had limitless possibilities, but that he and his fiancee had been disappointed.

"Instead of new, flourishing businesses coming in, I see seedy pawn shops coming in, criminal activity in the borough and growing despair," he said.

Referring to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story about coffee houses that have helped to revitalize city neighborhoods, he urged officials to seek ways to attract community-based businesses where people can gather and visit.

"I really believe that we need it," he said, adding that he has to leave the borough to get a coffee, buy groceries or do laundry.

Mayor James Pascoe was quick to respond, saying he had spent "countless hours" on the computer trying to attract a grocery supplier to Carnegie. Council member Dorothy Kelly said Tuesday that Jeff Stephan, executive director of the Carnegie Community Development Corp., also has been working to attract a grocer to town.

Mrs. Kelly wrote a proposal last year to have Carnegie included in a new state initiative called Blueprint Communities in order to spur business revitalization.

"Blueprint Communities is a program for distressed communities, and we are a distressed community," she said Tuesday.

The program involves establishing a separate committee that is not a part of council. Members traveled to several places outside Pittsburgh last fall for learning conferences. Among the members are representatives of Carnegie Renaissance, the community development corporation and Fidelity Bank, as well as Mrs. Kelly and borough Manager Stephen Vincenti.

Accompanied by representatives from outside groups, including Leadership Pittsburgh, Michael Baker Engineering, Highmark and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the Blueprint Communities team took a walking tour of the borough last week.

Mrs. Kelly rejected a contention by Councilman Fred Carini that the Blueprint Communities session was a clandestine gathering.

"There was no secrecy about that meeting. We were very lucky to have these people here. I don't see anything else that is moving us ahead," she said.

Mr. Carini said borough council should act as a team.