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PrintOur West pages were graced with noteworthy quotes by public officials, students, parents and taxpayers during 2008. Here's a roundup of some of the most memorable comments:
"There was such a need for something like this. When these people came, they just got so caught up in it."
-- Sandy Saban,
co-organizer of the newly formed McKees Rocks Historical Society after the group's first meeting.
"It just doesn't feel like Ambridge when you walk in here."
-- David Brown,
Ambridge Area High School senior, standing in the hallway of his new, $45 million school.
"I feel this is a good thing for the taxpayers to have me in the office where they can come in."
-- Walter Kotek,
Stowe tax collector, after he agreed to open his new office in the municipal building one night a week.
"It was a social place. It was a good place to run into your neighbors. It as a really wonderful atmosphere of peaceful times gone past."
-- Kristine Usselman,
about the post office that closed in Homewood, forcing Beaver County residents to drive five miles to Beaver Falls.
"I'm sick, to be honest. I believe right and reason went out the window tonight."
-- Jerry Brouker,
Robinson Commissioner, following a 3-2 vote to hire Remington Vernick & Beach as engineers.
"We want to make sure we're not throwing this money into a bad situation because we can't keep the fire department open for two years."
-- Councilman Robert Kollar, after a vote to give money to the Carnegie Volunteer Fire and Rescue Bureau.
"We have a good riding community in Beaver County. They have supported our system. I don't know if there is any system in the state to achieve six record years."
-- Mary Jo Morandini, general manager of the Beaver County Transit Authority, speaking about a sixth consecutive year of record ridership.
"You can see the enthusiasm, the passion for the job as he walks around the building."
-- District Justice Gary Zyra, who swore in James P. Secreet as Scott's new police chief.
"He's a hard worker. I think we're utilizing him now in a way that'll really benefit the district."
-- Patti Figorski,
president of Chartiers Valley school board, about a lawsuit settlement that guaranteed the job of high school basketball coach Timothy McConnell as transportation/activities coordinator.
"The community is growing, and the library needs to grow with it."
-- Marianne Sforza,
director of the Western Allegheny Community Library in North Fayette, about the need to build a $2 million facility to accommodate its needs.
"If someone's flying up from Florida and wants to know the weather conditions here, they can get them."
-- Wayne Resetar,
tower manager, Beaver County Airport, after receiving a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to enhance the airport's weather unit.
"There are a few things we could add to help out business people and still not leave the township looking so cluttered."
-- Rick Urbano,
Robinson planning officer, talking about plans to revise the township's sign ordinance.
"He's the cool guy, he's the hip guy, as opposed to Hillary or [John] McCain. Hillary's their mother and McCain's their grandfather."
-- Don Morgan,
Montour High School government teacher, about a mock election in which Barack Obama won with 47 percent of the vote.
"This is a pretty significant project because we're running out of room at the high school and that's a problem."
-- John Scott,
West Allegheny school board member, after directors awarded renovation contracts for the high school.
"This is definitely needed right now to counteract some of the downturns that we might be seeing in the national economy."
-- Thomas Gallant,
Findlay supervisor, after the board approved an $8.25 million tax deal to help Dick's Sporting Goods build a new corporate headquarters.
"We're very grateful to the Maronda Foundation, because there aren't many people out there looking to buy struggling golf courses."
-- Bill Ehrlich, co-owner of Marada Golf Course, about the purchase of his course to benefit local youth programs.
"This is an exciting springboard for these areas that have tried to rebuild."
-- U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy,
R-Upper St. Clair, announcing $2.4 million for street improvements in Heidelberg, Scott and Carnegie.
"We are caught between trying to get enough information to make the right decision, without prolonging the decision and putting us into a deeper crisis of that building being overpopulated."
-- William Newcomer,
president of the South Fayette school board, about a study to address student overcrowding."
"Our fifth-graders are more like seventh- and eighth-graders."
-- Moon Area Superintendent Donna Milanovich on the school board's decision to add fifth-graders to the middle school in four years.
"It's a lot brighter and better lit."
-- Tad Kelley,
U.S. Postal Service Office of Public Affairs and Communications, about moving the Carnegie post office into a new building, ending 92 years of service at 132 E. Main St.
"My new projects are in Ambridge precisely because of Moltoni. The Moltoni project, by itself, is going to reshape Ambridge."
-- Brad Domish, real estate lawyer, on plans to redevelop former steel mill property.
"I am tired of all this Crafton and Carnegie stuff. We are one district and we need to think of ourselves as one district."
-- Tom DiPietro,
Carlynton school director, trying to unite elementary pupils in two communities
"We need to know from the state how the 2009 municipal election is going to work."
--Mike Thomas,
Monaca superintendent, following the merger of the Center Area and Monaca school districts in Beaver County.
"You should think about the children and about the community and not about the disdain you have for each other."
-- Kelly Hall,
to Sto-Rox school directors divided over whether to close Foster Kindergarten Center in Stowe.
"If we did not accept kids from outside the school district, we would not be able to field teams."
-- John Sciulli,
vice president, Carlynton Little Cougars, to Carlynton school directors about a policy requiring organizations to draw 90 percent of membership from the district to use school facilities.
"We are trying to brand our county, so we have an identity when we go out and solicit economic development."
-- Tony Amadio,
Beaver County commissioners chairman, on the unveiling of the new county flag and logo.
"We believe that the unrestricted big box development plan that the Wal-Mart Corp. is proposing is contrary to our plans, vision and direction."
-- George Kniss,
of Moon First citizens group, which is opposed to Wal-Mart plans to convert the West Hills Shopping Center in Moon into a super center.
"I want to make it the best it can be in academics, arts and athletics, in that order."
-- Dr. Erv Weischedel, Cornell School District superintendent, after he was hired to that position at Ambridge Area.
"Mistakes were made and we're dealing with it internally."
-- Rich Charnovich,
Robinson manager, about a restaurant building permit issued eight months after the business opened.
"As far as building goes, this year has definitely been the slowest. I think everybody's concerned about the economy."
-- Brian Temple,
North Fayette community development director, assessing the building slowdown in the township.
"It's not fair for the buyers of older houses to have to pay taxes from the day they move in when the buyers of newly built homes do not."
-- Mary Lou Petronsky, Chartiers Valley school director, applauding Collier's decision to collect interim property taxes on new construction.
"It's not that we want arts to dominate. We're just looking for a fair and balanced curriculum."
-- Erik Schutzman,
North Fayette graphic designer and member of the newly formed Arts Advocacy Council, about the need to keep arts in education.
"Work is very good right now. With the construction boom here, there was concern we wouldn't be able to keep manning all the jobs."
-- Ray Voegl,
of the Greater Pennsylvania Regional Council of Carpenters, on the importance of building their training center in Collier.
"What people don't realize is that this is only about a third of the site. It goes way up that way, far beyond where you can see. It's huge."
-- Eric Newhouse, project manager for
EQA Landmark Properties, the developer of the $240 million Newbury residential and commercial development in South Fayette.
"All of us are hoping this can be a model for other school systems."
-- Esther Bush,
of the state board of Education, about the meeting in Harrisburg to approve Center Area-Monaca merger in Harrisburg.
"The park will be a nice stop for citizens to sit and relax on walks, and will help increase neighboring property values."
-- Joseph Kauer,
Heidelberg manager, about a community project to build a park on the site of a flood-damaged home.
"This is a dangerous structural situation and cannot be resolved without removing the masonry and replacing the steel."
-- Victor Graves,
architect, writing to Montour school directors about retaining the school's brick exterior.
"It was great for the community to come out like they did and work as hard as they did and take ownership like they did of the project."
-- Bob Brozovich,
North Fayette parks and recreation director, after volunteers helped build a playground next to Donaldson Elementary School.
"We appreciate all the years of service Greg [Smith] has given the Moon Township community. However, there are other people out there who are qualified. We will work as a board to find the right replacement. We all wish Greg the best in his future endeavors."
-- Tim McLaughlin,
Moon supervisors' chairman, reacting to the resignation of Manager Greg Smith.
"Public libraries generate traffic from the local communities. People aren't coming to the library from other communities like they would to a store in a commercial development. That's one of the benefits of this type of development."
--Michael Haberman,
traffic engineer for Wooster, about plans for a new Bridgeville library.
"I consider it an honor to serve this community. It is one of the finest in the state. I have wonderful co-workers -- they're the cream of the crop."
-- Jodi Noble,
Moon assistant manager, announcing her resignation. She was the fourth Moon administrator to resign in six weeks.
They've given us good service over the years. It's just the matter of money. The money's not there to make payments for police coverage."
-- Gerald Runtas,
chairman of the Robinson, Washington County supervisors, on the decision to end the township's police contract with neighboring McDonald.
"Without the lights, we're running out of practice time."
-- Darlene Larson Howell, Findlay recreation coordinator, announcing that lights will be installed in spring at the township's recreation and sports complex.
"All you have to do is be able to read. If I want to review something we did three months ago, I can."
-- Mary Lou Petronsky, Chartiers Valley school director, on the board's decision to go paperless and use laptop computers at meetings.
"It's something we've talked about for years. "Rich [Charnovich] needs to be able to prioritize and delegate some of his duties."
-- Dan Tallon,
Robinson commissioners' chairman, about including funding for an assistant manager in next year's budget.
"He made a lot of friends and that's sometimes hard to do in politics."
-- Ed Stevens,
former Democratic chairman for Allegheny County and for Scott, remembering Donald A. Diebold who died Dec. 1. Mr. Diebold retired Oct. 31 after four terms as Scott treasurer/tax collector.
"Get that shovel in the ground. Tell me when you want me to cut the ribbon."
-- Thomas Gallant,
Findlay supervisors' chairman, anticipating the Chapman Commerce Center mixed-use development at the Westport Road interchange of the Findlay Connector.
