The last major hurdle delaying the development of the proposed $30 million Mills Pointe/Wal-Mart commercial retail plaza in North Huntingdon has been removed.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has issued a highway occupancy permit for DeBartolo Development/Irwin LLP for improvements to Route 30 and Barnes Lake Road.

Richard L. Marker, maintenance program engineer for PennDOT District 12 in Uniontown, officially notified township officials yesterday that the permit was issued on Monday.

A level-of-service waiver that the township commissioners granted in November for three traffic signals along Route 30, between Norwin Avenue and Arona Road, was a key factor in PennDOT's decision.

"Literally, by granting the traffic waiver, the commissioners saved a $30 million project. Without it, Wal-Mart is gone, " Jay Adams, DeBartolo/Irwin project development officer, claimed at that time.

"What a great Christmas present for the township," said township Commission Chairman David Herold.

"Walmart will not only provide an economic boost [with the superstore], it will trigger companion retail development that has been on hold due to the uncertainty connected with the Mills Pointe project."

The Mills Pointe/Wal-Mart project, which was approved by township commissioners in 2002, could not move forward without the permit.

PennDOT approval of DeBartolo Development's application for the permit had been delayed for more than three years due to issues that had hindered the Florida-based developer's efforts to acquire necessary easements and rights of way.

Site preparation work, which was shut down for more than a year, resumed last spring.

The highway occupancy permit will allow DeBartolo Development, which is developing a site for construction of a 190,000-square-foot Wal-Mart superstore, to make $4,850,000 in improvements to Route 30, including the relocation of Barnes Lake Road.

The new Barnes Lake Road will intersect with a widened Route 30 about a quarter-mile west of its present location. The shift will create a new Rhonda Court/Route 30 intersection near the Irwin interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Rhonda Court will be the main access to Mills Pointe.

The township commissioners last month also approved a $10,000 winter-maintenance agreement with DeBartolo to provide snow removal on Rhonda Court and Mills Drive, roads running through Mills Pointe. Those roads will be utilized as detours during the relocation of Barnes Lake Road.

North Irwin Council approved a proposed $149,789 operating budget for 2010 by a 4-3 vote on Monday night. It keeps the property tax levy at 13.5 mills for the second straight year.

One mill generates approximately $4,000 in tax revenue.

Board President John McIntyre, Kim Macalus, Gordon Stoves and Ken Galley favored the motion. Edwin Anthony, Met Ostrom and Bernie Reynolds dissented.

The spending plan includes projected general fund expenditures of $147,773.

Among projected revenue sources are $68,000, current and prior years' wage tax; $59,600, property tax; and $11.600, business permits and licenses; $11,000 cable TV franchise fee.

"Council worked very hard to avoid a property tax increase while still providing borough services that residents demand," said Mrs. Macalus, board financial committee chairman.

"This is the barest of bare bones budgets in my opinion," she added. "It does not include funds for capital purchases and paving roads. In fact, rising cost of road salt could put us in a $2,000 hole."

The largest expenditure is $29,800 for the public works department, directed by Mrs. Macalus. It includes $25,000 for projected wages for typically two or three part-time workers.

An additional $5,000 is budgeted for potential overtime for workers involved with snow removal.

The public safety budget of $22,050, which supports one part-time police officer, is the second largest line item. Included is $16,000 for projected wages, including overtime.

No special meeting is scheduled to adopt the new budget, which is on public display at the Town Hall.

At a reorganization meeting last week, the Yough school board unanimously elected Ruth Bisko president, Kenneth Bach vice president, Nancy McClaren secretary and Gregg Nogy treasurer.

The board will meet in a regular session at 7:30 tonight in the large group instruction room in the high school, Lowber Road, Sewickley.

A work meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at that venue.

The Penn-Trafford school board on Monday night hired David Cornelius as the high school band director. He will succeed Thomas Monteleon, who retired last month.

Mr. Cornelius will start after he gets his release from the Elizabeth Forward district, where he is in his 10th year as band director. He will get a prorated annual salary of $56,110.

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