Fandray Lets Loose, Vacant Business Property and More (June 7 Baldwin Township Meeting Notes)

Fandray Lets Loose 

Baldwin Township resident Jim Fandray, of 822 Rolling Rock Road, had a number of complaints to register with the Baldwin Township Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night, including his contention that the township’s solicitor, Tom McDermott, cost the township $19,000 to ward off an attempt by Mercy Behavioral Health to establish a practice at 600 Newport Drive.

Fandray said that loose ordinance writing in Baldwin Township, which he holds McDermott responsible for, led to an expensive defense by the township to keep Mercy Behavioral out.

McDermott said that he did not write the ordinance that was challenged by Mercy Behavioral, but Fandray, a former Baldwin Township zoning board member, said that McDermott should be held responsible nonetheless.

“Who would you hold responsible?” Fandray said to the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch after Tuesday’s meeting. “The guy we’re paying all the money to (to act as solicitor).”

Board of Commissioners President Eileen Frisoli defended McDermott to some extent by spreading the blame for spending money to defend 600 Newport.

“It wasn’t his mistake,” Frisoli said, arguing that even Fandray could have suggested to the board ways to strengthen ordinances prohibiting an organization like Mercy Behavioral from joining Baldwin Township. “We all worked on that.”

Fandray deflected blame by saying, “You hire a solicitor to do things correctly for you. I wasn’t on the zoning board when he spent $19,000 to correct, or do, that ordinance up there.”

Frisoli countered, “That was for a prevention of them (Mercy Behavioral) from going in there (600 Newport) that he (McDermott) worked on that we paid him for.”

Mercy Behavioral never did open at 600 Newport. The is opening there this coming fall.

On another topic, Fandray voiced his opinion that Baldwin Township sees too much speeding and failing to obey stop signs because police aren’t seen enough. Fandray said that he often does not see a township police car pass his home for seven or eight straight hours.

“And we’re the size of a dime on the map,” he said.

Board member Bob Downey defended , saying that the township enforced 55 motor-vehicle violations in May alone.

Vacant Business Property

Jane McMullen, a former commissioner in the township, spoke as a resident of 533 Highview Road on Tuesday and asked the board to pay special attention to whomever buys the vacant store property between and in the Perri Plaza along McNeilly Road.

McMullen said that her experience with that area is that parking is at a premium and that traffic is heavy, especially in the parking lot. She also said that she had heard that a beer distributor was considering moving in to that property.

“I know that we need businesses …” McMullen said, “but my main concern is if you are allowed to have liquor licenses that close together.”

McMullen was referring to the nearby and , which both serve alcohol already.

Frisoli and McDermott said that a public meeting will be held at the on June 27 at 7 p.m. in regard to that vacant property and a liquor license.

Too Much Light in Armstrong Park

Resident Robert Hoffman, of 616 Highview, complained at length about the amount of lighting in at night. Hoffman contended that not only is lighting at Armstrong Park unnecessary since the park closes at dark but also that the illumination there is too great when it is lit.

Frisoli said that the township received a grant to use money specifically aimed at lighting the park and that lighting the park improves safety since it makes walking through it easier at night. Frisoli said that the township cannot repurpose that grant money since it came for a specific purpose.

Several members of the board confirmed that the park closes at dark but that police cannot monitor the park 24 hours per day to ensure that no one enters it at night.

Hoffman argued that the amount of light in the park is excessive—he called it “luminous pollution”—but McMullen liked having the lights shine brightly in order to deter crime.

Members of the board said that lighting the park at night actually keeps people out of it at that time for fear of being spotted.

Board member Nick Pellegrino suggested that Hoffman form a recreation committee to address changing practices at Armstrong Park.

Water in the Basements of Rose Lane Homes

Resident John Ratay, of 737 Highview, said that homes on Rose Lane, which sit below a hill from Highview, have been getting water in their basements. Ratay was concerned that water runoff from homes like his on Highview could be affecting his neighbors’ homes.

McDermott told Ratay that, unless he was directing large amounts of water at his neighbors’ homes so as to cause a nuisance, he would be safe from legal action.

Ratay said that he was still concerned about his neighbors being flooded, though, due to natural causes like rainfall.

McDermott suggested the use of rain barrels for Ratay to help offset an issue like that.

Castle Shannon Volunteer Fire Department Carnival

Board member John Paravati reminded meeting attendants that representatives from the Castle Shannon Volunteer Fire Department, which services Baldwin Township, will be coming to township homes to collect raffle tickets that they’ve been selling for their 79th annual carnival.

The carnival will be held this year from July 25-30 at its normal spot along Route 88.

Paravati said that, if you miss a Castle Shannon VFD representative coming to your house to collect your tickets, you could contact the department directly to set something up. Call 412-884-7913 or email csvfdcarnival@verizon.net.

Delinquent Sewage Bills Ordinance

The board of commissioners passed ordinance No. 453 on Tuesday, 4-0 (board member Darrell Bichler absent), which allows the township to charge a $10 fee to those delinquent on their township sewage bills for 30 days. The ordinance also establishes an interest rate of 1.5 percent per month on a delinquent bill, accruing daily, for as long as a payment is overdue.

2011 Road Program Bids

Engineer Glenn Jonnet announced that the township received bids for work on its 2011 road program from El Grande Industries; Morgan Excavating; ; Peter J. Caruso & Sons, Inc.; and Victor Paving. Each bidder offered a 10-percent bid bond.

After hearing that Peter J. Caruso & Sons was the lowest bidder for the work at $104,741, the board voted, 4-0, to hire that company for the program.