Feb. 2 Borough of Whitehall Meeting Notes

The Council of the Borough of Whitehall held a regular council meeting at the on Feb. 2.

Some of the highlights from the meeting are as follows.

Council President Linda J. Book invited members of the audience to address the council, but no one accepted the invitation.

Later, Mayor James F. Nowalk read the borough's January police report. Nowalk reported 148 emergency medical service assists in Whitehall last month. The borough also saw 14 traffic accidents, 28 teen criminal arrests, 167 traffic stops, 92 traffic details, 63 traffic citations and 95 written traffic warnings.

"Those figures are comparable to the same month in 2010," Nowalk said.

Nowalk also shared with the council that Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer David Artman was elected by a Parent-Teacher-Student Association to receive a Pennsylvania Parent-Teacher Association Honorary Life Membership award. Artman will be honored at a founder's day dinner on Friday, Feb. 5.

The mayor also mentioned a resident complaint from the 5100 block of Baptist Road concerning eastbound traffic on Baptist. The resident requested that a caution sign be posted on the turning lane for traffic from the .

Whitehall Borough Manager James E. Leventry shared a letter from the Three Rivers Quilters organization asking for permission from the borough council to hold small games of chance for fundraising. The organization holds meetings in the  (which is actually in Whitehall).

Council member Kathleen N. DePuy questioned why this organization should be given permission when the Whitehall council had turned down previous requests of this type. After borough solicitor Irving Firman explained that the difference is that this group is a civic organization, the council unanimously granted the request.

Council member Robert McKown gave the borough's report. McKown reported the need for seven MRTSA stretchers to be replaced at a cost of $5,000. He also shared that the MRTSA's ambulances are in need of being refurbished in the amount of $400,000, or $50,000 each.

DePuy gave an administrative report that was focused on ways to save on borough expenses. One suggestion she made was to increase electronic communication, thus saving on paper and mail costs. She encouraged the council to brainstorm other ways to save money.

Council member Glenn Nagy gave a Public Works report, pointing out that while weather has been a hassle, "We've been lucky when you look nationwide."

While there was no Recreation report, Leventry shared that "the recreation board – almost at any time – has an opening."

To learn more about how to join the Borough of Whitehall's Recreation Board, read .

The meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.

For more information on this or other Borough of Whitehall meetings, call 412-884-0505.

The borough's next regular council meeting will be Wednesday, Feb. 16, at the municipal complex at 8 p.m., though a planning commission meeting will be held in the complex today, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m.