Hoffman Huffs About Halogen, and More (July 5 Baldwin Township Meeting Notes)

Hoffman Huffs About Halogen

resident Robert Hoffman, of 616 Highview Road, attended Tuesday night's meeting of the Baldwin Township Board of Commissioners. Hoffman brought with him a petition that had been signed by approximately 40 area residents in opposition to the amount of lighting in .

Hoffman voiced several concerns about the lighting there, telling the board that he thought that it was unnecessary and excessive and that the light-posts in the park were unattractive. Hoffman said that he was also concerned that the posts will present a hazard to kids who ride bikes down a nearby hill.

Township engineer Glenn Jonnet said that wattage and appearance are a matter of opinion and noted that park lighting was a part of the original park design as set forth in the 1970s and that it is necessary for safety.

Jonnet said that lighting plans are still being tweaked by the township to find which wattages will work best.

Hoffman said that he believed that grant money being used by the township to light the park was not being used properly since the particular type of grant at hand is a Department of Community and Economic Development grant that must be used to protect and/or enhance the environment. Hoffman said that he does not think that lighting is covered by the scope of the grant.

Board member Nick Pellegrino told Hoffman that the lighting grant is already a done deal and that the grant specifically says that the money is to be used for lighting in the park. Therefore, it cannot be used for anything else, Pellegrino said.

Hoffman repeatedly asked the board why the decision had been made to put lights in as opposed to any other renovations, such as walkway repair, and why the board, rather than the township's citizens, made the decision.

Pellegrino said that he and his fellow board members try to get grant money wherever they can to help improve Baldwin Township. He explained that the township does not always meet the average household income qualifications for some of the grants that the board wants, so the board gets whatever money it can to improve life in the township.

"They didn't put the lights in because they got a grant," township solicitor Tom McDermott said. "They sought the grant because they made a decision to put the lights in.

"Light(ing) in the park was always part of the decision of the long-range planning of this park, not just for this board but for predecessor boards as well. These lights, and this grant in particular, were the subject of multiple public meetings."

Despite these explanations from township officials, Hoffman remained dissatisfied. He said that he felt that the few people on the board had more power and control than all of the combined citizens of the township. Hoffman said that the board should seek residents' feedback before acting on things.

In an attempt to deal with these claims, Pellegrino and fellow board member Bob Downey reminded Hoffman that the board's meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month, that the meeting dates are publicized in the board's bi-annual newsletter and on its website, and that the meetings are public and open to anyone who wants to attend.

The problem, Pellegrino said, is that few residents show up.

Hot Dogs and Beer Shop Moves Closer to Opening on McNeilly Road

Petitioner John Chad, Inc., formally  to provide a recommendation to be included in John Chad's application to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to open a hot dogs and beer shop on McNeilly Road.

On Tuesday, the board voted to provide that recommendation, bringing the shop one step closer to opening at a vacant commercial property between and  in the Perri Plaza.

Township Garage Sale      

Gary Moeller, of 701 Highview, asked the board to consider having an annual garage sale for the township this year.

Board President Eileen Frisoli said that other people in the community have been asking her about whether there was going to be a garage sale this year and have expressed interest. Frisoli said that she thought that it was a good idea and that the board has money to advertise about it.

Frisoli set up a tentative date of Sept. 10 for the garage sale and said that she will look into advertising it.

Moeller recalled the township holding similar events in the past but did not know why there was not one last year. Pellegrino said that last year's sale was scheduled but had to be canceled due to severe weather conditions.

Street Repaving

Jonnet said that the township's repaving project—being handled by Peter J. Caruso & Sons, Inc.—is progressing. He said that the township and the company are currently waiting for a paving-mix design and that he expects the project to be completed toward the end of August.

Jonnet said that he has talked to Peter J. Caruso & Sons about a timeline for patching spots of pavement. Jonnet said that the timeline depends on whether or not the company will have to tear out sections of pavement and whether it will do the patching at the start or finish of the project.

McDermott said that he would look at the existing agreement between the two parties to see if there is any way to get the patching done sooner.

Castle Shannon Volunteer Fire Department Carnival

Board member John Paravati announced that raffle tickets for the 79th Annual Castle Shannon Volunteer Fire Department Carnival should be turned in now if they haven't already been collected.

Paravati said that anyone interested in volunteering for the event should contact him at john.paravati@baldwintownship.com or reach the Castle Shannon Volunteer Fire Department, which services Baldwin Township, at 412-884-7913.

This year's carnival will run from July 25-30.

Multi-Area Discussion of Sewer Overflow

Jonnet said that he will be participating in a multi-area discussion on July 14 regarding combined sewer overflow/sanitary sewer overflow in the Saw Mill Run basin.

According to Jonnet, representatives from , Mt. Lebanon and Pittsburgh will join him for a discussion of alternatives and costs to solve the basin's CSO/SSO problems. The discussion, Jonnet said, is a precursor to reaching a formal agreement.

MRTSA to Begin Negotiations

Downey said that Medical Rescue Team South Authority will soon begin negotiations with paramedics and emergency medical technicians since its contracts with those workers will expire at the end of the year.

Public Hearing for Zoning-Ordinance Amendment

McDermott announced that a public hearing has been commissioned for Aug. 2 regarding a proposed amendment to a municipal zoning ordinance.

According to McDermott, the amendment would clarify the rules and terms in the ordinance that pertain to parking and storage of commercial vehicles in Baldwin Township.

After the meeting, McDermott told the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch that parking and storage of commercial vehicles on residential streets is akin to commercial activity, which is prohibited in the township's residential areas. An amendment to the ordinance would clear this up, he said.

McDermott said that the amendment would also clarify the rules regarding parking and storage of recreational vehicles (RVs) on residential streets and property.

Homestead Exemption

Township tax collector Marilyn G. Wagner reported that slots and casino revenue set this year's Homestead Exemption amount at $143.17.

Wagner said that this is approximately $2 less than last year's exemption amount. She speculated that this slight decrease could be due to increased property ownership or an increase in the amount of homeowners taking advantage of the exemption.

On a different note, Wagner said that information is still being collected regarding the possibility of unpaid back-taxes related to the sale of a school building that settled on May 6.