Sewickley Herald

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Sewickley Hiils ,
Vol. 87 No, 6©
The
CufltiTv
Herald
Wednesday, February 1, 1990
19 Gateway Press Nowspopors
- SUBURBAN PITTSBUBCH'S LARGEST CIRCULATION
50"
At Sewickley meeting
Again: council adopts budget
Denmark in Sewickley
ivEW YORK’S James Denmark was artist-m-residence at Sewickley Academy and Quaker Valley Sehoola last week' as . part af iIse'Jl®cail fielebratioii. ®f Black ■.History ,-Month. Here, Denmark; dfeiiionstrates some of his techniques to a group of SA students. An exhibition of his work continues at the Academy’s Campbell Gallery through Feb, 28. For more on Black History Month, see pages 21 . and 22 in today’s Herald.
By C^reg Hohman
By adopting a $2*1 maiion plan for 1990 ^diat raises property ■taxes to ".34 mills, SsMcMey CouncE buried its budget dispute ^ last week.:	;
—	The vote was 8-1, with Councilman Frank Sacco Jr, the lohe dissenter. On th6 tax ordinance, whose mill mark reflects a IVa increase oyer 1989, Councilman Pete Sqhlicht was tfie single nay.
One of the 3trident points on last week’s agienda centered on the police department. At issue was whether to fill a secretarial position, which has been vacant since last summer.
Despite losing a few battles — $4i883 in cuts ; — the police department won the war, Sacco , fought against hiring a full-time replacement. Claiming a poten-; tial savings of between $8,624“ and $11^2^71, be mamtamed &e system was operable with part-time staff.
Police Chief Walter Brannon conteilded )iis departmc^nt “made do” with part-timers. He said part-timers are unsatisfactory for ticket collecting, confidential reports and payroll.
:: Former mayor Marie Guy, who attended the meeting, '‘absolutely, postively” objected
Brannon’s contention that'ticket-collecting receipts are down. Council slashed $11,950 from
the general fund and deposited it in the capital fund.' Along with the police cuts, a $2,150 reduction' for the fire department and a $5,000 increase in the estimate of wage-tax revenues enabled council tp raise the transfer sum.
The new figure for the capital fund is $96,450—up from $84,500.
Council voted uhanimously to apply for a $400^000 tax-anticipati0n loan from Equibanlc.'
At Sacco’s request; the entire sum of $11,950 will go toward repairs at the sewage treatment plant, bringing the sewage total to $64,450.
The . newly elected councilman^ chaii’man of the pubjic-works committee, also lamented that, only $80,000 had been budgeted for street resurfacing. In particular, he said Broad Street between Ohio River Boulevard and Tnuriv Street needs work.
The borough spent $80,500 on street repairs in 1989, although i(l9o,floa was budgeted; According to former Borough Manager Steve Peny’js design, at least . ^135,000 was Heeded last year. The new budget allocates $80,idto for street r^urfacing. Ho'WOver, Hugh McMaster III, council president, suggested further increases could be considered during the course of the year.
Sewickley parking revenues down
litside
Parking meter income in Sewickley dropped by more than $11,000 Jast y^r, and council again is wondering whdt to
do; ;	' .
After a peak year in 1988. v/hen the revenue generated by meters and fines reached $113,931.70, it dropped to $102,819.85 in 1989. The difference is significant and needs td; be investigated, said Councilman Clinton Chilcte, chair-■man of. the fiiiance committee.:
That assignment probably will become Councilman Richard Brandt’s. New coun<:U president Hugh McMaster III has assigned Brandt to head the police coin-niittee, subject to council’s approval.
■	Brandt spoke out one year ago v/lien eooncil foted to teplacraU 0^ hour meters in the borough willi two-hour meters; ^	■
He said last February two-hour meters are too short. parkers will gO: to
the lots, and the zone-B meters (those farthest from the shopping disWct) will be empty, Brandt predicted.
“I think we a need a- miXragaih/’ Brandt says, still maintainuig that posi-tioin. “fhe meters on the perimeter are under-utilized... It’s unrfealistie not to re some long-term parking.’*
'Marie Guy, who as mayor was head of the police department during the revenue climax and^opoff, says she also sees the revenue decline related to tlie meter-limit changes. Other factors have been the, borough’s leasing of a lot for employees to park in and strict enforcement by the meter maids.
: And,,gli0 .idiii:, ,b«iln®ss. oveM„ |ias • decreased ittBewickley according to the Sewickley Valley Chamber of Commerce, which meang fewer people are Shopphig in the village..
Brandt says the Chamber ol Commerce
lobbied to get rid of the longer time meters, their goal being to remove all-day- parkers frpm taking spaces for business customerk V ■' But the all-day parkers moved inlolots, 'ferandt contends, where the borough isn’t
malfing mnhfly	^
-	There are several options counjcil can consider', - according to Brandt. They could change some Of the meters back to -. give longer terms, but that would include ■' a conversion; cost. They could raise the rates and/or the cost of fines.
A parker at a meter pays $.25 an hoijr in Sewickley. Fines are $2.
Brandt was against, raising the fines a ykr ago,' and he still main^ins that opinion.' '■ - ■
■	MrerSuysfir^sei'that'shehopes'coun-cil Will not raise .fines or the rates. She wants them to leave the situation alone and study it longer before trying to improve the situation.
3 15 17
Artline: Heights womani moil^rator for dialogues
lacrosse season begins at Sewiokley Academy
Valley Viewpoint: comrttents on cooking
35
The Rev. George Wirth talks about tenure here
5200 Campbells Run Road
ROBINSON TOWNSHIP
788 4444