Sewickley Herald

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A Gateway Publications Newspaper
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Leetsdale, Osborne, Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills
Vol. 97 No. 23	Wednesday, June 14, 2000
Sewickley Academy celebrated Its graduates Saturday with a reception and ceremony In Rea Auditorium. For more on this special day, see Page 11.
.50 Cents
, INSIDE ■ ▼ VILLAGE PEOPLE	'	■_____"	_______________B^ISTRia
News
■ ^Thei'Sewickley Herald has moved
-to -Montour Plaza;
Robinson Twp.
For more on the location change, see
Pages 5,6
Class off 2000
■ Local graduates have taken their' last walk on familiar turf. They've earned diplomas and honors. See
Page 8
Lifestyles
■ Newington will be the site of a special fund-raiser for garden therapy for patients at Children's Hospital. See how to make reservations on
Page 15
SO SWEET: Sewickley was the center of attention last week as film crews for Hershey’s chocolate shot at numerous locations around Sewickley. Autumn Long (above, right), one of the stars of the commercials, gets prepared for a shot at the Ultimate Pastry Shop. For more on the commercial, see Page 3. photo by Robert weibie
Proposal clears planning commission
v TRRA BOATHOUSE
Ry Retort VMM*
___________Matt writer__________
Last week, the Three Rivers Rowing Association boathouse proposed for Sewickley cleared its first hurdle with the planning commission’s unanimous vote to recommend the plan to council, but not without a laundry list of conditions.
With nearly 30 conditions, the planning commission recommended that the conditional use of the lot be granted,
In addition to the Usual con-
ditions, said Planning Commission Chairman James Wiltman, there were five major areas which commission members felt should be addressed: traffic, parking, playground replacement, nonprofit issues and borough income.
Traffic, Wiltman said, is already a problem along the Chadwick Street stretch, and the commission could not really do anything to eliminate that problem. That was an issue for council. As for the boathouse,
he said, “We don’t think this (boathouse) would exacerbate that situation. They would mostly be using it in the morning.”
Parking, on the other hand, was a serious concern, not only of the residents along Chadwick, but also of the commission, One of the major conditions proposed in the recommendation was that the TRRA provide one parking space for every 300 feet of building. With —— Continued on Page 2
Board approves new contract with teachers
Ry Dona S. Dreetand ____________Editor_________
Neither vote was unanimous, but the new five-year contract for Quaker Valley Education Association members will take effect on July 1.
With a- vote of 102 to 18, teachers ^approved the contract on June 5 after negotiations, whiclvbegan in January, ended.
Then on June""Bp-Quaker_ Valley School Board accepted .Jhe. contract with only one dissenting vote, that of Marianne Wagner'ofiOsborne.
' The document • .contains changes in health care, salaries and time worked. It also contains new language on safe working conditions and continuing professional education.
“This is a huge change,” said Dr. R. Gerard Longo, superintendent, -of the health care coverage. “It’s a great benefit for employees and a way to contain business costs.” ,
The change will come as QVEA members switch from a “point of service plan to an HMO.
The move will save the district $101,850 to $138,534 over the life of the contract and allow employees to decide where their health care dollars should be spent. There will be no benefits if the HMO network is not used.
With the Blue Cross Keystone HMO, a “defined contribution” for each employee will be in place. Then in a year when the language has been worked out by Patrick Clair, district solicitor, a cafeteria benefits plan will allow employees to determine the amount and type of coverage that suits their needs.
Also in the contract, if premiums exceed 8 percent in any year, employees have agreed to contribute up to $50 a month to cover costs.
The lack of employee con-— Continued on Pago 2
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