Sewickley Herald

              A Tradition Since 1903
Sewicldey Herald St
Serving Aleppo, Bell Acres, Edgeworth, Glenfield, Haysville, Leet, Leetsdale, Osborne, Sewiekley, Sewicldey Heights, SewicMe;
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Volume 100, Issue 51

EVERYONE COUNTS
There are a few days left to contribute to our food drive. Local organizations help to feed the hungry through Three Rivers Table. See Pages 6 & 13.
NEWS
Two Sewicldey women ore looking to a drug company for answers in the death of their 2-yeor-old Maltese puppy. See Page 3.
SPORTS
The Sewiekley Academy boys varsity basketball team defealsed dairfon Adds Friday night at the Academy.
Page 35.
Local News....................2
Opinion.......................6
Tempo.....................13
School.......................25
0bftuarieo...,...,..32,34 Sports....................35
Real Estate ■•MaeaUeaataeea. 39
SANTA SAYS
SANTA CLAUS stopped by Cochran Hose Co. this week to give an interview to our Herald reporter. He’s very busy, but he loves keeping the tradition of giving going from one generation to the next.	Photo by Rache, weaver
Santa finds great joy in giving
By Rachel Weaver____________________________
Staff writer _______________________________
Sewiekley children have eight more days to prove they are worthy of the nice list and one more Saturday to relay Christmas present requests.
The Wolcott Park Santa Claus (SC) will leave the Village after this weekend to finalize Christmas preparations, but not before answering a few questions.
Q: What do kids ask for the most?
SC: “Pets. But I always tell them they have to ask if it’s all right with mom and dad. I also tell them maybe it’s better to start with a pretend one, like a toy, to see if they can take care of it."
OU What’s the most unusual request you’ve ever had?
SC: “A little girl wanted a pony. I told her she really better check with mom and dad on that one!"
Q: How do you compile the naughty and nice list?
SC: “It’s very difficult. The elves teach me how to use the computers. They’re all on-line, but I’m still old school. The parents help, too. But the kids are mostly good. I tell them to always try to be good even though sometimes it’s hard."
Q: What’s your favorite kind of cookie? ------------------------ Continued on Png. 4
SEWiCKlIY
Council sets miilage rate at 5.8, up .4
By Jon Paul Creese________
Staff writer______________
Sewicldey Council offered tentative approval of the proposed 2004 general budget fund, capital reserves fund, building reserve fund and fire reserve fund at the Committee of the Whole meeting last week.
The 2004 budget puts real estate miilage a 5.8 mills, .4 higher than anticipated, but the same as it was before the 2001 county assessment.
“There was $23 million in assessments reduced by appeals,” said Kevin Flannery, borough manager, about the miilage hike, “plus an increase in cost to operate the municipality.”
The sewer budget fund provides for a 10 percent increase in fees due to the elimination of ACT 339 subsidies and proposed wastewater treatment plant projects totaling 507,346 for 2004.
“We need to continue to update our wastewater treatment plant,” Flannery said, and indicated other municipalities in Western Pennsylvania have run into problems since the state cut the (wo percent subsidy from the budget.
Sewiekley is losing about $44,000 a year due to the elimination of ACT 339.
“There are sewer rate increases everywhere,” he explained. “We’re trying to keep an even pace with everything, and we want to do it in the right way.”
Proposed expenditures for 2004 include: 39 percent of total expenditures go toward public safety, amounting to $1,385,887, 25 percent will go toward public works, 22 percent will go toward --------Continued on Page 10
Htsws	412“80§«fT9