Sewickley Herald

              *
Hdardanell publication
The Sewickley
Herald
Suburban Pittsburgh's Largest Audited Paid Newspapers
TteeptjrCeats
Wednesday December 28, ISTI
Vol. 78 No. 52
Ambulance site proposal
goes to planning group
Leasing a borough-owned parklet to Quaker Valley Ambulance Authority CQVAA) as a site for its new quarters was reconsidered by Sewickley Council at the borough’s December 19 meeting.
The one acre phis property, bordering Ohio River Boulevard, Broad, Walnut and Bank Streets, has been grounds for debate since council’s September meeting. It was then that QVAA president Frank E. Viras tek asked council for a long term lease arrangement of half the properly at a dollar per year. His request explained the need for new housing since present accommodations at Sewickley Valley Hospital are only temporary and the former Chadwick Street quarters for the volunteer crew were unsatisfactory.
While some Bank Street neighbors attended a Council’s October 19 meeting to question the proposal and protest the loss of the park, council agreed to the lease at its regular November meeting. The vote was not unanimous as Councilman Robert B, Wood maintained the alternatives had not been fully studied and the neighborhood he represented was against it At the December meeting, Virostek along with Gary. Burnworth, administrator of QV Ambulance, and Sewickley Valley Hospital president Donald Spalding further defended the proposal and explained QVAA’s position.
Presenting council with a petition of 73 names protesting QVAA’s leasing the property, Bank Street resident Gerald M. Weiss asked council to reconsider its stand.
In answer to Mrs. Willis Shook who questioned the appearance of $20,000 building, Virostek said, “I don’t know where that figure came from, It was probably reported in the Herald from some previous figures. The Herald has attended some of our meetings. We have not come up with a bard figure. We have not discussed our plans with an architect -since we are a tax-supported Authority. We’re thinking of a building between $25,000 and $40,000.
(From the October 26 Herald: In answer to Gerald Weiss, Bank Street resident, on construction cost, Virostek said, “We want to keep the cost under $25,000. We’re considering soliciting foundations and private industry.” From the
Motorist charged
after child dies
A Coraopolis man faces a hearing on charges of involuntary manslaughter and homicide by vehicle in the Allegheny Coroner’s Office on Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. The hearing for Berkley H. Norman 3rd, 204 Disney Drive, Coraopolis was set after the death on Dec. 21 of Talaetha A. Brown, four, of Leetsdale, who was struck by Norman’s car Dec. 5th in the 300 block of Beaver St, Leetsdale.
According to Leetsdale Police, witnesses said Talaetha had crossed the street with three or four others, but saw something in the street and went back to retrieve it, then was hit The accident occurred at 4:58 p.m.
Chief Michael Pooinsky said several motor vehicle charges were made against driver: driving an unregistered
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—, failure to exhibit proof of ance; unsafe speed and title violation, alaetha was the daughter of Clarence, and Harriet Brown Smith, of LeetsdaM
November 30 Herald: in recapping the proposal the reporter stated that the QVAA is considering a building at an estimated construction cost of $20,000.) On the Authority’s temporary quarters at Sewickley Valley and the possibility of permanent housing, hospital president Spalding said, “We’re close friends to Valley Ambulance. It’s a fine Authority. The Authority came to the hospital six months ago. At that time we were remodeling. We said, you can occupy the present emergency quarters as a courtesy—with no rent. Gary and I talked about a hospital location a year and a half ago. He told me, ‘we need a heated garage.’ I dismissed the issue and nothing further was said until recently. If we could find space they would have to pay rent They can stay here until May or June. We’d like to have space for them. I told Gary we would re-explore the problem. Every spare inch has been allocated. We do own properly around the hospital.”
It was this other property that Councilman James P. Maloney suggested the hospital board look into as possible housing. According to Spalding, there are properties on Chalmar Lane and one at the comer of Hill and Locust Overriding Councilman W. George Edel’s attempt' to read the terms governing the leasing, Councilman Wood said,” I object It’s premature to read the terms of toe lease. The whole procedure is a railroad job. I remand this to toe planning commission where it should have gone in toe first place.”
He sees a hospital location for toe ambulance since Spalding told the meeting the Authority was “not chased out.” Wood wants the full consideration given to those who use toe ambulance but be also wants to find a more aesthetic use of toe park. It-is his feeling that the problem has not been fully explored because toe Authority has made up its mind to locate in toe park.
In rebuttal, Administrator Gary Bum-worth said, “Most of our business originates in your home. Less than five percent of our business originates in the hospital. To be located in toe hospital is to cross, Broad and Beaver Streets, the most congested intersection in Sewickley. Ohio River Boulevard is toe most central part of the 11 communities, furthermore, Sewickley Borough has 40 percent of the population we serve. The hospital doesn’t have room for us. There’ll be a problem no matter where we go.”
On construction cost, Burnworth estimated between $20,000 and $40,000 for a shell with toe volunteers doing most of the inside work. The Authority board members, he reminded the meeting, are also concerned about money and they are also members of toe community. He claims the Authority does not wánt to destroy a park, nor is there an objection to locating at the hospital. However, he does feel slighted that toe Authority’s attitude was never sought by either toe writers of letters to the Herald or the author of a Herald editorial.
To this Wood answered, “If 40 percent of your calls come from Sewickley, you’d better go back to the hospital. You’ve made your pitch at the meeting - It’s the park. There has been no real effort to work out anything with the hospital, who would love to have you.”
Under the leasing agreement, read by Edel: The first term establishes one dollar per year rent for 99 years; The building mustmeetallboroughzoning codes and be approved by toe planning commission;
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Long winter's nap
NICHOLAS BARRY, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Barry of Scaife Road, was content to let all the merriment of the Christmas season pass him by. Herald photographer Margaret Marshall took this picture, which illustrates what well-dressed babies should wear to ward off the cold, on the first day Santa came to town. While all eyes were on Santa, Nicholas took the occasion as a wonderful time far a loug winter’s nap. Maybe next year, Santa.
Sewickley taxes
down six mills, maybe
A six mill tax decrease and the 1978 budget were adopted by Sewickley Council at the borough’s December 21 meeting.
Based on the tax rate of 20 mills, including 1.81 for debt service, receipts for *78 are figured at $897,935 and expenditures at $947,466 with a balance from ‘77 making up the $49,531 difference.
In announcing the cutback, finance chairman James P. Cronin complimented borough manager James Donley and council for their work in study sessions that reduced a proposed budget of $1,043,250 in which taxes were held at the 77 rate of 26 mills.
Commenting on borough finances, Councilman Frank Sacco, Jr., reminded the meeting, “As this was a municipal
EcoAction collection off for January
Valley Eco-Action / Grip Recycling Center will iwt operate in January. Please hold recyclable* until February when the center win be operating on a new site. Location of the new site win be announced as soon as arrangements are firm.
election year, the newly elected council members will have a chance to review the budget for themselves. So this six mill decrease may or may not stand.” (Sewickley’s reorganizational meeting is January 3, and under municipal law, newly elected council members have until January 15 to revise toe budget)
Reorganization meetings coming up
Early in the New Year, local borough councils and township commissions meet to elect from among their own number who shall lead for the following year. In toe case of the boroughs, a president and vice-president are selected; in the townships, a head commissioner is chosen. At the reorganization meeting, toe officials also appoint a solicitor, a borough or township manager, and designate an official news source. The date is fixed for the first Monday of the New Year. Since the official holiday falls on a Monday this year, toe official date for most local reorganization meetings is Jan. 3. Consult today’s Board of Trade calendar or legal notice for correct date and time.	,
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