On behalf of the Heidelberg Borough Council and Mayor Ken LaSota, I would like to welcome Patch.com to our area and thank them for covering news in the Borough of Heidelberg.

With 2010 coming to end all so quickly, the borough officials have been very proactive this year in many initiatives that have truly added to the quality of life for our citizens. To review some projects that were completed in 2010, Heidelberg -- through a partnership with the Allegheny County -- constructed two new homes on Grant Avenue, paved two streets, completed many sewer open cut repairs, created a sergeants position within the police department and promoted Dennis Dixon to duty, erected a war monument, brought about many new planning efforts, officially opened Heidelberg Park and added some new playground equipment to such. Council and Mayor also were able to achieve state wide recognitions for our newsletter and website, www.HeidelbergBorough.com, and were very proactive with community events, bringing many new programs to the borough this year.

The borough's administration was also able to secure $578,889 in outside grants in 2010 for many projects ranging from special police equipment and details to sidewalk improvements to adding park amenities.

To review some ongoing projects and endeavors in the borough; Council is set to adopt at our Dec. 21 meeting our 2011 municipal budget and maintain all taxes and fees as in 2010. This will represent the sixth year in a row without a tax increase. We have just recently completed, through a partnership with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, a "Community Green Scan" plan of the borough. This will lay the groundwork for our new Shade Tree Commission to develop our street tree initiatives. Work is also continuing on our Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan. Members of the Heidelberg steering committee have been meeting monthly with our neighbors in Scott and Carnegie to bring about real change, economic development and growth through this plan. We remain on target to having the plan complete by August 2011, with our new zoning ordinance drafted and adopted to meet the complexities of the "Comp Plan" expected to be done by March 2012.

As for the Route 50 street-scape project, we met last week with Congressman Tim Murphy to help speed along the PennDOT procedures so that design can begin. It appears that we are on target for design to begin in February or March. The design phase is expected to cost $274,079 with Heidelberg contributing approximately $20,000 to the project's design. In respect to the streetscape, through our consultant, Trans Associates, we have begun initiatives to take advantage of the plan by PennDOT to repave Route 50 in Heidelberg next spring. We have submitted plans to the department that call for a formal parking lane on the west side of Route 50 in front of the businesses. This will allow for defined parking spots and bump-outs to protect parked cars.

Once again thanks for allowing Heidelberg Borough to contribute to Patch.com. I truly look forward to future weekly editions that allow us to update you on the many wonderful projects and programs that are planned in Heidelberg for 2011. Until then, from all of us here with the Borough of Heidelberg, we wish you and yours a healthy and prosperous New Year.