Bridgeville Sewage Rates Increasing

ALCOSAN Hike on the Horizon

By a majority vote, in which councilmembers Michael Chiodo and William Colussy opposed, council passed an ordinance pertaining to general rates charged for sewage service given to the customers of Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) within the borough.

Borough manager Lori Collins explained that the proposed change reflects an ALCOSAN rate increase of $0.28 per 1,000 gallons of water usage and an increase in the service charge of $0.59 per bill issued.

The Borough of Bridgeville’s proposed change reflects an increase of $1 per 1,000 gallons of water usage.

This sets ALCOSAN’s proposed rate at $4.32 per 1,000 gallons and the borough’s proposed rate at $3.50 per 1,000 gallons, for a total rate of $7.82 per $1,000 gallons.

The ALCOSAN proposed service charge is $9.07 per bill issued.

Chiodo said that he did not like these changes and increases. Collins said they were necessary to comply with federal regulations.

The rate increases will take effect Jan. 1.

Borough Taxes Remain the Same

Collins presented an ordinance keeping the 2012 tax rate at 6.75 mills.

There will be no millage increase for the 2012 tax year for .

According to Collins, the municipality’s 2012 budget was very carefully scrutinized so as to make all necessary cutbacks in order to prevent real estate tax increases. Budget line item adjustments were made in the 2012 proposed budget after a review of the 2011 current expenditures through Dec. 12, she said.

Resident Wants Bridge in McLaughlin Park

Another topic impacted by budgetary concerns, both in the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years, is the replacement of an access bridge in McLaughlin Park.

A Bridgeville resident asked the board if the access bridge, which was taken down six years ago during the borough’s upgrades to the park, was going to be replaced any time soon.

Collins said that the bridge had been removed out of public safety concerns and that it was not going to be replaced any time in the foreseeable future.

Though numerous members of council agreed that they’d like to see the bridge replaced, there is not enough money in the 2012 budget, said Collins, to replace it at this time, as there is no funding available for public works projects beyond those already addressed in the budget.

No Municipal Raises for 2012

One of the costs closely scrutinized, Collins said, was municipal salaries and wages.

Despite tough negotiations with the police department, there were no raises approved for the 2012 fiscal year, said council vice president Michael Chiodo.

To further reiterate this point, council president Nino Petrocelli, Sr., said that all municipal employee wages, across all positions and departments, were put on a one-year freeze.

Wage freezes were included in two ordinances passed by council, pertaining, respectively, to its labor agreements with the public works and police departments.

The labor agreements also changed the medical plans of municipal employees and their dependents from Highmark PPO Blue to the Highmark Health Savings Account 1500 Plan, and set the employee contribution rate at 15 percent.

Also discussed at the meeting…

• Council entertained comments from residents pertaining to traffic concerns over a right-of-way issue on Main Street at the Bedner Farms entrance, through which Upper St. Clair contractors seek access. Though safety concerns were expressed, the bottom line, borough solicitor Richard Ferris said, is that the street at issue is a public street, over which the borough cannot exercise total control.
• Council tabled discussion of an appointment to fill an open position on the Parking Authority.
• Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be coming out this Saturday, Dec. 18, at 4 p.m., said Fire Chief William Chilleo.
• Councilwoman Mary Weise said that there will be a fire department blood drive with Central Blood Bank on Jan 28.
• And, speaking of calendars, Weise said that Historic Society calendars are available for purchase at 441 Station Street. The cost of the calendar is $10, and it features both black-and-white and color photographs of historically important Bridgeville spots.
• The meeting was Chiodo’s last on council. He was thanked for his service.