New Alexandria Sewage Progress Near
Posted on: Saturday, 17 May 2008, 00:00 CDT
By Jeff Himler
NEW ALEXANDRIA--New Alexandria is a step closer to obtaining a community sewage treatment system with word that an environmental clearance, which will open the door for federal funding of the planned project, is in the final stages.
The project, to be developed by the Derry Township Municipal Authority, would treat sewage for approximately 400 customers along the Route 22 corridor in New Alexandria Borough and in a portion of the township lying just to the east.
Authority Manager Will Chishko told the borough council Wednesday that a 30-day public review and comment period is set to begin for an environmental assessment of the project prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development division.
Chishko said the plan, which calls for development of a modular sewage treatment plant along Route 981 north of Route 22, has passed reviews of its potential impact on environmental and historical resources. With pending completion of the comment period and official environmental review process, the authority can proceed with design and financing of the project.
"This is one step further in the process," Chishko said.
He estimated a seven- to eight-month timeline for preliminary engineering and design.
The authority has applied to the USDA Rural Development program for loan and grant assistance.
According to Chishko, the authority has committed to a tap-in fee of $950 for new customers that will be served by the New Alexandria project. He said he could not cite a projected cost for the long- discussed sewage system, noting previous estimates are no longer valid due to the impact of inflation.
Copies of the environmental assessment can be obtained at the USDA Rural Development Westmoreland Area office at 226 Donohoe Road, Greensburg.
Chishko said three sites north of Route 22 are being considered for development of the New Alexandria sewage treatment plant. He declined to identify specific locations, citing negotiations with property owners.
The plan also calls for two pump stations, one at the south edge of town, along Route 981 near the road to Keystone State Park, and the other in the vicinity of Grabiak Chevrolet.
Council authorized member Bill Stitt to investigate obtaining a line of credit from a local bank to finance replacement of old, damaged storm sewers in the borough.
Stitt suggested the borough might hold down the cost of that project, which has been estimated at about $2 million, and limit the inconvenience to residents by replacing the storm sewers at the same time lines are installed for the sanitary sewer system.
"You'd be digging one ditch," he pointed out.
"It would be a matter of getting the contractors to cooperate," Chishko said, noting the two sewer projects would have to be bid separately.
In other business, council deadlocked 2-2-1 on action concerning a wooden fence at the corner of Washington and Main streets.
Stitt argued that the fence is obstructing the adjacent sidewalk, in violation of a borough ordinance. He and Jeffrey Tenerovich voted to authorize Solicitor Gerald Yanity to prepare a complaint against the property owner. Council members Herb Morrow and Beverly King were opposed, while council President Don Deglau abstained.
Since Mayor Betty Cain was not present to break the tie, Yanity ruled that the item would be held over to the June 11 council meeting.
Council authorized Yanity to make a determination whether the borough would be best served by opting into or out of an urban county block grant program administered locally by the Westmoreland County Department of Planning and Development and regulated by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In a letter to the borough, a county planning official noted the municipality would not be able to apply to the state for separate community development block grant funds if it opts in to the urban county program for 2009-11. New Alexandria did opt in to the latter program during the three-year period that ends this year.
The borough has until May 26 to notify county planners and HUD officials in Pittsburgh of its decision.
Council received word that Westmoreland Cleanways will offer an expanded voluntary drop-off recycling program in the borough, with a June 1 target date for placement of a new bin behind the borough community center.
The program has accepted old newspapers. Under the expansion, it also will accept flattened corrugated cardboard, magazines and catalogs, office paper, junk mail, telephone books, chipboard (cereal or tissue boxes), aluminum cans and No. 1 and No. 2 plastic containers. Glass containers will not be accepted.
A new hauler, Recycle Management of Neville Island, will remove the recyclable materials.
New Alexandria Postmaster Adrienne O'Neill received permission to sponsor a free class on use of the eBay online auction site from 6 to 8:30 p.m. June 25 at the community center.
The seminar, led by Kim Horrell, eBay ambassador for the U.S. Postal Service, will teach participants how to sell items on eBay while using the Postal Service to ship the items.
O'Neill noted more than 1.3 million sellers worldwide use eBay as a primary or secondary source of income.
Call 724-668-2470 to register for the class.
Council heard from the Derry Township Supervisors, who indicated they would like to once more offer summer recreational programming at New Alexandria's playground. The program is expected to begin June 9, with coordinated sports and crafts offered from 12:45 to 2:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
A field trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh also is planned.
Council granted resident Dee Stewart $75 for mulch and other materials needed to plant new flowers in a memorial area near the community center.
(c) 2008 Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds