Oakmont Borough Council Notebook: March Voting Session

Here's a roundup of items discussed at the March 12 Oakmont Council meeting:

Park Renovation Discussions Turn Heated

Members of council continued to question the budget for the renovations at .

For several months, members of council have asked Borough Manager Bruce Jamison to provide a different layout of the budget for the renovations including columns for both estimates and payouts.

Councilman Tim Favo said he previously requested a more detailed budget from Jamison to which Jamison replied he thought Favo requested to see “the big picture” rather than more detail. The two discussed exactly what the budget should contain while other council members added n the conversation.

“If I tried to address everyone on council’s request for the way the budget is presented, I would never get it right,” Jamison said.

Since the started, council has questioned the budget and the fact that the project is over budget.

“I told all of them it was over budget,” Jamison said outside of the meeting. “But, they just keep asking about it. I tell them every meeting.”

During a point in the discussion when Jamison was speaking about sending crews to clean the new pavillions after each rain, Mayor Robert Fescemyer spoke openly about his thoughts about where the finances were going to which Councilmember Kitty Vagley attempted to explain that council has been having this discussion and making requests for more accurate numbers in the budget. A short argument between the two ensued.

Council President Timothy Milberger and Jamison quickly brought council back to the discussion about a better way to show the finances for the park renovations. Jamison said he would sit down with Favo and discuss exactly what he is looking for in the budget presented.

Oakmont Police Chief Urges Oakmont Residents to Be Cautious and Aware

Chief David DiSanti urged residents to be alert after .

“We’re very concerned,” he said. “These criminals are bold.”

The burglaries occurred on Sixth and Eighth streets and Washington Avenue between 10:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. One burglary occurred on Seventh Street while the homeowner was home. DiSanti said she saw lights from flashlights in her house and called the police.

DiSanti said the police department has suspects and the police are working on resolving these crimes.

He said February was a good month for the department who worked on a case involving over ending in the pending arrest of three adults for those crimes. The department also participated in an undercover operation which revealed drug dealers and users within Oakmont.

“Unfortunately, most of those involved in these illegal drug sales were juveniles,” DiSanti said. “We’re trying to make a different by visiting this high school and speaking about drug abuse. We’re trying to do more than just react and arrest.”

Council to Decide on Company to Collect Delinquent Taxes from Previous Years

Because of the Earned Income Tax Collection Consolidation Act—Act 32 of 2008—a Pennsylvania law that has consolidated local earned income tax collectors, 2012 Oakmont taxes are now collected by , the tax collector chosen by the Allegheny Southeast Tax Collection Committee. However, council must now make the decision on what company will collect and process delinquent 2011 and previous years' taxes.

Jamison is currently accepting proposals, which include the fees that would be charge to delinquent tax payers, from Keystone Collections Group and the previous borough tax collection company, Pennsylvania Municipal Service Company.

Library Bond Refinance Saves $60,000

Council Vice President Nancy Ride recommended to council it accept the refinance of a bond of over $1 million that the used for renovations. Independent securities, asset management and investment banking firm Boenning and Scattergood proposed the refinance that will provide about $60,000 to the borough.

Council will vote to finalize the refinance at next month's meeting and later discuss along with the library board as to what to do with the money council decided to take in one lump sum. The money, however, does not need to go toward the library.

Council Approves More Work from the Oakmont Garden Club to the Boulevard

Council approved the beautification work on Allegheny River Boulevard that Jennifer McGrath of the Garden Club .

These plans include:

• Purchase and placement of three more new trash receptacles like the in the business district.
• Expansion of existing tree wells, including additional plants and flowers and the placement of small, decorative fences to protect those areas, which would coincide with new trees being planted by the tree commission.
• The placement of planters that match the new trash receptacles in certain areas between Hulton Road and Virginia Avenue.
• A resolution to fixing the guard rail in front of , pending the owners’ permission
• The continued partnership with the borough that includes the borough assisting in maintenance.

Fire Chief Concerned about PennDOT’s Plans for Hulton Bridge

Oakmont Volunteer Fire Department Chief Bill Peoples said is a cause for concern because of a new structure that needs to be placed on the Second Street extension off the bridge onto Houston Drive.

The structure, according the Peoples, will restrict access to the 12-unit apartment building along the river down to one access point instead of the existing two—one at each side of that locaton.

Jamison, Peoples, a member of council and members of the PennDOT project will discuss the situation furthur at a March 27 meeting.

Council Appoints Three Residents to Borough Boards

Melissa Botta was appointed to the Oakmont Boulevard Project Board, Anthony Lascola was appointed to the Oakmont Recreation Board and Charles Erdeljac—Riverview School District's —was appointed to the Oakmont Carnegie Library Board at Monday’s meeting. Botta and Lascola we present at the meeting and were sworn in by Fescemyer.

“What makes us special,” Milberger said, “is the special people who volunteer for our town. Thank you.”

5K Race Set for June

The Oakmont Police Department will be able to provide police assistance for the 5K race recreation board member Tom Bland proposed last week for the morning of Saturday, June 9.

There will be no bike race this year.

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