Mount Pleasant, Scottdale move forward with improvements
Mount Pleasant Borough residents are happy to be coming to the end of a more than $8 million Main Street paving and upgrade project.
While there are still a few aspects of the project to complete, the traffic complications in the downtown area of the borough are almost a thing of the past.
Major flooding in town affected a number of residents in 2017. Those affected came to the borough for solutions, which was the impetus for the formation of a storm water management committee.
Mount Pleasant EMS Medic 10 was having a hard time making a profit and being viable, but by implementing some changes and working in cooperation with the borough, they are headed in the right direction, officials said.
The home improvement store, Lowes, and local businessman Peter Mullin donated their services to renovate Frick and Jack Bobb’s Parks which was a major savings for the borough.
Hiring a code enforcement officer at the beginning of 2017 made a big difference in town last summer and with the recent resignation of that individual, Borough Manager Jeff Landy said council should make sure there is a replacement for this year.
Landy said looking forward this year, coming up with a solution for persistent storm water issues is a pressing issue. Borough officials will focus on understanding and implementing a new county-wide storm water ordinance.
In the neighboring Westmoreland County borough of Scottdale, officials have been happy with the ability to complete paving projects recently.
Borough Manager Angelo Pallone said they were able to do some upgrades to the ball field in Loucks Park, adding dirt in the infield and a professionally installed swell to stop the water from eroding the infield.
Also in 2017, the borough acquired the building that formerly housed the Scottdale Community Pool and looked into the possibility of using it as the borough building.
Pallone said they still haven’t determined if that will be the case. “If we fix up this building and sell it, we’ll have to pay back the money we got from a grant to make it handicapped accessible, so there are several things to think about.”
In the upcoming year, if officials decide to stay in the current municipal building, they are hoping to complete a project that will move the borough council meeting room from upstairs to the first floor so that it will also be handicapped accessible.
That will go along with the project in 2017 that made the entrance into the building handicapped accessible.
In 2017, the borough purchased a used Ford Explorer police vehicle and will give the Scottdale Volunteer Fire Department an older Dodge Durango that was used by the police department once it’s back from getting repaired.
At the end of last year, the borough replaced a sewer line in Cortland and, this year, when the weather breaks and they can get equipment in there, officials will look at dredging some of Stauffer Run.
Pallone said the first phase will start at the beginning of the waterway where the flood control wall is near National Hydraulics down toward Teledyne.
The Jacob’s Creek Watershed Association is helping the borough with this project.
The state Department of Environmental Protection approved the request by Jacob’s Creek Watershed to build a boat ramp to Jacob’s Creek for canoe access along Garfield Avenue, which will more than likely be constructed this year.