White Oak Officials Prepare for Opening of Heritage Pool

By Cami DiBattista
The Tube City Almanac
May 01, 2018
Posted in: Announcements, White Oak News

(*CORRECTION -- This story was corrected on May 9, 2018.)

White Oak officials and managers of Heritage Hill Pool are preparing for the 2018 season.

At April's meeting, council established a rate of $60 per resident for a season pass or $100 for a nonresident.

The pool is scheduled to open May 28 (Memorial Day), and will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days per week, weather permitting.

Council is considering a request from the White Oak Swim Team Board requesting permission to place a storage shed on the pool grounds and to sell and hang fundraising banners on the fence of the complex. A decision will be reached at a later date, officials said.

Council also unanimously passed the following motions regarding use of the Heritage Hill Pool:

• A motion to approve the use pool for the Founder’s Hall Middle School program on May 30 (with a rain date of June 1).
• A motion to have a police officer stationed at the pool for the opening day of the season.
• A motion to renew the concession stand contract with Twin Oaks Restaurant.
• A motion to no longer allow private parties at the pool complex. This does not include any pre-existing agreements with schools or the swim clubs.

In other business:

Mayor Ina Jean Marton gave the police activity report for March. White Oak police made 17 arrests, 14 of which were adults and three juvenile.  Arrests included four assaults, three borough ordinance violations (riding motor bikes in the community parks), one citation for disorderly conduct, two arrests for drug offences, one for DUI, two arrests for robberies, three arrests for thefts and one for unlawful restraint.

Board Engineer Ken Hillman reported that he is currently evaluating the borough’s salt shed, pool roof and the HVAC systems of the borough building, garage, pool, library and athletic complex. He will soon have a detailed evaluation for council.

The state Department of Transportation was asked to repair a damaged storm drain on Route 48, Hillman said. The borough put a steel plate over the drain as a temporary measure, he said.

Hillman also discussed several landslides that have happened in the borough and said he will prepare recommendations on how to proceed with the situation.

Council President David Pasternak reported that the borough received a letter from the Allegheny County Health Department requesting an update on sewer backups reported in some basements, as well as a plan and schedule for eliminating those backups in the future. The letter was referred to the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.

* -- (Although wastewater from White Oak is treated by Pennsylvania American Water Co. at its McKeesport treatment plant, the sewer lines are owned by the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County. Due to an editing error, this story incorrectly stated that PAWC, not MAWC, was responsible.)

Council adopted a "police ride-along" policy, allowing civilians the opportunity to ride with on-duty police officers was rescinded by council.

Council approved a contract with Steel Rivers Council of Governments for street sweeping services at a rate of $85 per hour; and approved a 1 percent raise for five non-union administrative personnel, retroactive to Jan. 1.

Council also voted to accept a $52,622 settlement from the Municipal Authority of the City of McKeesport that resulted from litigation between North Versailles Twp. and the authority.

During the public comments section, former Councilman Richard Bryce asked council why the American flag was no longer hanging in front of the Municipal Building. Bryce said he and local veterans were slighted.

Borough Manager John Palyo reported that the flag pole's rope broke during a windstorm. The American flag was being reinstalled after the flag pole was sanded, painted and repaired, he said.

Cami DiBattista is a freelance writer.

Originally published May 01, 2018.

In other news:
"Blessing Board's McKe…" || "Retail Development Ey…"