NVT Commissioners Consider Emergency Repairs to Damaged Alley

By Richard Finch Jr.
The Tube City Almanac
September 26, 2018
Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News

North Versailles Twp. commissioners are considering a request from people in the Arlington neighborhood for emergency repairs to an alley.

At this month's meeting, Ward 2 Commissioner Daryl Mitchell said the alley between Union and Broadway avenues is so bad, some residents can't get to their homes.

“One of the residents there can’t even back his car up, without going into a gutter --- that’s how bad it is,”  Mitchell said. "With the rain we had recently, it has gotten worse ... I know we set a budget, but with all this rain we’ve had, it’s caused a lot of damage, all I’m asking is there some way we can help make some type of improvement in that alley.”

Commission President Sam Juliano said repairing the alley was on the township's paving “wish list” earlier this year, but it was deleted for budgetary concerns.

Mitchell requested $5,900 in emergency funding for repairs, suggesting that emergency funds could be taken from a $1.5 million balance in township accounts.

Township Manager Patricia Lego and Solicitor Greg Evashavik said North Versailles has spent more than $300,000 in road repairs and funds are not available in the current budget.

The board agreed to table the motion for future discussion.

In other business:

Commissioners voted to hire Gregory Lauffek and Alexis Moore as dispatch trainees at a rate of $11.59 per hour and to join the Turtle Creek Valley Council of Government’s police testing for part-time police officers.

Commissioners approved payments in the amount of $2,897.68 to West Wilmerding VFC and $8,772.56 for Crestas VFC from the 2018 FireTax Money.

Commissioners voted to authorize a $50 donation to the East Allegheny marching band for a full-page ad. Commissioners also approved a $5,990 quote from McKee Asphalt for a road paving project on Clavale Drive.

Commissioners also voted to:

Accept a bid from El Grande Industries of Monessen, Westmoreland County, for street reconstruction in the amount of $154,572.85, to be paid with community development block grant funds.

Accept the quote from Harbor Freight in the amount of $1,350 for the purchase of two water pumps and assorted hoses, one sump pump and one generator for Emergency Management.

Accept the quote from Walsh Equipment in the amount of $4,525 for a new tailgate spreader.

Accept the quote from Garage Door Doctor to repair the public works garage door for $2,420.

Police Report: During August, North Versailles Twp. police department received 810 calls, made 41 arrests and housed eight inmates from East Pittsburgh, six from East McKeesport and five from Turtle Creek.

Firefighters answered 55 calls during August, according to Commissioner Russell Saula.

Commissioner Tracy Yusko, a teacher at East Allegheny High School, recognized township police, ambulance and fire department personnel for  their service at the beginning of the school year.

“They did an active shooter drill training at our school in which all the teachers were involved,” she said. “I felt very comfortable with what was done. It was very real --- they did an amazing job.”

Richard Finch Jr. is a freelance writer who is covering McKeesport Area schools and North Versailles Twp. for Tube City Almanac. He may be reached at finchr43@gmail.com.

Originally published September 26, 2018.

In other news:
"White Oak Developing …" || "School Year Moving Sm…"