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White Oak Council OK’s ’22 Budget
By Sarah Turnbull
The Tube City Almanac
January 24, 2022
Posted in: Announcements
White Oak’s 2022 budget has been approved by the new borough council.
At the Jan. 17 meeting, council OK’d the spending plan by a 6-1 vote, with Council Members Chuck Davis, Lou Bender, Julie Opferman, Joelle Harbert, Jason Russell and Loree Scharritter voting yes, and Council Member George Pambacas.
Borough officials said the new budget has $30,000 set aside for athletic field improvements, but is otherwise the same as the one rejected by the previous borough council in December.
In other business, council unanimously approved hiring Who Rescued Who as the new animal control provider.
Council Member Julie Opferman, who chairs the Parks and Recreation Committee, confirmed the receipt of a $184,100 grant to renovate the playground at Heritage Hill Park.
“We’re really excited about this project. The playground hasn’t been renovated since the early ’90s,” Opferman said.
Opferman also announced that the White Oak Recreation Board will host its spring craft show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 9 at the White Oak Athletic Association.
During the citizens’ comment portion of the meeting, Kansas Avenue resident Don Kudas proposed the council consider participating in “Adopt a Block” to reduce littering.
“We all want to make White Oak an attractive place for our residents, and should resolve to make White Oak a litter-free borough,” Kudas said. “I ask council to adopt ‘Adopt a Block’.”
Kudas and his wife June plan to clean all 177 streets in White Oak. Council agreed to consider his request.
Resident Dan Raible of Park Way addressed council regarding a property dispute with a neighbor.
“[My neighbor] has turned the property into a junkyard – there’s washers, dryers, and hot water tanks everywhere,” Raible said. “I talked to the ordinance guy, but nothing’s been done.”
Council agreed to send the code enforcement officer to investigate the property.
The next council workshop meeting will be held at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 14 at the borough building. Members of the public are welcome.
Sarah Turnbull is a freelance writer in Irwin. She can be reached at sarahturnbull323@gmail.com.
Originally published January 24, 2022.
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