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Duquesne Officials Praise DPW Snow Response
City ordering more salt as snowy weather continues
By Tom Leturgey
The Tube City Almanac
January 16, 2025
Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne officials thanked the public works department for its response following the winter’s first significant snow falls.
At this week’s council meeting, Council Member Elaine Washington said she started receiving calls from concerned citizens as soon as the roads received their first covering, but she assured everyone, “we know the guys are out there.”
Mayor R. Scott Adams asked residents to “just be patient,” and one person in the audience responded he had seen city crews out clearing streets at 3 a.m. Monday.
With continued snow predicted, the public works department has put in another order for road salt, said Public Works Director Steve Arbasak but the city has “plenty of salt” for immediate needs.
In other business, Council Member Aaron Adams reported that city crews will “immediately” start cutting off sewage accounts and they will soon follow with shutting off water for chronic unpaid service.
“There will be door hangers with information (once services) are shut off,” he said.
Adams said there will be discussion at the Jan. 28 workshop meeting about changing current fees now that both sewer and water rates have increased. “We aren’t going to recoup great money,” he said, but it needs to be discussed.
During his Finance report, Council Member Derek Artim said he will have an “end of the year” review of the budget at the next council meeting.
Also at the workshop meeting, city officials will talk about the Vacant Property Recovery Program.
City Manager Douglas Sample said anyone interested in the vacant property program should go to the city’s website.
Engineer Laura Branthoover said that at $69,790, DJ Demolition was the lowest bidder for tearing down seven vacant properties. She wasn’t sure when that work would begin. Another request for bids will soon go out, she said.
The city has $51,500 available to tear down four properties, Branthoover said.
Branthoover said that there is still money available for road paving on Library Court and complimented crews from Tresco Paving for keeping costs down.
Originally published January 16, 2025.
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