Donna Mercuri

The workshop meeting of Munhall Borough included discussions on various topics. One key area was the reorganization of insurance carriers and the identification of borough-owned parcels, including vacant properties. There was a conversation about the possibility of selling some of these parcels, particularly smaller ones, to adjacent property owners. The meeting also addressed GIS benefits, focusing on a new software to streamline employee benefit selections. The council also discussed Vanguard janitorial services for the building, including the frequency and cost of cleaning services. Additionally, the intergovernmental ordinance 1592 and the waterfront maintenance agreement were reviewed. Finally, the rezoning of 9th and 10th Avenue to B-2 to make it more business-friendly.

The council meeting included discussions about traffic calming measures on Long Drive, specifically the possibility of installing speed humps. A resident reported illegal dumping of concrete chunks and rocks onto their property by a neighbor and expressed dissatisfaction with the code enforcer's handling of the situation. The council also addressed concerns about water runoff and sidewalk damage caused by a neighbor's sump pump discharge. The mayor provided updates on the cemetery board's tax-exempt status and recognized volunteer efforts to maintain the cemetery. The police department's training programs, including active shooter training, were also highlighted.

The meeting addressed the need for more office space for the sewer authority and a future meeting was scheduled to discuss options. A representative from Trautman Park will discuss needs for park and field improvements. The Borough engineer is working on improvement plans for other parks in the Borough. There was a discussion regarding the sewer authority's need for additional space at the new borough building, including the potential costs and logistics of building out a larger space to accommodate new employees and equipment. The possibility of using the existing space at number three far hall was also discussed.

The meeting included discussions on executive sessions and special meetings regarding the budget. The bar manager's position was advertised, and an executive session meeting was held on that topic. The budget was reopened on January 31st. A training session meeting, a webinar on understanding the sunshine act and amendments, was attended by council members. A guest speaker from commonwealth consulting partners discussed grant funding for borough projects, including a recycling program grant, bulletproof vest program, gaming economic development and tourism fund, multimodal transportation fund for raymond baugher way, a small water and sewer grant for the duquesne avenue culvert, and a dcnr community conservation partnership program award to rehabilitate parks.

The meeting focused on swearing in newly elected officials, including the mayor and council members. Key actions included the nomination and election of a president and vice-president of the council, and the nomination of a pro-tem. The resignation of the borough manager was accepted, and a plan to utilize the Governor's Center for Local Government Services to assist in the search for a replacement was approved. The meeting also included discussion and decisions regarding the official borough newspaper and the budget.