Council Highlights 5/11/22

• State Representative Abby Major attended the council meeting and council was able to discuss a variety of concerns with her.
• Council received updates from Fire Chief Chris Swank on the fire department’s purchase of a new truck.
• Council hired a part time laborer for the summer.
• Council approved changing banks, which should result in lower fees.
• Council discussed the completion of park improvements using state grant funding. Thank you to State Representative Jason Silvis and his office for help with this funding.
• Council heard reports on ongoing projects including sewer lining, street paving, and solar installation. 

Please see the box below to view the agenda for council's May, 2022 meeting or click here.

In 2020 West Leechburg Borough and Allegheny Township initiated a study of a potential consolidation between the borough and township. This study was carried out by the state Department of Community and Economic Development and was initiated due to interest expressed by some residents of the borough. After several hiccups, the study is now complete and can be found below the following information from the borough.

Council would also like to highlight important factors when considering the report.

1) The report confirms that merging the borough with Allegheny Township will not change the school district boundaries, leaving West Leechburg residents with the same school district and same school taxes they have now.

2) The report shows that Allegheny Township has a lower tax rate than West Leechburg. However, the report does not take into account certain services and how they are provided. 

• Part of the borough taxes pay for garbage collection. In the township, residents contract and pay for garbage collection individually. Council believes this provides for a cheaper service per household while avoiding damage to borough streets and infrastructure from having multiple garbage trucks crisscrossing the town.
• Part of the borough taxes pay for the borough's sewer lines. In the township, the sewer lines are maintained by a separate authority that charges additional fees on top of what is paid to the KVWPCA. Council does not bill separately because this would increase the costs of collection, which would have to be passed on to the people being billed.
• The borough also provides other services that the township does not, such as streetlighting. 
• The township charges a $5 per person yearly per capita tax. The borough has no similar tax.
• Finally, it's also important to note the disparity between the mostly residential tax base of the borough and the much more varied tax base of the township.

Council believes using real estate taxes rather than additional billing is the most efficient, cost effective way to collect money and fund our services.

The completed report is below. If you are having difficulty viewing it, click here.

Council Meeting Highlights 4/13/22

• Council discussed the Easter Bunny’s upcoming visit on Saturday, 4/16/22 at West Leechburg Memorial Park from 12 noon to 1:30pm. This will be followed by the Easter Bunny riding around town on a fire truck.
• Council approved resolution 3 of 2022, authorizing the Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority to pursue delinquent accounts.
• Council opened bids for the 2022 summer paving program and accepted the low bid, pending engineering approval.
• Council discussed ongoing repairs to a sewer line running through the backside of the park.
• Council discussed the need for residents to report dog issues to the police department and dog catcher. Reports need to be on file if action is to be taken.
• Council discussed the completion of the Allegheny Township Consolidation Study. The study report will be published in the near future.

Please see the document below or click here for West Leechburg Borough Council's April, 2022 meeting agenda.

As required by state law, the report for unconventional well fund usage can be found below.

Council Meeting Highlights 3/9/22
 
Among other items, council:

• Approved ordinance 425- An amendment to the zoning ordinance regulating the installation of solar panels
• Approved ordinance 426- An update to the parking ordinance.
• Approved ordinance 427- An ordinance repealing certain outdated/duplicative sections of the borough’s code.
• Heard from the secretary regarding occupancy reports and technology issues.
• Awarded a bid for sewer line replacement using CDBG (grant) funding on Circle Drive, pending county approval and engineers’ review.
• Discussed 2022 street paving project.
• Discussed accessibility project at borough building/park (also funded using CDBG money).
• Approved donating old street signs to West Leechburg Crime Watch.
• Approved a proposal to install solar panels on the borough garage. (This project is not funded with direct taxpayer dollars and will reduce borough energy usage and bills).

Please see below for the March, 2022 council meeting agenda.

Please see the attached letter regarding Semper Gratus' fundraising race in the borough, scheduled for 3/12/22.