UNION TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS Accusations abound at meeting

The women said they had been complaining for a year. But the roadmaster, who is running for re-election to his supervisor's seat, said he had never seen them before.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The air was thick with accusations of political motivations related to the upcoming primary election when Union Township supervisors met Thursday.
Supervisor Kevin Guinaugh, who also is township roadmaster, is running for re-election in next month's primary. He and Supervisor Ralph Nuzzo have often voted together. The third supervisor, Steve Galizia, has often dissented.
Thursday, the veiled accusations began when supervisors read a thank-you letter from Dale Avenue residents who last week had a stop sign installed at their street's intersection with Winter Road.
Galizia asked why the sign was installed last week when residents asked for it six months ago.
Nuzzo replied that the solicitor's opinion had to be sought on the sign's legality.
Rebuttal: But Galizia said the solicitor was not contacted until 10 days ago.
Later, when several residents from the township's southeast section complained about drainage problems, Guinaugh questioned the timing of their complaints.
Diana Sfreddo of Wood Street, Babs Stoner, also of Wood Street, and Rae Ann Quinn of West Pearl Street all spoke about water problems and difficulties with streets which have narrowed since paving was done and water pipes replaced about a year ago.
Wood and Pearl Streets are now so narrow that school buses do not use the streets, they said.
In addition, they showed pictures of a guardrail on Carson Street that was washed out in recent heavy rains and now hangs without support. Stoner said that when she needed to be transported by ambulance twice in December, the ambulance had to completely block the road, which is too narrow for two vehicles.
They complained that their problems started when a nearby property owner who built a house was allowed by the township to replace a large culvert with two narrow stormwater drainage pipes. They said that recent rains caused extensive damage to yards and landscaping, destroyed a retaining wall and flooded cellars.
Supervisor's reply: Guinaugh said that while the township gives permission to homeowners to install stormwater pipes, the homeowner, not the township, is responsible if damage results.
Other complaints included dangerous dropoffs from the washed-out road, water sitting in side yards and illegal dumping taking place over a hillside during the night.
Guinaugh told the women he would fill in the dropoffs this summer and cover them with hot mix so they won't wash out again.
The women said they have been complaining for a year with no results. Guinaugh said he had never seen them at a meeting before and that he doesn't remember anyone coming to any previous meeting to complain about the width of the roads.
The meeting was attended by about 20 residents, an unusually high number. However, Thursday's meeting was the first township meeting this year to be held at 6:30 p.m. During the winter they were held at 3 p.m.