SHENANGO VALLEY PROPOSAL Consolidation opponents ask about leaders' stance
None of the officials openly supported the consolidation.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- A group of city residents opposed to a proposed municipal consolidation with four other communities tried to pin down city commissioners on the issue.
City Manager Gary Hinkson said the topic occupied about 40 minutes of the commissioners' meeting Wednesday.
There will be a question on the Nov. 2 election ballot asking voters in Hermitage, Sharon, Sharpsville, Farrell and Wheatland if the five municipalities should join into a single city to be known as Shenango Valley.
Those in the audience all appeared to oppose the idea, Hinkson said, adding that they asked the five city commissioners where they stand.
None of the five spoke in favor of the idea, although Commissioners Duane Piccirilli and Sylvia Stull indicated that, although they have doubts it would be beneficial, they are willing to hear more, Hinkson said.
Commissioner Pat White firmly opposed the idea, and Commissioner Larry Gurrera said that the people need to make that decision.
Commissioner William Moder was noncommittal but pointed out it is a critical issue, Hinkson said.
The commissioners are looking at holding public forums on the issue before the election.
Other action
In other matters, commissioners:
UIntroduced an ordinance setting the residential assessment fee for a new sanitary sewer line along Sample Road at $25 per front foot, up to a maximum of 200 feet. Residents also will have to pay a $1,000 tap-in fee and pay to have a sewer line run from their homes to the new city line. A public hearing on the ordinance is set for Sept. 29.
UIntroduced an ordinance that would make it easier for companies like Joy Cone Co. on Lamor Road to make substantial expansions in their facilities. Current zoning laws limit the size of an expansion to 50 percent of current facilities for businesses such as Joy Cone that are nonconforming uses in residential zones. The change would allow a one-time expansion of 100 percent. Joy Cone had sought permission for a 168,000-square-foot addition to its ice cream cone plant, but the 50 percent rule limited the project to 104,000 square feet, half of the current plant size.