8 vie for vacant post in Hermitage

A lot plan for Wal-Mart and other businesses was approved.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Eight people have applied to fill the unexpired term of William Scanlon, who died May 15 after having served 37 years as a city commissioner.
Scanlon, 74, was re-elected last year, and 3 1/2 years remain in his term. The four remaining city commissioners have 30 days from his death to replace him with a registered city Democrat.
The city's home-rule charter requires that the successor must be of the same political party as the person being replaced.
The application deadline was Wednesday and the candidates are Gregg Buchanan of Sample Road; James A. DeCapua of Rockwell Avenue; Bernie N. Harry of Amhurst Drive; James D. Lumpp of Bobwhite Drive; William J. Moder III of Basil Drive; Mark Passalinqua of Fran Lane; Timothy J. Ruffo of Wakefield Drive; and James M. Tamber of Christy Road.
The commissioners will meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday to discuss details of the interview format and at 5 p.m. next Thursday to interview all candidates in public session.
Lot plan approved
Commissioners approved a plan of lots on North Hermitage Road (state Route 18) that will pave the way for a 212,242-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter, a shopping center with about eight stores, and three restaurants on a 45-acre site between the Shenango Valley YMCA and Stupka Motors.
The project, known as Hermitage Crossing, will be on land owned by George and John Kraynak and zoned for highway commercial use. The project was proposed by Cedarwood Development Inc. of Akron, which will buy the shopping center site.
Wal-Mart and the restaurants will buy their own sites. The city planning commission approved the project plan May 3.
Commissioner Duane J. Piccirilli introduced an amendment Thursday night to the zoning ordinance saying that access drives and traffic circulation for personal and professional offices and medical and dental clinics shall be planned to minimize the impact of traffic on residential neighborhoods as much as possible. A hearing on that amendment will be at 6:30 p.m. June 23.
Deadlocked on bridge
The commissioners deadlocked 2-2 on a resolution asking Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to leave intact the roadway on the east side of the Lamor Road bridge and turn it over to the city for access to sanitary sewer manholes and to remove the bridge and its abutments at PennDOT's expense.
PennDOT plans to replace the bridge with a viaduct on a different alignment. Commissioners Piccirilli and Sylvia A. Stull voted in favor and Commissioners James P. White and Larry Guerrera voted against the resolution.
Piccirilli said the bridge is a potential safety hazard and he doesn't want the city to be responsible later for demolishing a deteriorated bridge at its own expense, but White said the bridge over Pine Hollow Run should be retained for pedestrian-only access to proposed hiking trails. A fifth commissioner may break the deadlock in July, Piccirilli said.
The commissioners also awarded a $60,448 general construction contract to Anderson Construction of Greenville and a $7,170 electrical construction contract to Current Waves of Slippery Rock for adult training workshop improvements at the Mercer County Association for the Retarded.