Forest Hills Council Approves New Fees, Discusses Block Grants

Forest Hills Council Wednesday unanimously approved an ordinance raising the sewage fee for residents from $3 to $3.60 per thousand gallons of water used.

The borough will implement the new fee in October.

Councilman Bill Burleigh said the increased fee will help the borough balance the cost of sewer liner repairs, which are mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“We have to offset the cost,” Burleigh said.

Other unanimously passed ordinances included an increase in penalties for illegally parked vehicles, the sale of a formerly used police vehicle for $2,000 and the addition of stop signs on Glasgow Road at the intersection of Sheryl Lane and Fairview Road, as well as at the intersection of Second Street and Avenue L.

Council also approved a motion to allow the borough to join the Turtle Creek Valley Council of Government’s Civil Service testing program. Members will vote on a formal ordinance at a future meeting.

According to Bill Tomasic, who serves as council’s public safety chairperson, the program allows municipalities to reduce costs associated with testing candidates for police positions by partnering with other municipalities.

“It is a group test where all of the communities participate and then they have a list of candidates that you can choose from,” Tomasic said.

Forest Hills Police Chief Charles Williams said the program implements one test each year, the cost of which would be shared among municipalities. Owing to standardized criteria, any candidate who passes the test would be qualified to serve in the partnering communities.

The Turtle Creek Valley Council of Government is composed of Braddock, Chalfant, Churchill, East McKeesport, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Monroeville, North Braddock, North Versailles, Penn Hills, Pitcairn, Plum, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, Wall, Wilkins, Wilmerding and Wilkinsburg.

While many of the municipalities participate in the testing program, not all do. Forest Hills has not particpated in the program previously.

“You’re going to pay one fee, rather than a bunch of fees,” Williams said. “Dollar-wise, it’s going to save us a lot of money.”

Aside from cost savings, Williams said, the program also gives the borough a larger pool of candidates to consider for positions.

During his general report for planning and zoning, Burleigh announced that members of the committee had decided to seek development funding from Community Development Block Grants, rather than compete for private grants in the state.

The decision was a no-brainer, according to council member Devon Wood. Wood said that while obtaining block grants can be somewhat capricious—the borough was awarded a grant to demolish vacant homes last year, but the award was later rescinded when grant funds had dried up—the borough is more likely to benefit from vying for them.

With private grants, Wood said, funds are limited and municipalities seeking block grants are often excluded from applying.

“If you choose not to—I don’t know why you would do that,” Wood said.

The planning and zoning committee plans to apply for grants to demolish condemned buildings located at 375 Ave. D and 213 Beaver Dr., as it had done last year.

“It’s a common sense thing,” Wood said. “We don’t have the money up front to do it.”

Council members will host a public meeting  June 11 to discuss the borough’s strategic planning. Council holds its next meeting June 15.