Swissvale Council Talks Recycling, Potential Club and Complaints

Swissvale Council addressed recycling, transferring a liquor license for a potential new club and handling residents’ complaints at Wednesday night’s agenda meeting.

Hungarian Social Club

A Hungarian social club requested to transfer their liquor license into Swissvale Borough, which council can choose to either accept or reject.

The club, previously located on Flower Street in Hazelwood, is one of the last Hungarian social clubs left in Pittsburgh. It combined with a club in Mckeesport in 2012 due to high drink taxes and a loss of membership, according to the Post Gazette.

Council members weighed the pros and cons of accepting the club into the Swissvale community. Police Chief Greg Geppert was concerned that if the establishment is after hours it would be, “just asking for trouble.”

“Officers are already stretched pretty thin from the number of establishments,” Solicitor Robert McTiernan said.

Council President David Petrarca said that turning a business away when the borough is trying to reach out to new businesses is counterproductive.

The council questioned what the clubs hours would be, how exlusive its membership is and how it would handle parking.

There will be a public hearing on July 3 about the transference of the liquor license.

Recycling Program  

The Swissvale borough may buy a new recycling truck with grant money from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Director of Public Works Carmine Russo estimates that by 2014 the borough will have new recycling bins, including larger 90 gallon units, and educational material out and in use in the community. The borough has already run out of the recycling bins available to residents and continues to get calls asking about them daily, said Finance Officer Diane Turley.

Council will vote next meeting to approve the purchase of the truck.

Resident Complaints

Council reviewed an email of complaints sent on June 20 from residents which further reflected what Fire Chief Clyde Wilhelm described as “ongoing friction” between residents and businesses on South Braddock Avenue.

“I do have a problem with all these other complaints on a business that has been there forever,” said Councilwoman Patricia Gionta.

According to Councilman Darrell Rapp, the residents, with whom he had previously spoken, have lived in Swissvale for 10 to 15 years and felt their direct complaints to the businesses had been sidestepped. He also said they felt ready to move out.

“How many residents do we need to scare out of the borough?” Rapp said.  

Petrarca said he believed the recent increase in business on South Braddock Avenue is to blame for the rise in complaints. Councilwoman Sharon Kuhn-Hanchett said these businesses had been yielding to residents issues in the past.

Mayor Deneen Swartzwelder told the council to find a “happy medium” between business owners on South Braddock and their adjacent neighbors.

What do you think about a new club in town? Are the businesses on Braddock Ave. too rowdy? Tell us in the comments.