The Job of a Borough Council Member or
"You May Be Right, I May be Crazy"
(Perspectives from first year Councilman Michael Warhold)

When I sat down to write this article, I decided that I wanted to utilize my interest in music to highlight several of the more prominent activities that I have encountered since my appointment.

"New Kid in Town"
When I considered my appointment to serve on the Castle Shannon Borough Council, I was comfortable that my 30 years plus experience working in the private sector would allow me to apply the same type of decision-making techniques that are made everyday in the private sector, to the needs of Castle Shannon. The first lesson I learned, however, is that there are major differences in how issues/problems are "framed" between the private sector and the public sector and the extent and complexity of municipal service provision.

"Why Can't We Be Friends"
Let me explain this notion further. At my first meeting, Borough Council was confronted with a proposal to rezone a section of vacant property on May St. Ext. for a proposed town house development.
As a life long resident of Castle Shannon, I witnessed and was immediately involved in this land use conflict pitting the concerns of the residents against how the development would affect the overall picture of the Borough.
During the multiple meetings that were held on this issue, I realized that I needed to become a student on road development, storm water retention planning, sanitary sewer planning, traffic flow analysis, zoning and a host of other issues concerning this project that many of us, as residents, take for granted.
Although this project has not yet been initiated, I am confident that the development will be completed in a manner consistent with all our building and land development regulations.

"Oh Black Water Keep on Rollin' "
My next area of education, one which is still underway, came in the form of the Administrative Consent Order (ACO). The Manager has elaborated on this issue in another section of the newsletter; however, it is safe to say that what goes on after the water goes down the drain impacts the community in a multitude of ways.

"Time is on My Side"
In still another matter, I have spent considerable time working with Council to get the Grove Rd. Bridge replaced as part of Penn Dot's planned Route 88 improvements. I drove to Harrisburg, on the worst day of winter, with the Mayor and Manger for a meeting with the Speaker of the House. I also met with Congressman Tim Murphy and have attended multiple meeting with various Penn Dot representatives.
I realize that replacing a large bridge would be a major undertaking but I was amazed in the amount of work that is involved with this small-scale replacement and still more amazed by the fact that according to our research, the bridge was originally proposed for replacement on the 1984 Bridge Bill. At this point in time, I am optimistic that positive movement generated by Council will lead to a successful project.

"Changes"
Most recently at our Council reorganization meeting, I was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Building and Grounds. In this capacity, I will be working directly with the Summer Recreation Program Director and will coordinate the Borough's involvement with the Memorial Day Parade and Light-Up Night. All three programs were extremely well attended last year and I am hopeful for similar attendance this season.

"Saturday in the Park"
This summer when you attend gatherings at Hamilton Park please take note of the modifications at the lower entrance to Hamilton Park (movement of the entrance gate).
Council believes that moving the gate will eliminate some of the confusion that has existed for vehicle loading and unloading at the Lower Pavilion area.

"Center Field"
Finally, I will work to continue Council's close and supportive relationship with the Castle Shannon Youth Association. Although the CSYA is not a municipal organization, Council strongly supports CSYA activities in a number of ways. One in particular is ball field maintenance which is performed by the borough's public works department.

"That's What Friends are For"
All of the above activities are made possible by the cooperative and supportive nature that members of Council extend to each other.

"Tell Me Something Good"
In 2006, Borough Council has a full plate of issues to tangle with.
These include
(1) continuing all aspects of ACO compliance;
(2) updating the Borough's Comprehensive Plan,
(3) studying the possible development of a multiple municipal transit development district with Dormont and Mt. Lebanon;
(4) looking for ways to efficiently expand the Public Works Department garage and
(5) evaluating the possible use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to assist development along the Port Authority Park and Ride Lot on Mt. Lebanon Blvd.

As I stated in the beginning of this article, the differences between the private sector and the public sector can sometimes appear confusing. I am confident that we as elected officials and our municipal staff bring the overall goal of providing efficient municipal services to our residents which is the same no matter from which perspective you approach it.