Plans for construction of a skate plaza in Bayne Park will go no further for now, as concerns about the rising cost, loss of green space and lack of proper procedure prompted Bellevue officials Tuesday to again delay a decision.

By LOIS THOMSON

Ben Avon Borough is seeking grant money to start the next phase of improvements on Avon Park.

Council president Lloyd Corder said at Tuesday's meeting that he wanted the borough to apply for a grant now because he did not believe funds will be available in the coming years. The money would be put to use to remove part of the tennis courts and put a surface on the rest that could have multiple purposes, i.e., for tennis, basketball, dek hockey.

Another half million dollars in grant funds are expected to be received in Bellevue this year, funding projects as diverse as public safety, recreation and economic development.

Anticipating the pending arrival of the borough’s new aerial firetruck, purchased in large part with $600,000 in FEMA funds, Fire Chief Glenn Pritchard told Bellevue Council Tuesday that the fire company also has received a $300,000 FEMA grant to purchase a new fire engine.

The new truck will replace Bellevue’s 1989 pumper, the chief said.

And that was only the start of the good news.

Bellevue will take its proposed 2011 budget down to the wire, with the major points of contention left unresolved despite extensive debate at a special meeting on Tuesday.

Council reached a consensus on only one of three sticking points, that of next year’s garbage fee increase. Major points that could sway a final vote on the budget on Dec. 28 are the sewer surcharge and a raise for the public works supervisor.

By LOIS THOMSON

Frustration was evident on both sides as members of Ben Avon Council and members of the Ben Avon Volunteer Fire Department discussed a possible consolidation of the Ben Avon and Emsworth fire departments at Tuesday's council meeting. Ben Avon firefighters told council that they are happy with the status quo, and see no need to consolidate or merge the departments.

Bellevue residents could find themselves subjected to street sweeping parking restrictions year 'round.

"I want this enforced," safety committee chairman David Gillingham Jr. said of the borough's 1981 ordinance that provides for the weekly parking prohibitions on particular streets to be in place all year, rather than just the April through November period that has been the practice for decades.

The final step that would have authorized a sewer surcharge increase for most property owners in Emsworth was put on hold on at council's regular meeting on March 10.

Council voted in January to change the rate structure of the surcharge, making it based purely on how much water is used, in an attempt to make the sewer system self-funding. That vote came after officials decided in December that instead of a rate change, reserve funds could be transferred.

Bellevue’s chances of approving a 2010 budget by the end of the year went up in smoke last Friday night when a scheduled public hearing never got off the ground.

Although five members of council were in the room at 6 p.m., when the budget hearing was supposed to start, two refused to participate because they said the borough administration had failed to comply with Bellevue’s home rule charter in terms of the pre-hearing mandated advertising.

Education funding urged A resolution approved by the Northgate School Board will be sent to the state legislature, urging representatives to maintain state funding for schools.

"They're talking about giving us less money than they did last year," said superintendent Dr. Reggie Bonfield at the school board's committee of the whole meeting on Monday. "Hopefully that won't happen."

Team elimination? Northgate could eliminate its ninth grade boys' basketball team in an effort to bolster the school's varsity program.

Settlement reached Emsworth officials have approved a settlement for payment of back taxes by the owner of a Grant Avenue property.

Council members went into executive session at their July 8 meeting to consult with solicitor Michael Marmo about the matter, which involved a bankruptcy and court action.

The borough will receive $6,400 as part of the settlement, Marmo said.

Liquor license Emsworth Council gave final approval July 8 to the transfer of an additional liquor license into the borough.

The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh has selected Avonworth High School teacher Jeff Boggess as one of 10 area teachers who will participate in a summer study tour of Brussels and Vienna, June 26 - July 10.

Council representative Christine Unger notified Boggess of his acceptance to the program in what she described as being “…a highly competitive process.” Boggess said that the application required two recommendations from Avonworth administrators, a resume and an essay.