Hi, Neighbors. We had an Aleppo Legislative Meeting before the holidays and I wanted to tell you what happened.
It was a long one, with lots of year-end business covered. If you want to watch the meeting from the beginning, click here. Otherwise, feel free to click the links below to jump to the portions of the meeting that are of particular interest to you.
Before we get started, allow me to share two opinions. I usually try to make these digests facts only, without editorialization. But there are two topics that warrant more emphasis.
First–as you’ll see below–part of December’s meeting was approving an on-time, balanced budget that does not include a tax increase. That development is one that all of us who live in Aleppo should celebrate. We remain the municipality with the second-lowest taxes in the Quaker Valley School District and we enjoy high-quality township services. We’ve all seen first-hand from our state and federal governments that on-time, balanced budgets cannot be taken for granted, and I’m proud that here in Aleppo, we consistently meet this standard. I hope you’re happy about that, too!
Second, during the December meeting, I presented a year-end review of the township’s status. I discussed our accomplishments in 2018, where I think Aleppo is strong, and where I think our weaknesses lie. While it is more than just a few minutes long (it is closer to 20 minutes), it is my effort to tell my neighbors the most important facts about their township’s health as we transition from one year to the next. Many residents will not be interested in this much detail, but if you want my unvarnished view of what’s going on in Aleppo, I only take this time out of our meetings once per year and I encourage you to give it a watch. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.)
OK … off my soapbox. Here’s what happened at the December meeting:
- We held a zoning hearing to rule on the application of Northway Christian Church to occupy and operate out of the old printing press building on Deer Run Road that was previously owned by Vesuvius. We will be voting on this application at our January Legislative Meeting, so please let us know if you have any thoughts on the matter. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PlanningZoning #NorthWayChristianCommunity #DeerRunRoad
- Our Police Chief told us about police activity in the township. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Police
- We heard about what our Public Works crews have been doing. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PublicWorks
- I read emails to the board from residents about the storm grate at the bottom of River Road and truck parking in a lot on Deer Run Road. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #RedgateRoad #Stormwater #DeerRunRoad
- Our treasurer told us how much money we have collected in taxes and how much money we have in the bank. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxCollector
- We voted (4-0) to exonerate two real estate taxpayers. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxExonerations
- We voted (4-0) to adopt our 2019 Real Estate Tax Rate Ordinance, which–once again–includes no tax increase for 2019. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxRate #Ordinance
- We voted (4-0) to adopt our 2019 Budget Ordinance, which includes an on-time, balanced budget. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Budget #Ordinance
- We voted (4-0) to adopt our 2019 Water Rate Ordinance. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #AleppoTownshipAuthority #Ordinance
- We voted (4-0) to accept a proposal to revise the township’s sewage disposal plan with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Sewage #DEP
- We voted (4-0) to appoint Dan Darragh to the Aleppo Township Water Authority Board to fill the term of a board member who resigned. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #AleppoTownshipAuthorityBoard
- Our solicitor updated us about the status of a potential plan to sell our interest in a lot near Weber Road (Lot 422-G-351). (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #WeberRoad
- I laid out the first draft of our goals for 2019. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting and click here to see the list of potential goals.) #Goals
- We heard from one of our residents about deer control and lyme disease, sewage and water rates, and commissioner service on the Authority board. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Deer #Sewage #AleppoTownshipAuthority #AleppoTownshipAuthorityBoard
Our next meeting will be on Monday, January 14, 2019 at 7:00 PM. If any of these issues are important to you, please feel free to join us. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, please feel free to share your thoughts with me by email and I will be sure to convey your feelings to the other commissioners.
As always, thanks for making Aleppo a great place to live. 2018 was a great year for our and the best is yet to come, so stay tuned for another great year in 2019.
Best wishes,
Matthew Doebler
Aleppo Township Commissioner
Hi, Neighbors. We had an Aleppo Legislative Meeting on Monday, October 15, 2018 and I wanted to tell you what happened.
Before I get into the meat of the digest, let me say that this was our first meeting with our new streaming and recording equipment. We’re still figuring out all the bells-and-whistles, but we hope you’ll see an immediate improvement in the quality of the picture and sound. Let me know if you have thoughts!
If you want to watch the meeting from the beginning, click here. Otherwise, feel free to click the links below to jump to the portions of the meeting that are of particular interest to you.
OK, Here’s what happened:
- We heard a presentation from an expert in park design about the possibility of making a park out of a piece of land owned by the township on Ingleside Drive. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Park #InglesideDrive
- Our police chief told us about his department’s activities in the last month, including details about several thefts from cars in the Sewickley Heights Manor. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Police #SewickleyHeightsManor
- We also re-introduced the “Police Blotter”, a weekly update about police activity in Aleppo. The Police Blotter is always available on the township’s website, so you can check in to see what’s been happening between Legislative Meetings. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting and click here to see the Police Blotter.) #Police
- Our Township Manager told us what the Public Works crew spent the month working on. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PublicWorks
- We heard a brief update about a wrestling facility that is working its way through the planning and zoning process. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PlanningZoning
- We heard how much money the township has collected in taxes and how much money we have in the bank. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxCollector
- We got an update about the budgeting process at the Quaker Valley Council of Governments (dues for 2019 remain unchanged) and its Project Ideation team. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #QuakerValleyCOG
- Our solicitor updated us about the status of the legal threat made against us concerning our Aleppo’s permitted hours for solicitation. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Solicitor
- We voted (5-0) to permanently move the March Aleppo Legislative meeting from Monday to the 3rd Tuesday of March every year. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Meetings
- We voted (5-0) to adopt the Pension Plan Joinder Agreement Ordinance. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PensionPlanOrdinance
- We discussed several topics identified at the Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania Association of Township Commissioners’ fall conference, including landslide areas, the township’s liability in the event of a critical incident with the Ohio Township Police Department, and our cyberliability insurance policy. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #SevenSprings
- During Citizen Participation, residents discussed the possibility of Aleppo agreeing to sell its interest in a piece of property near Leetwood Avenue that is jointly owned by the township, the school district, and the county. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #CitizenParticipation #LeetwoodAvenue
Our next Workshop meeting will be on Monday, November 12, 2018 at 7:00 PM. PLEASE NOTE: Our November Workshop meeting will be held at the Aleppo Township Volunteer Fire Hall. If any of these issues are important to you, please feel free to join us. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, please feel free to share your thoughts with me by email and I will be sure to convey your feelings to the other commissioners.
As always, thanks for making Aleppo a great place to live.
Best wishes,
Matthew Doebler
Aleppo Township Commissioner
Hi, Neighbors. We had an Aleppo Legislative Meeting last week and I wanted to tell you what happened.
If you want to watch the meeting from the beginning, click here. Otherwise, feel free to click the links below to jump to the portions of the meeting that are of particular interest to you.
Here’s what happened:
- We continued and concluded Masonic Village’s Conditional Use Hearing concerning its plans to build additional villas. The hearing culminated in a trio of motions, all of which we voted (5-0) to approve. All of the motions required Masonic Village to comply with written conditions. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting and click here to read the conditions.) #MasonicVillage #Villas #ConditionalUseHearing
- Our Township Auditor presented a draft of the 2017 Audit Report. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting. #Audit
- Our police chief told us about police activity in the township, including a resurgence of the popular “Grandmother Scam”, which he suggested everyone know how to recognize. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting and click here to review our video about Fraud Schemes Commonly Seen in Aleppo–look for the “Family Member in Distress” portion. The police report also referenced the rules for door-to-door solicitation in Aleppo … click here to review our video on Solicitation Awareness.) #Police #Soliciting #Ordinance
- Our Township Manager told what our public works crews have been up to for the past month. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PublicWorks
- Our Township Engineer updated us on the progress of the summer’s road paving projects, including the hope that the paving of Sewickley Heights Drive in The Manor would take place sometime in mid-July and would last for about a week to 10 days. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Paving #SewickleyHeightsDrive
- I read several emails from residents, including a note in support of renewing our contract with the Ohio Township Police Department and one expressing concern about the possibility of an Amazon facility moving into the old FedEx building. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Communications
- Our Treasurer told us how much money we have collected in taxes and how much we have in the bank. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxCollector
- We voted (5-0) to exonerate 3 real estate taxpayers. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #TaxExonerations
- I reminded residents that the Quaker Valley Council of Governments will hold a recycling event on 30 June 2018 at the Quaker Valley High School. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting and click here for a flier with more details on the recycling event.) #QuakerValleyCOG #Recycling
- However, I also reminded residents that many of the items being collected at the COG recycling event can also be picked up for free at your door under our existing contract with Waste Management. (Click here for information about curbside collection of special materials through the AtYourDoor program.) We pay for this program, so you should use it! #WasteManagement
- I read an email from the Executive Director of the QVCOG about Sewickley’s intention to leave the COG at the end of the year. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #QuakerValleyCOG
- We voted (5-0) to ratify the sale of the old dump truck bed to John Fulmer for $1,750.00 through Municibid with the proceeds to be deposited into the Truck Fund. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PublicWorks
- We voted (5-0) to renew our contract with Ohio Township for police services. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Police
- We voted (5-0) to adopt the amendment to the Ordinance Regulating Junk Yards and Storage Lots. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Ordinance
- We voted (5-0) to approve the Perciavalle-Chandler Lot Line Revision Plan. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #PlanningZoning
- We discussed a draft of a Street Opening Ordinance and agreed to discuss this matter further at additional meetings. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Ordinance
- We talked about fracking ordinances and–again–agreed to discuss this matter further at additional meetings. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #Fracking
- During Citizen Participation, a resident further discussed the possibility of an Amazon facility moving into the old FedEx building. (Click here to watch this portion of the meeting.) #CitizenParticipation #Amazon
Our next Workshop meeting will be on Monday, July 9, 2018 at 7:00 PM. If any of these issues are important to you, please feel free to join us. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, please feel free to share your thoughts with me by email and I will be sure to convey your feelings to the other commissioners.
As always, thanks for making Aleppo a great place to live.
Best wishes,
Matthew Doebler
Aleppo Township Commissioner
