Residents praise neighbors, criticize borough communication after severe windstorm

Residents and councilmembers used the hearing of citizens to describe widespread damage, thank neighbors and volunteers, and press the borough for clearer emergency planning and communication after a straight‑line windstorm that caused outages and tree damage.

In a detailed statement, resident Sam Selesbeck applauded volunteer relief efforts and called for better official communication, urging council to “be advocating for a dedicated part‑time borough communications manager to rectify our communication shortcomings.” Several other residents echoed that call and praised neighbors and local businesses for on‑the‑ground aid.

Mayor Schenck and Councilmember Dave Ray acknowledged the storm’s severity and the borough’s shortcomings. Ray called the event a derecho‑style windstorm and said, “this just wasn't a strong thunderstorm. It was one of the worst weather events Green Tree has faced in over 25 years.” He described community relief efforts including a community meal and distribution of donated food and said public safety, fire and public works staff responded quickly. Ray reported Duquesne Light showed roughly 50 customers still without service as of the afternoon of the meeting and said full restoration was expected the next day.

Residents recounted specifics: volunteers coordinated and delivered generators, local businesses donated food (Mario’s Pizza owner Tyler Dersham cooked and donated meals), and neighborhood picnics and block‑level aid helped households without power. Several speakers criticized perceived delays or lack of proactive borough outreach immediately after the storm: the borough building was closed and some residents said they expected municipal staff or elected officials to have staffed an information table or charging station earlier.

Council response and next steps: Councilmembers acknowledged communication failures and pledged immediate follow up. Councilmembers said they will update and post the borough’s emergency‑management plan, convene public‑safety and communications committees to review what happened, and develop an after‑action memo with specific steps such as: ensuring emergency contacts are reachable by phone and text (not only email), clarifying whether borough generators and fire‑hall backup can be used as community charging centers, improving app and website outreach, and listing residents with special needs who may require proactive welfare checks during outages.

Formal council action that evening included tabling a separate parking fee resolution (Resolution 13‑68) until committees can further review revenue and other priorities; that motion was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. The council also scheduled a community information session on a separate traffic‑interchange planning item and flagged communication improvements as a near‑term priority.

What residents can expect next: Council chairs said they will post the emergency plan, schedule a public safety/communications review session, and work with the library and volunteer groups to run training on the borough’s GreenTree Connect app so more residents can receive alerts. Officials also encouraged residents to sign up for existing alert channels and to contact the borough office if they still lack power or need assistance.