Crafton council approves consent agenda; discusses sewer projects, $325,000 state walkability grant and trail feasibility study

Crafton Borough Council approved a consent agenda and received updates on several infrastructure and economic-development projects during its March meeting.

The council voted to approve the consent agenda, which included meeting minutes from Feb. 13, the Feb. 27 bill list and listed reports, pending bill-list approval by the borough president, manager and treasurer. The motion to approve was made by Mr. Hough and seconded by Mr. Rodello; the motion passed by voice vote.

Council members then heard engineer and manager reports covering sewer projects and other capital work. Borough engineer Larry Keenan said the Broadhead sewer project has received the EPA’s sign-off for bids and that the borough can proceed to advertise the work. Keenan also said the C20 sewer separation project was awarded at a prior meeting and that a notice to proceed lists an expected contractor start date of March 17.

On the new public works maintenance building, Keenan addressed a question from resident Greg Wozniak about the recently completed lateral work. “This is for the maintenance building and the maintenance building alone. It’s sized for the existing staff that will be transferred from the current building over to the new building and nothing more,” Keenan said, specifying that the lateral ties into the existing line and is expected to carry the same flow as before.

Manager Jim Price announced the borough won a $325,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for downtown walkability improvements. Price said the borough’s original application identified roughly $3,000,000 in potential improvements and that the $325,000 award equates to about 10% of that total. “Ten percent is a lot better than zero percent,” Price said. He said the grant funds must be used for physical streetscape work rather than for planning documents and that council will be asked later how it wants to build consensus on specific projects.

Price also reported that the Trail Study Committee completed an exploratory field review of two candidate routes, Bakers Acres Trail and Creekside Trail, and that the borough has issued an RFP for a planning firm to perform a feasibility study. Responses are due March 7, and a six-member subcommittee will begin reviewing proposals on March 10.

Other engineering updates included follow-ups on Ewing Road (an infrastructure committee review and a Gateway alternatives memo expected next week), completion of the public stairs project (with county reimbursement received), and progress on surveying Linwood and Noble parks. Keenan said the sewer O&M repairs program was out for advertisement with bids closing that day and noted that this year’s program will be delivered as three separate contracts: open excavation, manhole-to-manhole, and spot lining. He reported preliminary options for a failed retaining wall on Station Street with three alternatives and quoted cost estimates “between $1.57 k and $1.92 k” in the meeting record, noting the item will be discussed further at the next infrastructure committee meeting.

During public comment, resident Greg Wozniak asked for specifics about the maintenance building’s lateral capacity and future occupancy; Keenan’s explanation responded to that question. Another resident, Cody, asked why the borough had invited non‑Crafton shopping-center tenants on the business development committee. A staff member responding during public comment said including some tenants outside Crafton was recommended to leverage market knowledge and to build consensus across the shopping center’s landlords and tenants.

Council standing committees reported routine items: the finance committee reviewed January budget-to-actuals and noted general funds and road funds trending slightly under monthly targets; the infrastructure committee confirmed energy-audit funding from the Pennsylvania DEP and said a larger federal grant application that included Crafton for electric vehicle chargers remains on hold; and planning commission and recreation updates announced upcoming public engagement and community events.

The meeting concluded after public comment with no additional formal votes recorded during the session.

The council listed its next regular meeting for Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m.