Residents press council on sidewalk replacements, and staff say grant money will cover only damaged pads

Residents pressed Craftton Borough Council about discrepancies between earlier agendas that promised full sidewalk and curb replacement and the work now underway, asking who decides which concrete pads will be replaced and what happens to grant funds that go unused.

"Who’s going to make that decision that they don't need to be replaced? ...what happens with the grant money that they don't use?" asked Karen Tomche, a Park Street resident, during the public‑comment period.

A borough staff member, identified in the meeting as Jim (staff), told the council the project was always intended to replace "sidewalk pads that were damaged or in some way need of repair" and that curbs are being replaced generally. "We did talk about that in council meetings earlier... we should have been more clear that it was only going to be sidewalk pads that were damaged," he said, and apologized for the communication lapse.

Staff described the procurement as a unit‑price contract: the borough pays for the quantities actually installed and seeks reimbursement from grantors afterward. "We don't get the grant money ahead of time. We have to pay for it upfront and then we get the grant money back," Jim said, adding that final calculations will determine whether every eligible cost is covered.

Residents and council members also asked about a recent change to the Belvadier and Broadhead intersection, which some said feels tighter for vehicles. Scott Baker, representing the borough’s engineering team, said the redesign reduces a five‑leg crossing into defined approaches to improve sight lines, shorten pedestrian crossings and meet ADA accessibility standards. "It dramatically improves ... if you're less abled than other people. It makes it much easier," Baker said, noting that the work was intended to raise pedestrian safety and allow emergency vehicles and school buses to navigate the corner.

Council members said decisions about replacing intact sidewalk pads were made to avoid unnecessary expenditure where new pads exist or where homeowners had recently replaced sidewalks. Baker and staff pointed to several examples—gas‑line repairs and homeowner‑replaced sidewalks—where replacing recently installed pads would be illogical.

What happens with any leftover grant money will be reconciled after the project is complete, staff said; because the borough pays and then seeks reimbursement, the exact final grant coverage will be known only after final invoicing and accounting.

Next steps: staff said they will provide contract and project scope details and that residents who want further documentation can request to see the bid scope and change orders. Council members asked that construction schedules and no‑parking notices be posted to keep residents informed.