South Fayette approves property sale to hospital
Commissioners in South Fayette Township unanimously approved the sale of 2.6 acres of property to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC Aug. 21. Earlier this summer, UPMC purchased the land adjacent to the former Star City theater building for $1.65 million. The adopted resolution assures that the township is in compliance with the tax code.
In 2009, the township used bond issue money to purchase the Star City property for more than $5 million. Of the $1.65 million UPMC paid for the property, $647,539 can be attributed to that 2009 bond issue.
According to Wayne Gerhold, bond council for the township, South Fayette can use the money as it pleases. The township has several options for how to use the money such as putting it in the general fund, the capital improvement fund or placing it into a fund to help pay the debt service on the 2009 bond issue, which is about $550,000 a year. Gerhold said that the township owes about $7.2 million on the bond issue.
After the vote to ratify the sale, resident Stacy Kosky asked commissioner, “What does that mean?”
“The resolution doesn’t dictate how the money has to be spent,” said township manager Ryan Eggleston.
Commissioner Joe Horowitz said options for how the money will be spent will be discussed at future public meetings.
Other business:
• Bob Fryer asked commissioners during the public comment portion of the meeting if the township is planning to widen an area of Washington Pike to help alleviate traffic coming from Bridgeville. The local business owner said a 400-yard portion of the road is in desperate need of widening especially with the addition of new retail developments in the township.
Fryer said PennDOT’s plan right now is to add one lane, which would be an exclusive right-turn lane to I-79, to the bridge that connects Bridgeville with South Fayette.
• Commissioners voted to demolish two houses in the township. The houses are located on Dutch Hill and Morgan Hollow Roads, and according to Eggleston are in disrepair. A.W. McNabb, which was the low bidder at $10,800, was awarded the project to demolish both properties.
• Commissioners also adopted a schedule for the preparation of the township’s 2014 budget.
All of the township’s department heads must submit completed budget worksheets by mid-September. Eggleston will then meet with them to discuss their budgets. By Oct. 30, a draft budget will be submitted to commissioners.
• Workshop and voting meetings will be moved up a week from their normal dates in November and December. At the Nov. 6 workshop meeting, Eggleston will review the general and capital fund budgets. A public hearing will be held prior to the Nov. 13 voting meeting after which the board will consider approval of the draft budget. Further discussion will be held Dec. 4. Final adoption of the budget will occur Dec. 11.
• Commissioners approved a $29,000 change order for its paving project. The money will go toward repairs on Hickory Heights Drive including full-depth reclamation on the cul-de-sacs. Paving was expected to begin the week of Aug. 26 and be completed by Aug. 30.