Nov 25, 2014 By Nick Lewandowski 3 min read

Mt. Lebanon will likely open its municipal golf course to archers as part of its deer management program, according to discussion at the Nov. 24 commission meeting. Other parks may also play host to bow hunters, including McNeilly and Robb Hollow.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission insists municipalities include ongoing hunting programs in their deer management plans.

Tom Kelley, public works director, said the upcoming archery season would run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 19. He said municipal staff were working on maps of areas that could be used for bow hunting. Ultimately the commission would have the final say as to where hunting would be permitted, however.

“I don’t like the idea of parks, period,” commissioner Dave Brumfield said. “I think it’s difficult to close most of these parks. I would want to limit this to the golf course and maybe McNeilly.”

According to Kelley and Mt. Lebanon’s deer consultant, Merlin Benner, the Game Commission’s permit process does not require the municipality to host hunters in every park listed on its permit application. Police chief Coleman McDonough also spoke at the meeting. He said local firefighters, police and public works employees could spearhead the hunting program in order to get it up and running quickly and safely.

Commissioners intend to have a deer management plan and completed permit application ready for the Game Commission to review by Dec. 9.

The commission also approved an $86,000 change order for its controversial artificial turf project. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection required the change as part of its NPDES permit process, in order to improve storm water management at the site.

Municipal manager Steve Feller explained that the bulk of the money needed to cover the change order, $80,000, had come from excess funds originally designated for a road improvement project on Bower Hill Road. “The Bower Hill project is under budget thanks to very competitive bids and is virtually complete,” Feller said, adding that there were no restrictions on the money because it had been earmarked for capital improvements.

Commissioner John Bendel clarified that local sports groups may contribute additional funds to offset the cost. He said one large donation in particular had been pledged but not collected, while several smaller but more tentative pledges also remained outstanding.

Originally, sports groups were to cover 25 percent of the turf project cost.

Commissioner Kelly Fraasch, who opposes the project, asked whether that had been set down in writing.

Solicitor Phil Weiss replied that there was no written agreement, and the 25 percent non-municipal funding target had not included project change orders.

Dave Brumfield defended that agreement. “There was no other way to do it,” he said, adding that it would have been difficult to obtain donations for a project that “might” happen.

Fraasch also asked Weiss to confirm that the funds transfer did not violate Mt. Lebanon’s administrative code.