Sep 26, 2014 By Terry Kish 2 min read

The safety of a house on Noblestown Road in East Carnegie dominated discussion at the Scott Township Commissioners’ Sept. 23 regular meeting.

Code enforcement officer Bob Fischer told the board that the chimney on the house at 433 Noblestown Road is deteriorated to the point that bricks are falling off. In addition to the risk to people in the area, since the properties are close together, adjacent homes could be damaged by falling bricks.

Fischer said utilities to the home have been turned off and he has concerns about how the two people living there are going to heat the house during the winter. Fischer told the board the whole block could be lost if there was a fire at the home.

Fischer said social workers are meeting with the residents of the home. In addition, the county had been contacted about the situation, and efforts are underway to try to get the utilities restored. Local nonprofit groups have been contacted to try to get the house fixed up. Fischer said if the utilities are restored, fixing the chimney will be a priority.

If the home cannot be satisfactorily repaired, Fischer asked the board to approve funds to board the house and tear down the chimney.

In a unanimous vote, the board approved spending up to $1,500 boarding the house and tearing down the chimney in the event the house cannot be repaired.

Board president David Jason commented, “This money is only to be used if the county can’t remedy the situation.”

In other business, the board approved advertisement of its 2015 budget meetings. Meetings are scheduled for Oct. 16 (revenues), Oct. 29 (departments/expenditures), Nov. 10 (departments/expenditures), and Nov. 19 (markdown). All meetings will begin at 7 p.m.