O’HARA NEWSLETTER Township of O’Hara—A Council Manager Community

Township Office: 412-782-1400

Spring Edition 2018

www.ohara.pa.us

Inside . . . Real Estate Tax Rebate Program .................... 2

Keystone’s Taxpayer Assistance .................... 2

Movies in the Park .......................................... 3

Funding Clean Water ...................................... 4

Seeds for Seniors ............................................ 5

Important Phone Numbers .............................. 5

Trash and Recycling Holidays ........................ 6

Community News ........................................... 7

Designations of Distinction Township of O’Hara Council is pleased to an-

nounce that the Township has received two Desig-

nations of Distinction.

The Township has been once again named a Ban-

ner Community by the Allegheny League of Mu-

nicipalities (ALOM). This indicates that O’Hara

Township implements the best practices in all as-

pects of their operations and that it is governed in

an inclusive, collaborative manner. O’Hara, along

with over 45 other municipalities in Allegheny

County have received this important designation.

The Township has also has been certified a Gold

Community through Sustainable Pennsylvania.

This municipal certification program aims to shine

a light on the pacesetters and brings more local

government leaders to the forefront of sustainable

community development. The program sets 131

policies and practices that they recommend that

municipalities have in place.

Please join us in congratulating Council and Staff

on a job well done.

Road Improvement Program

Bids will be received this spring for the milling

and resurfacing portion of the Township’s 2018

annual road improvement program. The Township

will again be bidding with neighboring communi-

ties which has helped to reduce costs in past years.

Roads scheduled for milling and resurfacing are:

Bentley Drive

Crofton Drive

Downing Drive

Harrow Road

Springhouse Lane

Wickford Drive

Alternates (if pricing allows):

Alpha Drive (portion only)

Cabin Lane

Epsilon Drive

Salem Circle

Sigma Drive

During construction season, residents should keep

in mind the following:

Obey posted speed limits and keep alert

for temporary barricades and equipment.

Do not remove signs, barricades, covers or

cones that may be in use in construction

areas.

When driving past workers or equipment,

follow the directions of traffic control per-

sonnel.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

2

Real Estate Tax Rebate Program

On December 12, 2017 O'Hara Township Council

adopted Ordinance No. 1333 establishing a real estate

tax rebate program for senior citizens.

If you are age 60 or older, have lived in the Township

for ten years or more, have an annual income of less

than $30,000 and your Township real estate taxes in-

creased in 2018, you may be eligible for a real estate

tax rebate. The rebate equals 25% of the increase in

2018 Township real estate taxes over 2017 Township

real estate taxes.

Forms are available at the Township office or on the

website at www.ohara.pa.us. For more information

call the Township at 412-782-1400.

Real Estate Tax Collection

Jordan Tax Service, Inc., the Township’s Real Estate

tax collector will have a representative available at the

Township office to accept Real Estate Tax payments

on Tuesday, April 24 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm and on

Friday, April 27 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Jordan’s phone number is 412-345-7962 and their ad-

dress is 102 Rahway Road, McMurray, PA 15317.

Yard Waste Collection

The Township’s trash collection contract provides

for curbside collection of yard waste on one

Wednesday each month from May - September.

The following Wednesdays are scheduled as col-

lection days for 2018 - May 23, June 20, July 18,

August 22 and September 19.

Residents must call 412-784-1784, ext 203 at least

ten (10) days pr ior to each scheduled date to

request collection. Anyone who fails to notify the

Township in time to be put on the list will not

qualify for collection that month.

Yard waste includes leaves in biodegradable bags,

garden residue, shrubbery trimmings, limbs, twigs,

brush, tree trimmings and similar material, but

NOT grass clippings. All tree trimmings and

limbs must be cut in lengths less than 48” and

limbs must be less than 3” in diameter. All mate-

rial must be securely bundled and each bundle

must weigh less than 40 lbs.

The Township continues to provide Spring and

Fall Brush Collection. For info check the Summer

Newsletter or our website at www.ohara.pa.us.

Keystone Collections Group’s Taxpayer Assistance

Tax Day for 2018 is Tuesday, April 17. All Federal, State and Local income taxes must be filed by midnight April

17, 2018. Keystone Collections Group has several ways to answer taxpayer questions and make filing easier.

Connect Direct - 1-866-539-1100 is Keystone’s phone line exclusively dedicated to taxpayer inquiries. Key-

stone’s Taxpayer Helpline will connect you directly to a professional Taxpayer Service Representative, reducing

wait times to bring you the fastest and most reliable answers to your local tax questions.

Online 24/7 - You can send inquiries online 24/7 to Keystone at: www.KeystoneCollects.com > “Contact Us”

e-file is the easy, fast and secure way to file your tax return. Go to: www.KeystoneCollects.com > “Pay/File”

You can file your tax return now and schedule your payment for later. Just make sure to schedule your payment on

or before Tax Day, April 17 to avoid the late-file statutory penalty, interest and costs that may apply.

Keystone Collections Group is a tax collector, not a tax preparer, and is not permitted to offer tax advice.

3

Movies in the Park

Everyone is invited to another

season of Movies in the Park

at Squaw Valley Park.

The free movies are held on Tuesday and

start at dusk, weather permitting. If neces-

sary, the rain date will be the following

Thursday.

June 12 - Despicable Me 3 (PG)

June 26 - Jumanji (PG-13)

July 10 - The Emjoi Movie (PG)

July 24 - The Santa Clause (PG)

August 7 - CoCo (PG)

August 21 - Justice League (PG-13)

Throwback Thursday Movie

The “Throwback Thursday” continues on

June 21. Celebrate the first day of Summer

at Squaw Valley Park with a special show-

ing of the original Pink Panther starring Pe-

ter Sellers, David Niven, Claudia Cardinale

and Robert Wagner.

**New** Date Night Movie

“Date Night” is a new addition to the Mov-

ies in the Park series. Come out and enjoy

the Academy Award winning movie La La

Land (PG-13) on Thursday, July 19.

Come and join the Fun!

Tree Planting Initiative

The Township of O’Hara is initiating a tree planting

program to encourage residents and businesses to re-

port the planting of trees on their property.

This will allow for more tree canopy cover in the

Township, helping to reduce stormwater runoff. This

also reduces stormwater pollution because trees take

up nutrients and pollutants through their root systems.

The Township will tabulate the number of trees plant-

ed within a 5-year period (starting in March 2018) to

determine how much sediment has been removed from

its stormwater using Pennsylvania DEP guidelines.

If you plant any trees during the next 5 years, please

take a picture and e-mail it along with your name and

address to ms4@ohara.pa.us to report your planting.

Recreational Fire Permit Required

This is a reminder to all residents who like to tell

ghost stories around and eat marshmallows roasted

over a camp fire. Remember to get your recreational

fire permit from the Township for 2018.

There is no fee associated with this permit. The form

is available under Documents and Forms on the Town-

ship website at www.ohara.pa.us or at the Township

office.

In Memorial

On Saturday, December 30, the Township of O’Hara

lost John “Jack” Claus. Jack had served on the Town-

ship Planning Commission with distinction since May

of 2005. He was a loving husband to Gloria and the

proud father of Lori and April. Jack served in the

United States Army. He cared deeply about the envi-

ronment and was an avid sportsman.

Please join Council and staff in extending sympathies

to the family of Jack Claus. The Township has lost a

true gentleman.

4

Funding the Clean Water Plan - a letter from Alcosan

One of the most difficult problems ALCOSAN faces is how to fund the Clean Water Plan.

Despite the requirements in federal and state laws to undertake the plan on behalf of our customers in 83 munici-

palities, there is little funding coming from governmental entities.

That means that the plan must be paid for by the people who use our services. Everyone who gets a bill with an

ALCOSAN charge must help rebuild and renew our system so that our rivers and streams no longer suffer from

overflows of stormwater mixed with sewage when it rains or the snow melts.

It’s up to you – and me, since I am an ALCOSAN customer, too.

ALCOSAN has worked very hard to make sure that rates are reasonable and cause as little burden as possible to

our customers. Our negotiations with the regulatory agencies, while still ongoing, have borne fruit in allowing us

to adopt a new four-year rate structure that is far less than we originally estimated.

Starting in January, the average residential customer who uses 12,000 gallons of water per quarter and whose bill

from ALCOSAN was $390 in 2017, will pay $419 in 2018. That is an increase of 7.5% which comes to $29.22

per year or $2.43 per month more. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, rates will increase 7% each year, with the cost to the

average customer being $513 per year or $42.75 per month by 2021.

ALCOSAN’s rate is computed two ways, the per-gallon rate and the customer service charge. The current rate of

$6.91 per 1,000 gallons of water used will rise to $7.42 per 1,000 gallons for 2018. The quarterly customer service

charge, $14.51 in 2017, will be $15.60 in 2018. You can reduce your overall bill by reducing how much water you

use.

ALCOSAN’s rates are only part of your bill. Our charges cover moving the wastewater from your municipality to

our plant, and for treating the sewage at our plant. Another part of your bill covers the municipality’s cost of tak-

ing the wastewater from your home and moving it through the municipal pipes to ours. The municipalities are also

under regulatory mandates and have to maintain and improve their sewers.

Last January, knowing that the costs of the Clean Water Plan would be increasing regularly, ALCOSAN devel-

oped the Clean Water Assistance Fund for low-income homeowners. This fund provides a $30 credit each quarter

($120 a year) to help low-income families and individuals reduce their wastewater treatment bills. Dollar Energy

handles the applications through a number of social service agencies throughout the region. Details of the applica-

tion process are available at https://www.dollarenergy.org/need-help/pennsylvania/alcosan/.

I hope that all low-income homeowners in the ALCOSAN territory apply for our Clean Water Assistance Fund

through Dollar Energy Fund, to receive the help they need in paying these new rates. But no matter your income,

know that you are part of fixing our system and giving the Pittsburgh region the world-class clean rivers and

streams that we all deserve.

Arletta Scott Williams, ALCOSAN Executive Director

5

Seeds for Seniors

Packets of flower and vegetable

seeds are now available for Town-

ship of O’Hara Senior Residents.

The seed packets can be picked up

at the Township Building between

8:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday

through Friday.

Seeds will be distributed on a first-come basis until the

supply is exhausted.

Attention Archery Hunters

Tryouts for the deer management program in O’Hara,

run in conjunction with Whitetail Management Asso-

ciates, will be held on Sunday, May 6 from 9:00 am to

1:00 pm at the Northside Sportsman’s Association in

Warrendale, PA.

If interested, you must call the Township Police De-

partment at 412-782-1403 for further information and

mandatory program requirements.

Important Phone Numbers

Animal Control Hoffman Kennels ........................... 724-468-5505

Community Center

Lauri Ann West Community Ctr ... 412-828-8566

Fire/EMS Departments (Non-Emergency)

Parkview EMS ............................... 412-449-1080

Parkview ........................................ 412-781-9728

Pleasant Valley .............................. 412-781-8108

Fox Chapel Area School District Fox Chapel High School ................ 412-963-9600

Dorseyville Middle School ............ 412-767-5343

Fairview Elementary ...................... 412-963-9315

Hartwood Elementary .................... 412-767-5396

Kerr Elementary............................. 412-781-4105

O’Hara Elementary ........................ 412-963-0333

Library Cooper-Siegel Community Library 412-828-9520

Magistrate Elissa Lang .................................... 412-784-8555

Tax Collection (Earned Income Tax) Keystone Collections Group. ......... 866-539-1100

Tax Collection (Real Estate Tax) Jordan Tax Service Inc. ................. 412-345-7962

Trash Collection Waste Management ....................... 800-458-4090

Utilities Comcast Cable ............................... 800-266-2278

Duquesne Light - Emergency ........ 888-393-7000

Verizon .......................................... 800-837-4966

Verizon Wireless ........................... 888-781-5510

Peoples’ Natural Gas ..................... 800-764-0111

Water Authorities Fox Chapel Authority .................... 412-963-0212

Hampton Shaler Water Authority .. 412-486-4867

PA Dept of Transportation .............. 412-429-5000

County, State and Federal Elected Officials Allegheny County Chief Executive

Rich Fitzgerald ............................ 412-350-6500

County Council

Anita Prizio - District 3 Rep ........ 412-350-6535

PA State Senator / PA State Representatives

Randy Vulakovich - Senator ........ 412-487-6600

Dom Costa - 21st Dist Rep ........... 412-361-2040

Harold A. English - 30th Dist Rep 412-487-6605

Anthony DeLuca - 32nd Dist Rep..412-793-2448

U.S. Senators / U.S. Representatives

Robert P. Casey, Jr. - Senator ...... 412-803-7370

Patrick J. Toomey - Senator ......... 412-803-3501

Keith Rothfus - Representative .... 412-837-1461

Volunteer Needed

The Township’s Planning Commission currently has a

vacancy. Meetings are held the third Monday of each

month at 7:00 pm.

Residents who are interested in the position should

submit a letter of interest and short resume to Town-

ship Council at 325 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, PA

15238 or e-mail JJakubec@ohara.pa.us by April 30,

2018.

Comments Encouraged

Township Manager, Julie Jakubec is again encourag-

ing residents to let her know their concerns and com-

ments. Please feel free to stop and see Julie at the

Township building, call her at 412-782-1400 or send

her an e-mail at JJakubec@ohara.pa.us.

6

Household Hazardous Waste

Residents will have an oppor-

tunity to safely dispose of

HHW products including al-

most any chemical product

used in the home.

The collection, held by the PA Resources Council will

take place on Saturday, May 5, from 9:00 am to 1:00

pm at the North Park Swimming Pool parking lot.

There is a cash only participant fee of $3 per gallon of

material being dropped off.

For more information call 412-488-7490, e-mail in-

fowest@prc.org or visit www.prc.org.

Hard to Recycle Collection

The Pennsylvania Resources Council will hold a

Hard to Recycle Collection at Pittsburgh Mills

Mall this Spring. The event will run from 9:00 am

to 1:00 pm on Saturday, May 12.

Acceptable items collected free of charge include:

CPUs (towers), laptops, keyboards, mice, home/

cell phones, tablets, PDAs, UPS units, servers,

routers, modems, computer speakers, web and dig-

ital cameras, hubs, external drives, VCRs, DVD

players, stereos, cable boxes, DVRs, paper shred-

ders, microwaves, copiers, fax machines, scanners,

zip drive, video game consoles, electronic cables,

compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), expanded

polystyrene packaging material

Fees will be charged for the following items:

Televisions, computer monitors, small household

appliances, printers, large stereo speakers, vacuum

cleaners, alkaline batteries, small freon containing

appliances, CDs, DVDs & floppy disks, tires, and

fluorescent, incandescent, halogen and neon light-

ing, projector bulbs

Hard Drive Data Destruction Verification is avail-

able - first drive is $11.50, each additional drive $3

For a complete list of acceptable items and any

associated fees, please visit www.prc.org.

Sewer Certification Required

Township Ordinance No.

1299 requires that a Sanitary

Sewer Certificate be obtained

prior to the sale or transfer of

property.

A Sanitary Sewer Certificate is issued after the Town-

ship and a registered plumber perform an inspection

verifying that no storm, ground or surface water is di-

rected into the sanitary sewer system.

Property owners arrange and pay for a registered

plumber to perform the test. The Township witnesses,

inspects and certifies the test at a cost of $100 for resi-

dential buildings and $200 - $400 for commercial

buildings based on square footage.

Once issued the Certificate is valid for one year from

the date of the initial inspection. It is advisable to

have the test done early in the sale process, since re-

pairs must be made prior to closing.

To review Ordinance No. 1299 or for more infor-

mation on the Sanitary Sewer Certification process,

visit our website www.ohara.pa.us/forms.asp or con-

tact the Township at 412-782-1400.

Holiday Collection Day

Memorial Day May 28 Friday, June 1

Independence Day July 4 Friday, July 6

Labor Day Sept. 3 Friday, Sept. 7

Thanksgiving Nov. 22 Friday, Nov. 23

Christmas Dec. 25 Friday, Dec. 28

7

Lauri Ann West Community Center

Celebrate Gardenfest - Celebrate all the fun of spring

at the Lauri Ann West Community Center’s Garden-

fest event on Saturday, May 12 from 9 am until 3 pm.

Featuring plant and flower sales from local garden

clubs, a market of local artists with handmade items for

sale, and family activities for kids of all ages, this event

will have everything you need to celebrate the new

growing season!

Plus, bring your garden tools (and kitchen utensils) to

have them professionally sharpened so that they are

ready for the summer ahead.

More information about Gardenfest and the vendors

can be found at www.lauriannwestcc.org. Feel free to

stop by 1220 Powers Run Road or call 412-828-8566.

Announcing Camp Lauri Ann West - Camp Lauri Ann

West is a full-day summer camp experience for kids

ages 5-12 and a half-day preschool camp for kids 3-5.

Featuring sports, arts, Maker Studio, STEAM Discov-

ery and outdoor time in the sunshine, there will be new

adventures each day.

Campers can be dropped off at the Center beginning at

8 am and picked up by 5 pm. The cost per week is just

$250 for members and $275 for non-members. Camp

will run the weeks of June 11 through August 13. Reg-

ister online at www.lauriannwestcc.org.

Cooper-Siegel Library Events Kids & Teens:

Story Times - Daily at 10:30 am

SAT Strategy Session - Wednesday, April 4 at 6 pm

Fuzzy Friends with Beechwood Farms - Sunday, April 22

at 2 pm

SAT Practice Exam - Saturday, April 28 at 9 am

Coding Club - Begins Thursday, May 3 at 5 pm

Remake Learning Day - Friday, May 18 at 6 pm

Summer Chess Lessons for Children - June 11-15

Adults:

Ladies Tea - Friday, March 30 at 2 pm

Discover Medicare - Wednesday, April 4 at 2 pm & 6 pm

Film Noir Series - Begins Wednesday, April 4 at 6:30 pm

The Immigrant Experience - Thursday, April 12 at 6:30 pm

Sunday Music - Appalasia - Sunday, April 15 at 2 pm

Penny Brill (Viola) of the Pittsburgh Symphony - Sunday,

May 6 at 2 pm

Watercolor Lessons (6) - begins Thursday, May 10 at 1 pm

For more information on these and other classes and events

go to www.cooper-siegelcommunitylibrary.org or call the

Library at 412-828-9520.

Squaw Run Garden Club Plant Sale

The Squaw Run Garden Club will hold its annual flower

sale on Saturday, May 5, at Squaw Valley Park, from 9 am

to 2 pm.

On sale will be a wonderful selection of annuals, perenni-

als, herbs, vegetables. Hanging baskets and planters will

be for sale as well as the always popular perennial plants

freshly dug from members’ gardens.

Proceeds from the sale benefit local projects such as the

Aspinwall Riverfront Park, Cooper-Siegel Community Li-

brary, Lauri Ann West Community Center and Camp

Guyasuta. Additionally, the Club provides educational

grants to local schools.

Mark your calendar so you won’t forget to come to Squaw

Valley Park on May 5, to browse the lovely selection of

plants, and to help support our community.

AAUW Presents Shakespeare

Join the Fox Chapel area affiliate of the American As-

sociation of University Women (AAUW) at a preview

of Pittsburgh’s Shakespeare in the Parks’ 14th season.

Jennifer Tober and an associate enliven the presenta-

tion by performing humorous passages from some of

Shakespeare’s works. Ms. Tober will share the story of

what inspired her to combine theater with nature and

how that vision grew into one of Pittsburgh’s tremen-

dous cultural resources. Find out what the upcoming

season has in store for lovers of the bard!

The presentation will held on Tuesday, April 10, at

10:00 am (coffee at 9:30 am) at the Fox Chapel Presby-

terian Church. The public is welcome to attend this

free AAUW sponsored presentation.

8

TOWNSHIP OF O’HARA

325 FOX CHAPEL ROAD

PITTSBURGH, PA 15238

(412) 782-1400

www.ohara.pa.us

PRSRT STD

US POSTAGE

PAID

PITTSBURGH, PA

Permit No. 2629

TOWNSHIP OF O’HARA

Township Council

Robert John Smith, At-Large, President Charles A. Vogel, Ward 1, Vice President

George H. Stewart, Ward 2 Scott Frankowski, Ward 3

Allison Garcia, Ward 4 Cassandra Eccles, Ward 5 John R. Denny, At-Large

Regular meeting: Second Tuesday of each month, 7:00 pm

Workshop meetings: First Tuesday of each month, 7:00 pm; Second Tuesday following Regular meeting

Planning Commission

Edward M. Crates, Chairperson

Charles F. Bleil Richard Citrin

Bruce W. Gay III Joseph M. Kelly

Joseph Zgurzynski Vacancy

Meetings: 3rd Monday, 7:00 pm

Zoning Hearing Board

Scott Duffy, Chairperson

Alvin A. Kinsel Richard Lockwood

Karl Kline, Alternate Barbara Simanek, Alternate

Lisa Steimer, Alternate

Meetings: 1st Monday, 7:00 pm

Parks and Recreation Commission

Mark Yon, Chairperson

S. Joseph Jablonski Mary E. Lasher

Mary Lee Mahon Shamus Petrucelli

Michael J. Veltri Vacancy

Meetings: 4th Wednesday, 7:00 pm

Civil Service Commission

David R. Schaffner, Jr., Chairperson

Judy Bossart Edward J. Joyce

Dianna Rizzo Robert R. Ward

Meetings: 2nd Monday, 6:00 pm

All meetings are held at the Municipal Building, 325 Fox Chapel Road and are open to the public.

All Township citizens are cordially invited to attend.