By Kate Wilcox

Published: Friday, January 18, 2013, 12:21 a.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Springdale Township commissioners revived the municipality's road crew, hiring a new public works employee at Thursday night's meeting.

Rudolph Shondeck will start work shortly at the township with a $39,000 salary.

He was chosen from a pool of 43 applicants, according to township officials.

Springdale Township's former public works employee, Mike Shock, resigned in early December.

At the time, Shock said he was pushed out of his job. Township commissioners said that they would not recognize Shock's union affiliation after his labor contract expired at the end of last year.

Under state labor laws, the township has the option of whether to recognize the union affiliation of a one-man bargaining unit. Shock resigned when the township refused to negotiate a new labor contract.

That left the township without a road crew for several months. During that time, township officials handled salting the roads and other projects with temporary help.

Shondeck is the only public works employee for the township, but the commissioners said they would consider another hire if it is necessary.

Township officials decided to trim their public works department from two to one full-time worker in 2010, when they opted not to replace Phil Hans, now a township commissioner, when he retired after 30 years.

Park use OK'd

The commissioners received a request from Springdale Baseball Softball Association for use of William Street Park.

The baseball and softball association has expanded to include 11- and 12-year-old players, in addition to 9- and 10-year-old players and girls softball. The league has asked for use of William Street Park from March through the end of October in 2013.

The commissioners agreed to allow the association to use the park, contingent on a maintenance agreement.

The Springdale Baseball and Softball Association agreed to work its schedule around that of Lower Valley Little League, which also uses the park.

The association will have to add the township to its liability insurance policy.

Kate Wilcox is a freelance writer for Trib Total Media.

1. Mix-up at poll could impact Freeport Area School Board race
2. 3 arrested in break-in at Allegheny Ludlum plant
3. Harrison commissioners considering paving bids
4. PIAA board delays vote on Leechburg switch
5. Couple charged with Tuesday’s bank robbery in Harrison
6. Alle-Kiski Valley pools gear up for summer crowds
7. Cops seeking Harrison bank robber
8. NK-Arnold OKs proposed tax hike
9. Harrison’s Heights Plaza Shopping Center looking to bounce back
10. Plum assault suspect back in jail
11. Tornado’s lessons not lost on Alle-Kiski Valley schools

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.