By Rachel Basinger

Published: Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 9:48 a.m.
Updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013

All garbage collection in Scottdale Borough will now be curbside pickup only.

Council passed a motion to change the policy Monday night. Damage to the borough's alleyways was cited.

Borough Manager Angelo Pallone said the alleys are completely ruined from heavy garbage trucks driving up and down them for collection. He added that the alleys are in such bad shape, that they can't even be paved. If they are fixed, it will have to be a total reconstruction, he said.

Councilwoman Alesia Chiaramonte, a member of the public services committee, said she understands people will probably not like it, but there's nothing they can do.

Council members June Ostrosky and Donald Stansak were the only ones to vote against the motion.

Ostrosky was concerned with how the trucks would be able to pick up garbage on narrow or dead-end streets. She also thought this would ruin the borough's roadways.

Mayor Chuck King had concerns about garbage sitting along borough streets, and if, for some reason, the garbage company misses a pickup on any particular week.

Council President Andy Pinskey said they could debate the issue all night, but the motion needed a vote.

Afterwards, another motion passed to revisit the decision in three months when the borough's current garbage contract is up. Members want to see if the new pickup plan is working.

In other business:

• Pallone received approval to advertise for bids for renovations to the ballfields in Loucks and Kendi parks.

Pallone said the renovations would include nail-raking the infields to get rid of the crab grass and laser-leveling the ball field at Loucks Park to ensure that water runoff along the third-base line does not continue to wash out and create holes in the infield.

He added that he would like to see a bid awarded by March's meeting so the work can be done by April, in time for spring sports.

• Councilman Bud Santimyer asked the police department to enforce the “no-parking” ordinance in the downtown business district during street sweeping times, which are from 6 to 8 a.m. Mondays and Fridays.

• Motions were approved to make a few repairs on the recycling building and borough building.

• The tax collector salary for 2014-2017 will remain at $13,500. Council agreed to reimburse the tax collector $122.80 for office supplies.

• Council agreed to advertise for bids for the borough's grass-cutting contract.

Rachel Basinger is a freelance writer.

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