Monroeville plans to hire new municipal manager

Retirement has arrived for Timothy Little, who attended his final council meeting as Monroeville’s municipal manager on Dec. 12.

Council voted unanimously to advertise an ordinance appointing his successor, Alexander Graziani, with a vote on his approval expected in January. The ordinance includes approval of a contract that establishes the manager’s term of employment, salary and benefits.

Little first joined the municipality in 2010, after serving as Baldwin Borough manager. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh, from which he earned his master of public administration degree.

“I have been privileged to work with a staff that has made Monroeville the best it has been during my tenure. They are dedicated, and we are lucky to have them,” he said in bidding adieu at the council meeting. “It has been an honor to serve in this position, and it’s been an honor to develop personal and professional friendships. Best of luck, and Godspeed to everybody.”

Graziani is the borough manager in Churchill, holding the position since July 2020. Prior to that, he was township secretary/manager in Penn Township and city manager in Latrobe.

He is the founding executive director of the nonprofit Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County, which assists communities in meeting the challenges associated with economic growth and revitalization.

In 2004, he was appointed by Gov. Ed Rendell to serve on the Pennsylvania State Planning Board, for which he is the current chairman. The board’s duties include studying demographic, economic and development trends, and preparing strategic plans to promote the welfare of the state.

Graziani previously served as president of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association. In 2012, he received the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence from Tom Corbett.

In other business at Monroeville Council’s Dec. 12 meeting:

• Council approved ordinances setting the real estate tax rate at 4 mills for 2024, which represents no increase, and adopting the municipal budget for next year.

The owner of a property valued at $110,600 — the municipal median, according to Allegheny County — will continue to pay $442.40.

Municipal expenditures in 2024 are projected to increase about 2.4% over the current year, according to the proposed budget released in October.

According to the accompanying budget message, premium payments for health care and benefits represent a major contributing factor, with outlays for municipal employees rising by 4% and for retirees, 23.7%, for 2024. Further boosting expenditures is the cost of pension obligations and life insurance for retired employees.

“The projections are for it to increase for the next six years before leveling off, and then begins to decrease as those employees who do not have this benefit begin to retire,” the budget message states, noting that the municipality pays for health care for 53 retirees, 149 active employees and 13 employees or retirees who opt out of benefits for a monetary incentive less than the premium.

• Mayor Nick Gresock announced winners and runners-up in the various categories for Monroeville Parks and Recreation’s 36th annual holiday light contest, judging for which took place Dec. 11.

The Through a Child’s Eyes Award went to the Funaro residence on Larix Road. Runner-up was the Caggiano residence, Aura Drive. For the Traditionally Elegant Award, the Daughenbaugh residence on Heritage Drive was the winner, and the Lucas residence on Old Suffolk Drive, runner-up.

Paying homage the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” the winner of the Clark Griswald Award was the Stanko residence on Center Road, and runner-up was the Heffelfinger residence on Tilbrook Drive. The Most Festive Award was given to the Burkholder residence on Ramsey Road. The Ondo residence on Cirbus Lane took runner-up honors.

Most Original Masterpiece awards went to the winning Reed residence on Blueberry Drive and the runner-up Shirer residence on Cyra Drive. And Cirbus Lane received an honorable mention for best-decorated street.