Blawnox councilman steps down after moving to O'Hara

Blawnox Council has a vacancy.

Councilman John Simmons has stepped down after serving the past seven years. He and his wife, Ellie, moved to his hometown of O’Hara.

Simmons’ resignation was effective Feb. 29, and council was expected to accept it March 13.

Whoever is appointed to fill Simmons’ seat will serve for two years and will have to run for what will become a two-year seat next November.

Interested residents can send letters of interest and resumes to the borough office, 376 Freeport Road.

Solicitor Sam Dalfonso said council has 30 days from the acceptance of the resignation to appoint someone to fill the vacancy.

The next voting meeting after this month is April 10.

Simmons, 72, was appointed to council in March 2017 to fill an unexpired term.

Simmons was reelected in 2019 and last year.

The 1970 Fox Chapel Area High School graduate grew up in O’Hara. He served with the Blawnox Volunteer Fire Company for about 30 years.

Simmons married his high school sweetheart and they recently celebrated their 52nd anniversary.

Councilwoman Katie Coban said she is sad to see her friend and colleague leave town.

“Having him go away is gonna be hard,” she said March 6. “He had input in every committee we had. He’s the safety committee. He’s a council member. He’s a retired fireman. He brings a lot of information to the town and has a huge family from Blawnox all around the area. He really takes his time and dedicates a lot of his kindness to make the town a nice place because his family lives here.

Simmons served as council’s public safety committee chairman.

He said he is proud to have served and helped the community, and is most proud of the pedestrian upgrades set for this year.

The borough will receive illuminated crosswalk signs to be installed at four intersections along Freeport Road.

They include the intersection at North, McKinley and Cable avenues and Humbolt Street.

Simmons said Blawnox recently received PennDOT’s approval.

“Freeport (Road) is a busy road, and we’ve had people walk out in the crosswalk area and almost get hit by cars,” he said. “It is a state law (for motorists to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks), but you find very few people that stop when they see someone in the crosswalks.”

The estimated project of nearly $280,000 is being funded through a $405,000 state Local Share Account grant.

Blawnox used about $80,000 of that money within the past few months to purchase a new public works truck.

The remaining $45,000 in grant funds has been earmarked for sidewalks at Blawnox Community Park, from Sixth Street to the end near the railroad tracks.

Borough Manager Kathy Ulanowicz said they have reached out to companies to get estimates for the crosswalk signage.

The goal is to get the best prices through the state’s cooperative purchasing program, COSTARS, and have the signs installed within 90 days.

“It will make it safer for people to cross the street,” Ulanowicz said. “You’ll be able to hit a button and lights will flash. It will make it a lot safer to cross from one side of the street to the other and slow traffic down.”

Simmons pledged to remain active in the borough as much as possible. He remans involved in the centennial committee raising money for next year’s celebration.