Export has a lot of projects in the works for the spring and summer, thanks to the borough and the local historical society.
• The historical society has set a goal of completing the relocation of the borough’s war memorial by Memorial Day.
“We’ve had a fantastic donor response to our sponsorship campaign,” said society member and Councilwoman Melanie Litz. “The deadline has passed, but we’ll have opportunities in the future for folks to sponsor it and be recognized. And we are still accepting donations.”
The project has been funded without borough tax dollars, through donations.
In addition, the society is finalizing the transfer of nearby property where a replica of the borough’s former train station will be constructed.
• Pending approval by the Westmoreland County commissioners who officially disburse the funds, the borough’s federal Community Development Block Grant of $100,000 has been approved.
The money is slated for repairs to the hillside along Fillmore Avenue.
CDBG applications often include a requirement for income surveys from residents where street work takes place. Federal officials track the figures to determine the number of projects serving low- to moderate-income residents nationwide.
In 2018, the borough missed out on what is essentially free street-repair money, after several residents refused to fill out the income surveys. Only Calisti Street, one of six targeted for CDBG-funded repairs in 2018, met the 80% participation threshold for the surveys.
• Improvements continue at the Export Community Playground. On Tuesday night, council voted unanimously to remove two more dead trees from the playground’s borders at a cost of $1,000.
Council will also invite vendors to its May meeting to look at potential replacements for part of the playground’s fencing. A quote to replace the existing chain-link fence came in just over $21,000. A second quote, to replace it with a more stylized powder-coated aluminum fence, was around $22,000.
“For the small amount of additional money, I say we go for the nicer one,” Litz said.
Councilman John Nagoda also suggested looking into cast iron fencing.
“Let’s have them come in next month and bring samples of both, so we can look at what we’re going to be getting,” he said.
