Verona Council Notebook: Dec. 27 Meeting

Here's a roundup of items discussed at the Dec. 27 Verona Council meeting.

Business District

Michael Vento, the architecture and design chair for the Verona Business District Advisory Committee, said architects are working on a design for the revitalization of Allegheny River Boulevard.

to design an improvement plan for the borough's streetscape project. The borough received a $40,000 county grant to go toward the architecture and design of the project.

Vento said architects will be surveying business owners to get a feel for what they want to see in the new design.

The borough has applied for a $200,000 county Community Development Block Grant grant. The design will be needed for a chance to receive those funds.

"The next two or three months are critical," Vento said. "We need the design in place."

The committee meets at 4:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of every month at the . Vento urged council to have a presence at the meetings.

Vacant Board Seats

Verona Council is seeking interested Verona residents to fill the following three vacated seats on borough commissions.

Two positions on the Verona Zoning Hearing Board and one position on the Verona Planning Commission are available.

Interested candidates must submit letters of interest explaining their qualifications no later than Jan. 9 to Verona Borough Council, Attn: Sandy Drabicki-Bell, 736 East Railroad Ave., Verona, PA 15147.

For more information contact borough Manager Bonnie Conway at 412-828-8080.

Verizon FiOS

There seems to have been some confusion about Verizon FiOS offering services in Verona, according to officials.

Residents in the borough have been inquiring to Verizon about the service, only to be told that it's up to borough officials to allow it.

Borough solicitor Craig Alexander said that simply is not true. Alexander, who also covers Trafford Borough, said he encountered the same issue there.

Oakmont also seems to have had problems with miscommunication. On the Oakmont Borough website, it states, "Oakmont residents should be advised that the Borough does not yet have a contract with Verizon to provide FiOS in our town. We have been told repeatedly by Verizon officials that 'when they’re ready' they will send us a contract to sign for this service. The Borough of Oakmont is not responsible for our residents not being able to obtain FiOS from Verizon."

Mayor Dave Ricupero said offering the service to Verona residents would be a good thing for the borough, so it's not officials who are holding back, despite what people have been told.