Delmont awards paving contract for work on Suncrest Drive

Delmont council members awarded a $74,000 contract for paving on Suncrest Drive this summer but opted not to include several additions, citing prohibitive costs for materials.

“The pricing this year is at an all-time high,” borough engineer Kevin Brett told council at its June 13 meeting. “Locally, they’re slowing production of oil, and there was a correction in the asphalt market last year. We have a lot of clients who are doing just the base bid and hanging onto some money for next year, when prices are likely to be better.”

That was the case in Delmont, where officials awarded only the base bid for paving to El Grande Industries of Donora.

“We’ve been putting off Suncrest for a while,” said Councilman Stan Cheyne. “We’ve done some patch work, but it needs paved.”

Council President Andy Shissler made his first-ever motion to award the paving contract. It passed unanimously.

Council also approved starting the paperwork for a $75,000 loan to temporarily cover the cost of the roads program by a 5-2 vote. Cheyne and Councilman Jeff Cunningham voted no.

Other business

• Council unanimously approved a bump in its solicitation permit fees, to $100 per week. Anyone seeking to solicit door-to-door in the borough must apply for the permit at the borough building, 77 Greensburg St.

• Police Chief T.J. Klobucar thanked the anonymous donor who has been leaving “goodies” outside the police department once a month.

“They’ve left us paper towels, snacks, things like that,” Klobucar. “Whoever’s doing it, it’s really nice and we appreciate it.”

• The Delmont Visionary Committee is hoping to have a draft of its boroughwide active transportation plan ready to present at council’s August meeting.

The grant-funded plan is meant to lay out a framework for improving pedestrian access throughout Delmont, for walkers, cyclists and those in wheelchairs.

• Public works crews will be doing line painting work on borough streets on Sunday morning, June 18.