Politics
Gibbons Opens Campaign Office in Ellwood City: Announces Open House this Thursday, August 4th
State Representative Jaret Gibbons is pleased to announce the opening of his re-election campaign headquarters in Ellwood City. The campaign office is located at 317 Seventh Street and the telephone number is 724-824-1138. Gibbons will hold an Open House to officially open the campaign office this Thursday, Aug. 4 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Anyone interested in talking with Rep. Gibbons or learning more about his campaign is encouraged to stop by the campaign office. “With critical issues facing our community, I want to ensure that all voters have an opportunity to have any…
Electric Meeting Set for Monday
A town hall on the Ellwood Borough Electric Department will be held on Monday, Aug. 1 at 6 p.m. in the borough auditorium. An official from American Municipal Power (AMP) will be present. The electric department has been subject of citizen criticism after bills dramatically increased in July, bringing to the forefront concerns over customer service, billing and the necessity of the department itself. Over 50 visitors attended council’s agenda meeting on July 11 and over 100 at the regular meeting on July 18. A Facebook group titled “Standing Up to Ellwood Electric” has over 1,100 members. Previous articles on…
Midland MA Receives $7.6 Million in State Financing
A major water project to eliminate a costly burden on Midland Borough water customers will receive $7,556,690 in state funding, according to Senator Elder Vogel (R-47). The Municipal Authority of the Borough of Midland was awarded a $4,050,800 grant and a $3,549,200 low-interest loan to construct its own raw water intake system to eliminate the need to purchase it from Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI). “I was pleased to work with my colleague Representative Jim Marshall in support of this financing. The current situation is unmanageable.” “That makes this PENNVEST financing essential for Midland,” Senator Vogel continued. “The Municipal Authority and…
Residents, Council Set Up Town Hall to Further Discuss Electric Department
“Many of you are here because you want to have freedom of choice,” borough solicitor Ed Leymarie told a crowd of over 100 visitors at Monday’s council meeting. “But the Pennsylvania government took away that choice.” Leymarie was referring to a state law allowing municipalities with government electric departments to require residents to purchase power from them. Monday’s crowd stemmed from a Facebook group, “Standing Up to Ellwood Electric,” with over 1,000 members. At the agenda meeting on July 11, over 50 residents showed up to protest electric rates and customer service policies at the Ellwood Electric Department. This in…
Zoning and Pandering: Council Approves New Zoning Ordinance
Following a length visitor portion concerning the Ellwood Electric Department, the Ellwood City Borough Council proceeded with Monday’s agenda. On that agenda was an amendment to the zoning ordinance dividing the business district into four sections. Council passed the new zoning in a 6-1 vote. At a public hearing on June 27, several business owners and realtors opposed the zoning ordinance. The passed ordinance was created by council over a several year period in conjunction with Town Center Associates, a downtown consulting agency. The vote was not without discussion. Council member Judi Dici, who took office in January, was not…
Borough Council July Meeting Brief
The following is a brief summary of the July council meeting brief: Visitors Over 100 visitors attended the meeting seeking a dialogue with borough officials regarding the electric bill. Visitor Rob Brough requested a town hall meeting so the borough can fully explain the Ellwood Electric Department as well as take steps toward solutions regarding customer service and high electric bills. Council President Connie MacDonald set a date of Monday, Aug. 1. This was a continuation of last Monday’s meeting where over 50 residents attended. Awards/Recognitions Council commended the Ellwood City girls softball team for winning their Class AA section,…
Council, Residents Divided Over Electric Department
Last Monday’s council meeting highlighted a number of potential issues in the Ellwood City Borough Electric Department, namely customer service concerns and the advantages of private utilities over a municipal-owned utility service. As explained in a previous article, Ellwood City Borough has its own Electric Department, which belongs to a consortium of municipalities called American Municipal Power (AMP). The borough uses a consulting group, Utility Engineers, for its purchasing agreements, and in 2015 entered a five-year contract with an electric provider. The borough purchases electricity at a yearly rate of $.08529 per kilowatt (kWh). In turn, it sells electricity to…
Senator Vogel’s Statement on Passage of the 2016-17 Budget
Yesterday, the Legislature approved the final portion of the balanced budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year. I am thankful that both sides were able to come together and avoid a repeat of last year’s prolonged budget impasse that negatively impacted both schools and nonprofit service providers that rely on stable state funding. Two weeks ago, I voted for the bipartisan spending compromise bill that boosted Pre-K-to-12 state funding for education to unprecedented levels, fully funded core functions of state government, and devoted vital resources to addressing the ever-increasing opioid addiction epidemic in Pennsylvania. We were able to negotiate with the…
Gibbons Votes ‘No’ to Tax Increases
HARRISBURG, July 13 – State Rep. Jaret Gibbons, D- Beaver/Butler/Lawrence, said he voted against more than a half-dozen new and increased taxes proposed to fund the 2016-17 state budget. Gibbons previously voted against the unbalanced budget plan that increased total state spending by $1.6 billion, or 5.3 percent, and boosted the legislature’s funding by $18.6 million while failing to invest in economic development or adequately fund public education. “We need to get spending under control and deal with the cost drivers that are increasing our state budget before we continue to ask residents and businesses to pay more taxes,” Gibbons…