westinghouse electric to join cranberry

Westinghouse Electric Companyannounced on March 20 that it will remain in southwesternPennsylvania and expand itsregional presence on a new campus in the Cranberry Woodsbusiness park near the intersec-tion of Rt. 228 and I-79. The long-awaited announcement,which concluded a competitionbetween South Carolina andPennsylvania to host the company’snuclear engineering campus andheadquarters, will mean at least2,000 new jobs in Cranberry, with total employment in excessof 3,000 when the facility is complete.

The company’s initial businessmission at the site will be todesign and equip four newnuclear power plants in China.The company’s agreement withChina has an estimated contract value of $6-$7 billion.Construction of the plants isexpected to begin in 2009, with the first one becoming operational in 2013. Westinghousetechnology is now the basis forapproximately halfof the world’s operating nuclearplants, including 60percent of those inthe United States.

Construction of the company’sCranberry facility,which will include a new four-building

campus in the businesspark, is expected to get underwayas soon as permits are issued. An expansion of Rt. 228 is alsoplanned which will ease the flowof traffic to the Cranberry Woodssite as well as to a possible newSimon shopping mall on theopposite side of Rt. 228.

The decision to select CranberryWoods was based on a number of factors, including flexibility ofconstruction options to accommo-date future growth, according tothe company’s announcement. Inaddition, the site, which includesmore than 80 acres, will be able tobetter accommodate the parkingrequirements of the company’sexpanding workforce.

A resolution drafted by Cranberryand adopted in response to a staterequest for approval of a tax-freezone at the company’s new sitepledges the Township’s promptconsideration of a 15-year tax-freedesignation and commits it towork cooperatively and in a timelyway with the county and school

district as well as withWestinghouse.

Gov. Rendell signed legislation in Novemberthat allows four StrategicDevelopment Areas in thestate. The state’s GeneralAssembly had earlier given its support to the tax-incentive program

Continued on page 2

SIDEIN

Westinghouse Electric To JoinCranberry’s Nuclear Family

2007 SPRING EDITION

Supervisor’s Commentary ..............3Public Safety ..................................4Fire Company ................................7Tech Company Profile ....................8School District ..............................9Calendar ......................................10In Briefs ......................................12Public Works................................14Library ........................................20

th i s ed i t ion

todayCranberryPort Authority OfAllegheny County To Slash RoutesServing CranberryPlans to expand service through Butler Transit Authority gain local supportMassive cuts to the routes and frequencies of Port Authority bus service will terminate all service toCranberry Township, starting in June.The 13K, linkingdowntownPittsburgh toThorn HillIndustrialPark, will seean unspecifiednumber of itsruns eliminatedand its route changedto do away with service north of theWarrendale and Bladerunners Park ’nRide lots. The 12A North Hills

Continued on page 2

For the most current information, visit us online at www.cranberrytownship.org

SPRING 07 CranberryToday LR 3/29/07 11:19 PM

designed for companies that elect to stay in Pennsylvania. As part ofthat measure, the state agreed torelinquish sales taxes, corporate net income taxes and capital stockand franchise taxes. Municipalities,school districts, and county governments were asked to providerelief from local taxes during thatsame period.

Over the past decade, a number oftechnology companies have chosento make their home in CranberryTownship. During that same time, a series of policy decisions made inthe mid-‘90s by Cranberry’s Board of Supervisors led to a variety ofimprovements in the Township’stransportation capacity, water supply, workforce training resources, land use management,

and administrative efficiency, as wellas to new amenities for Cranberryresidents.

“Westinghouse’s decision to locate in Cranberry validates those policiesand confirms the wisdom of thoseinvestments which were made herein previous years,” John Milius,Chairman of the Board of

Supervisors said at the time ofWestinghouse’s announcement.“Today, with the company’s decisionto remain in the region where itgrew up now a matter of record, we look forward to enjoying a deepand mutually beneficial relationshipwith Westinghouse and its associatesover the coming years.” ˜

Cranberrytoday2

Westinghouse Electric to join Cranberry’s nuclear family Continued from front cover

Shopper will continue on a curtailed schedule, but with all service to Wexford and Cranberrycut off. Additional cuts will takeplace starting September 2 unlessthe agency is able to find alternatemeans of reducing the remaining$45 million of its $80 million budget gap during fiscal year 2008.

Cranberry Township officials – whohave been consistent supporters ofexpanding public transit service tolocal residents – expressed regret atthe circumstances which led PortAuthority to make the cuts as well astheir hope that the agency succeedsin stabilizing its finances before petitioning for additional statefunds. Support from Harrisburg provides approximately half of Port Authority’s operating budget.Passenger fares represent about 30 percent with most of the remainder coming from federal and county grants.

Cranberry officials also indicatedthat they will continue their pursuitof new transit service to southernButler County through the newlyrenamed Butler Transit Authority. A recent study of transitneeds in the Cranberryarea identified a strongdemand for weekdaycommuter service to downtownPittsburgh and other key regionaldestinations, as well as for circulatorservice within the area surroundingCranberry. The Township’s own comprehensive plan placed transitservice among its highest priorities.Cranberry recently joined withJackson, Zelienople, Evans City and Harmony in pledging $40,000over each of the next five years toimplement such service. But statefunds, which would be essential tothe launch of new transit service,remain scarce.

In the meantime, Cranberry officialswill keep an eye out for problemsthat Township residents who commute into Pittsburgh may

experience as a result of the Port Authority cuts, and to see what, if

anything, might be doneto mitigate them.

A recent report to the Governor andGeneral Assembly by Pennsylvania’sTransportation Funding and ReformCommission confirmed that both the state’s public transportation andhighway bridge systems were in crisisdue to inadequate funding of opera-tions, capital improvements, andmaintenance. It urged that the crisisbe addressed before the system’s condition further deteriorates.

Details on the announced cuts areavailable from the Port Authority’sWeb site: www.portauthority.org. ˜

Port Authority of Allegheny County to slash routes serving Cranberry Continued from front cover

Power to the People.At its new home in Cranberry Woods Business Park, Westinghouse Electric will be engineering the design of four new power plants to be built in China. The company’s AP1000 reactor,which is the nuclear technologyselected for the plants, is shown here in cutaway view.


Cranberrytoday3

Showing Muscle In Cranberry’s Transportation PlanningAccommodating human-powered transportation isn’t just nice, it’s essentialBy Chuck Caputy, Supervisor, Cranberry Township

Back in 1995,when we wereputting togeth-er our last fullcomprehensiveplan, we askedpeople whatchanges theymost wanted

to see in Cranberry. And the onechange people told us more thanany other was to improve the opportunities for foot and bicycletraffic. It’s easy to understand why.

Starting around the 1970s, when the Township began to change froman agricultural community into a regular suburb, getting around came to mean getting around by car. Never mind that there were significant numbers of people – children, the elderly, the disabledand others – who didn’t drive. And forget about the factthat some people simplyprefer to walk, weatherpermitting. Those folkswere just plain out of luck.And I can certainly under-stand their concern.

Over the last five years orso, I myself have becomean avid pedestrian. I’vewalked the length andbreadth of Cranberry. Sometimes it’s been just for pleasure, othertimes it’s because I had to get some-where. But in either case, it’s beenan eye-opening experience. I’ve met people I never knew before andI’ve seen details of our community Iwould never have noticed from a car.

But it hasn’t always been a goodexperience. And the reason may be that this approach to accommo-

dating pedestrians – where walkwaysare added piece by piece and eventhen, only when that parcel of property is under development –hasn’t been aggressive enough.

So, for example, where we do have sidewalks, they tend to be stubs and fragments; there are veryfew connections between sections of sidewalk linking one property to another or one neighborhood to the next.

Many of our key intersections haveno accommodations for pedestriantraffic at all. Where they do exist, the electronic ‘walk’ signals are oftentoo short for someone to actually get across the street. Even on many secondary roads, crosswalks are not designated at points where foottraffic would be natural. And drivershere simply don’t know how to relateto pedestrians walking on roadway

shoulders. That isn’t ahealthy situation, and I’mnot alone in thinking so.

Having a connected networkof sidewalks, crosswalks,footpaths and greenwaytrails – one that would allowpeople to move safely byfoot or bicycle, and to usethose walkways

to access destinationslike schools, stores, or civic sites – is still a top priority for mostresidents. How do weknow? In 2005, whenwe began revising ourlong-range plan, weonce again surveyedour residents about thechanges they wanted tosee. And just as before,

improving pedestrian circulationcame up as the top priority. Why?Because it reduces automobile traffic.It facilitates contact between neigh-bors. It creates a stronger sense ofcommunity. And it’s healthy exercise.

Of course there have been some real improvements since 1995.Sidewalks are now required in new commercial developments. Well-marked crosswalks have beenadded at several important intersections. Plans for several large,pedestrian-friendly traditional neighborhood-type developmentshave been approved along BrushCreek. And a recent grant from thestate will help us improve the safetyof children – and anyone else forthat matter – who walks along thewestern portion of Rochester Road.

Having a truly integrated system of sidewalks, footpaths, and bicycletrails – one that functions as a serious transportation option inCranberry – is a big part of theTownship’s long-range vision. But with the right plan, we may be ableto bring that vision to reality in theforeseeable future. So during thecoming year, I will be working withmy fellow Supervisors to support

our professional staff inmaking sure that a promi-nent feature of Cranberry’srevised comprehensive plan is a well thought-outpedestrian circulation component – one that envisions a truly walkablecommunity and puts us on a fast track toward becomingthe ideal place to live, workand play. ˜

You can reach Chuck Caputy at: [email protected]

SUPERVISOR’S COMMENTARY

“I’ve walked the length and

breadth ofCranberry. It’s been an eye-opening experience.”


You know the type: he’s the moronwho tailgates you, slams on hisbrakes, cuts you off, runs red lights,weaves in and out of traffic lanes andgenerally acts like a schoolyard bullyon wheels. It’s the idiot who putseveryone else on the road in dangerjust to show how tough and pushyand important he really thinks he is. Well, the days of the aggressivedriver may be numbered, at least in Cranberry.

That’s because a recent grant from PennDOT will fund additional patrol time for Township police tofocus on ticketing aggressive drivers.And it will enable Cranberry policeto continue their current effort toenforce DUI and seatbelt laws. “It’sgoing to involve putting additionalpeople out doing robust trafficenforcement,” Public Safety DirectorSteve Mannell acknowledged.

“It will fund overtime to put moreofficers on the road doing target-specific enforcement, like some ofthe roadways where people just sailthrough red lights,” he said. “We getcell phone complaintsfrom other motoristsall the time. But usually,by the time we getthere, they’re gone.

“What we’re looking for are people who arefollowing too closely or spiking the brakesor cutting people off or running redlights. Those fitthe category ofaggressive drivers– people who areeither so angry or so importantto the world that they can’t delaythemselves stopping for a red light.If they fit those categories, we’re

going to get credit for having citedan aggressive driver.”

Aggressive drivers are not only irritating to other motorists; theyalso pose real dangers to them.Between 2001 and 2005, accordingto statistics compiled by PennDOT,there were more than a thousandcrashes attributed to aggressive driving in Cranberry Townshipalone. They resulted in six fatalitiesand dozens of other collisions involving severe injuries.

The data show that most aggressivedrivers are men ages 35 to 64, andthat their most frequent violation is speeding. They also show that afternoons, more than any other day part, are when aggressive crashesare most likely to occur. At the same time, according to the figures,Cranberry’s aggressive driving problem is not as bad as in someother Western Pennsylvania communities.

But unlike many other states,Pennsylvania doesn’t have a statute

specifically dealing withaggressive drivingalthough some citations,like careless driving andreckless driving, includemultiple events. Instead,police here need to issuemultiple tickets. “Wehave to fight for thespecifics: the speed,whether he’s following

too closely, runningred lights, thosesorts of things,”police Lt. JeffreySchueler observed.“You have to writea separate ticket

for each violation. A lot of states canput more than one violation on asingle citation, but in Pennsylvaniayou can’t.”

Traffic enforcement in theCommonwealth operates under several other handicaps as well. “Wewere asked the other day about thetraffic cameras at Rochester and Rt. 19 and whether they were goingto be used for citing people,”Mannell said. “Well, the camerashere are managed by our PublicWorks people to operate signalsinstead of using sensor loops in the pavement. They’re not a trafficenforcement function. And besides,the law doesn’t permit us to do that.It’s permitted in Philadelphia. But in townships, it’s not allowed.

“People say they want aggressiveenforcement of traffic rules. But we can’t use radar when every otherstate in the nation can,” he said. “Wecan’t use red light cameras becauseit’s too Big Brothery.” On top ofwhich, in Pennsylvania, a seat beltviolation isn’t considered a primaryviolation.

“If I see you driving down the roadwithout a seat belt, I can’t stop youunless you commit another trafficviolation,” Lt. Schueler added. “Yet they let you ride a motorcycle without a helmet, and the injuriesand fatalities statewide have just gone through the roof. It’s a contradiction; there’s a philosophical disconnect.

“But as far as aggressive driving isconcerned, all we’re asking peopleto do is obey the law.” ˜

Cranberrytoday4

PUBLIC SAFETY

Township Police Are Getting MoreAggressive With Aggressive Drivers

Aggressive DriversBeware

“Aggressive driversare people who

are either so angryor so important to the world thatthey can’t delay

themselves stoppingfor a red light.”


As soon as Corporal Daniel Hahnrolls up to a bad accident scene –something which has happened altogether too often during his 18 years on the Cranberry Townshippolice force – he is almost inevitablyapproached by witnesses and curiousonlookers, eager to tell him whatthey know.

But even though eyewitness testimonycan be very useful, if it’s the firstthing an officer hears, it can actuallyimpede the investigation, whichbegins by securing the crash scene to protect its evidence immediatelyafter attending to anyone who has been injured.

“If I go out to the scene of a crash, I like to let the road and the cars talkto me,” Hahn said.“I would rather nottalk to you at thatpoint. I want to getmy own perspectivegoing here – onethat’s not polluted; I want to walk inthere pure andclean. We’ll have ourconversation a littlelater.”

It’s not that people are necessarilytrying to delude him or spin thestory in some misleading way, but Hahn, who is one of two fully-certified reconstructionists on the Township’s police force, haslearned through years of trainingand experience to listen closely tothe subtle – and sometimes not sosubtle – signs of physical evidencearound him. Over the course of several hours, they can tell him agreat deal about what did and didnot happen both prior to and duringthe collision. And then there’s hisspecial-purpose SUV, full of high-tech and low-tech tools, which Hahnand his fellow officers then use toanalyze the evidence in more detail.

“It’s a fact-finding mission. We areout to answer the who, what, where,when, how and whys,” he said. “Youhave the three major causal effectsor contributing factors to the crash.Environmental is one, mechanical isthe another, and driver is the third.The environmental conditions: Wasit a clear sunny day? A cold snowyday? Were there potholes or cindersin the road?

“Mechanical factors include everything to do with that car. Is it avehicle failure? A maintenance issue?We inspect and autopsy each car in amajor crash and literally go throughthem bumper to bumper. Typicallywhen we get these cars, they’re pretty crashed up, so it’s going to

take some time to getthrough it.

And then you have the driver. Was the guy tired?Was he drinking? On med-ication? Was it controlledmedication? Was he goingtoo fast? Talking on thephone? Was she putting on makeup? Etcetera.”

As a result, thoroughlyreconstructing a collision can taketime – sometimes weeks, oftenlonger, particularly when the investi-gation involves waiting for lab resultsor vehicle recall information. So

police are careful to limit their investigations to only the most seri-ous wrecks – fatal crashes or crasheswhere someone is badly injured. “Ifthey don’t meet those criteria, wemake a judgment early on, so we’renot wasting the Township’s resources.And we work together as a team.”

Fortunately, most accidents neverreach that threshold. “The only timea police report is required by the lawis if somebody is hurt or a vehicleneeds to be towed. If no one is hurt,and cars can be driven away, then it’sa simple exchange of driver informa-tion. As a courtesy, our departmentdoes take the information and makean official police report of it if weare called to the scene, but it is not a state requirement.”

However there is another benefit, in addition to meeting state require-ments, of conducting meticulousinvestigations for serious wrecks; it’sthat in Cranberry, the reconstructiondata is used to improve road engineering and traffic enforcement patterns. “Accident reconstruction isa team effort,” Public Safety DirectorSteve Mannell pointed out. “We facilitate the Township’s emphasis on safety, corridors, and expeditiousmovement of traffic by looking atcauses, looking at numbers, and tailoring enforcement to help us prevent accidents.” ˜

Reconstructing A Wreck

Cranberrytoday5

Off road vehicle.Cranberry policeCpl. DanielHahn uses an instrument similar to a surveyor’s transitto establish vehicle speedsand trajectoriesin reconstructinghow traffic accidentsoccurred.

PUBLIC SAFETY

“If I go out to thescene of a crash, I like to let the road and the

cars talk to me. I would rather not talk to you at that point.”


6

PUBLIC SAFETY

Cranberrytoday

Cranberry’s emergency workers,along with a number of others on staff, reached something of amilestone at the end of 2006; theycompleted a federally required training curriculum designed toteach them about dealing with major incidents. It’s called NIMS.

NIMS is an acronym used by thebeleaguered Federal EmergencyManagement Agency, FEMA, and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security. It stands for National Incident ManagementSystem – a federally-created trainingprogram which was hastily assembledin the aftermath of the 2001 attackson the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

It is sweeping in scope, coveringeverything from hazardous spills tonuclear war and embracing electedofficials, municipal managers, publicworks employees, police officers,ambulance drivers, and other firstresponders – all of whom wererequired to train at appropriate levels in the program’s curriculumby the end of last year. And exactlywhat were the objectives of that

training? According to the officialNIMS handbook:

“NIMS will include a core set of concepts,principles, terminology, and technologiescovering the incident command system;multiagency coordination systems; unifiedcommand; training; identification and management of resources (including systemsfor classifying types of resources); qualifica-tions and certification; and the collection,tracking, and reporting of incident information and incident resources.”

Huh?

“The training wasn’t very enjoyable,”Public Safety Director Steve Mannelladmitted. “It’s all about structure,and management, and command,and control – emphasizing organizational arrangements andstandardized terminology. It’s another unfunded mandate on theTownship, and it’s been a burden.”

Of course, teaching incident command procedures for local emergency services is nothing new.Cranberry’s own Fire Company hasbeen providing that sort of instruc-tion for 15 years in tandem with its mutual aid partner companies.

But the federal program is a different story.

“You try to make it interesting, but it’s tough to teach,”Mannell explained,notwithstanding thefact that several

of his own key staff members foundthemselves drafted into the ranks of NIMS instructors. “There’s basic training for first responders in Fire, Police and Public Works.And as your responsibilities move up in the chain of command andmanagement, you need higher levels of training.”

But for the time being, theTownship’s training has reached a plateau. “Now, Public Works hasbeen trained. The Fire Companyhas, too; all our guys are now certified. The Police department’shad it. Key personnel in theTownship have had it. The townshipSupervisors have completed whatthey need to have,” he said.

“There’s some new training comingup this year that several of us aregoing to receive, and it’s all classroominstruction – we can’t do the newtraining online. Hopefully they’llcorrect the deficiencies and be more realistic – more ‘here’s howyou do it; here’s how you respond to these incidents.’

“But now it’s all organizationalinstruction; there’s nothing tactical.It’s a different type of training,”Mannell said. “A lot of the communi-ties we talk to don’t even know whatNIMS is. But the carrot is when you go out for federal assistance,you’ll be able to prove that you’vecomplied. Well, now we’ve complied.I think it’s time we declare victory, at least for the moment.” ˜

Cranberry’s Staff Completes Emergency Management Training

“There’ nothing tactical. It’s all about structure, and management, and command, and control – emphasizing organizational arrangements and standardized terminology. It’s anotherunfunded mandate on the Township, and it’s been a burden.”


7Cranberrytoday

FIRE COMPANY

Fighting fires in Cranberry Townshipis not a career, it’s a gift to the community – one with which ChiefBill Spiegel and his comrades havebeen very generous. “We do thisbecause we want to help people, not because we’re paid,” he noted.In fact, none of the 58 firefightersnow in Cranberry Township’sVolunteer Fire Company are paid;what they do comes out of a sense of public service.

Even so, Spiegel wants people toknow that in case of emergency,they’re in capable hands. Despitetheir status as volunteers, advancingrank within the company requiresfirefighters to observe rigorous standards. “If you want to become an officer, you have to give that extra effort,” he said.

Spiegel, 40, first became a volunteerfirefighter in 1991 at the smalldepartment in Callery where heeventually became Chief, beforemoving to Cranberry six years ago. “I wanted to give back to the community,” he recalled, noting thatseveral of his uncles joined aroundthe same time and that his son, Billy, is now a junior firefighter with Callery.

Since moving to Cranberry with his wife Libbeth and their three children, Spiegel hasspent a great deal oftime in training. As aresult, he has movedswiftly up the ranks.One year after hejoined the Cranberrybrigade, he was votedRescue Officer. The following yearhe became first lieutenant, then

captain, then assistant chief, and, as of January 1, he’sChief of the entireCompany.

According to FireCompany ExecutivePresident ChrisDeCree, Spiegel isunquestionably theright man for thejob. “He’s sharp, he’s focused, he’sknowledgeable, and he’s dedicated,”DeCree said. “And he’s confident,Bill gives that aura of leadership.

“We’ve been blessed with a series offorward-thinking, dynamic chiefs,”DeCree noted. “That’s been ourstrong point. Bill was the assistantchief. But you don’t automaticallymove up just because you’re a lieutenant one year and a captainthe next; we don’t do it that way. Youdo have to be qualified. You have tobe prepared to come out in freezingcold in the middle of the night.”

Also a certified EMT, Spiegel hasearned just about every accreditationavailable, including HazmatOperations and Fire Instructor. Buthis current position involves morethan simply answering the Company’s500-plus calls a year. “There are

hours spent training andgoing to meetings, as well as handling the fire prevention program,” hesaid. There’s a tremendousamount of time involved.”Last year, the company put in more than 5,500training hours.

Over the years, the leadersof Cranberry’s fire companyhave demonstrated their

ability to adapt to change. “That’swhat makes us professional,” saysDeCree, noting that Spiegel’s innovative ideas will help keepCranberry’s company on the cuttingedge. “We emphasize training, andstay on top of things as best we can. Bill is maintaining that professionalism. He has all the skills you need for management and then some.”

In his day job, Spiegel is the managerof PMF Garage in Zelienople. But hislife really revolves around the FireCompany and its members. “I like tobe able to use my skills in directingthe fire brigade and helping otherpeople become better firemen,” hesays, adding, “The camaraderie inthe department is second to none.”

Even so, according to Spiegel, the people who deserve the mostappreciation are the families of firefighters. “People don’t seem to realize how much time it takes, and that takes you away from yourfamily,” says the husband and fatherof three. “Having to get up in themiddle of dinner and rush out thedoor, missing holidays and birthdayparties; we’re on-duty 24/7. Ourfamilies allow us and understandabout the time we put into it; theyshould be commended.” ˜

Hail to the Chief —

Fire Chief Bill Spiegel Has The Right Stuff

Cranberry welcomes new Fire Company volunteers throughout the year. To learn more, call 724-776-1196.

“He’s sharp, he’sfocused, he’s

knowledgeable,and he’s dedicated.

We’ve been blessed with a

series of forward-thinking,dynamic chiefs.”


TECH COMPANY PROFILE

Cranberrytoday8

TrueFit Solutions, a low-profile creator of custom software for manu-facturing, distribution, and food service companies that maintains itsheadquarters in Cranberry Woods,celebrated its tenth anniversary inFebruary – a significant milestonefor any company in the very competi-tive technology industry where fail-ures, acquisitions, divestitures andsudden market shifts often result inmuch shorter corporate lifespans.

But for founder Darrin Grove and the 30 or so people that hisclosely-held company employs, thebirthday also confirmed that a 21stcentury business run by eternal values, rather than by expediency,can survive and prosper in an environment where pragmatism and short-term profits are the rule.

“We intentionally adopted a valuesystem based on faith,” Grove reflect-ed. “We have a strong integrationbetween our beliefs and our businesspractices. Each day, we try to applyprinciples of the Bible and discoverhow to run an effective software business God’s way. And that’s been a very interesting process.”

“That doesn’t mean everybody hereshares the same religious convic-tions,” he added. “It just means thatwe look to those traditional valueswhen we construct practices andpolicies and when we think abouthow to deal with our customers.That’s one reason we were chosenBest Place to Work in Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh Business Times in2004. It’s really those foundations offaith – lived out in a business context– that informs how we treat eachother, how we treat our customers,how we interact with the community.”

Those principles have already beenput to the test. Two years ago, in

response to shifts in its technologymarket, TrueFit was forced torestructure and, in the process, let go of some employees. “That’stough for any business to gothrough,” Grove acknowledged, “but it was necessary. So we asked thequestion: how do our values informthe decision we’re about to make interms of who’s going to stay? Westarted with our foundational valuesand the criteria included things like: what are the impacts on thisperson’s family? We considered a lot of dimensions beyond financialimplications or simply the role theyhave at the company.”

“We communicated with everyoneabout how we were making the decision,” he said. “People respectedthat because they saw that we weremaking a people-focused decisionand not a profit-focused decision.And we got very good feedback.Although it was a difficult time forthe company, even the people wholeft appreciated the way the decisionwas made and felt that we were operating with integrity.”

The same principle-driven approachinfluences the company’s operatingculture, which is strongly orientedtoward egalitarianism and to devel-oping its employees in directionsthat go well beyond their primarytechnical roles. A well-used companyping-pong table, a bi-weekly massagetherapist, and free workshops onhealth, nutrition, stress manage-ment, and leadership all reflect thecompany’s people-centered culture.And its engagement with the largercommunity has been ongoing.

It also helps that the company’s business prospects now seembrighter. “We changed our businessmodel and now we’re back into a

growth mode, so we’re very excitedabout that,” Grove said. “We’re hiring again. We have a lot of oppor-tunity right now. We’re very bullishabout growth and we’re expectingsignificant growth again this year.”

But why Cranberry? “Well, I’m anative of the Cranberry area,” Grove pointed out. “I graduatedfrom Seneca Valley. This has alwaysbeen home. It’s where we got started.But as we’ve grown as a company,Cranberry has become a really strate-gic location. It’s very easy to get herefrom almost anywhere in Pittsburgh;it’s very easy to get downtown.

“And it’s been great to see the development that Cranberry hasseen over the past ten years, but it’salso great that we’ve preserved morenatural surroundings like CranberryWoods” he continued, looking at the wooded hills outside his window.“There are birds here, a hawk thatentertains us with good DiscoveryChannel footage once in a while. We have deer and turkey comingthrough. It’s beautiful and we love it here. ˜

TrueFit Solutions Answers To A Higher AuthorityIntegrating biblical values and business software systems

Although widely known for its retail businesses, Cranberry is also becoming an important high technology center. Each issue of Cranberry Todayfeatures the profile of a different local technology company and offers a glimpse into the Township’s emerging knowledge-based economy.

Not so remote. TrueFit Solutions founderDarrin Grove, left, and vice president ChrisLasswell, can spot problems in the business networks of clients all over the country, as theyhappen, from monitors in the company’s headquarters in Cranberry Woods. TrueFitadapts commercial software packages to each customer’s unique business needs, increasing the productivity and value of their IT systems.


Cranberrytoday

SCHOOL DISTRICT

9

Catherine “Cassy” Schmitt admits she has

two left feet.

The Rowan Elementary School third grade

teacher said it became very obvious to her

students a few years ago when she attempted

to teach them the ‘electric slide’ – a fun activity

she added to the end of her unit on electricity.

But exposing her own less-than-smooth dance

moves was worth it for this 19-year classroom

veteran. “The students eagerly participated and

couldn’t wait for the next lesson on electricity,”

Schmitt said. “It is often the light-hearted

moments that help a student enjoy school.”

Innovation isn’t necessarily a new teaching tactic,

but it is an important part of teacher excellence

and one that helped Cassy and three of her

Seneca Valley peers become honorees in the 2007

Teacher Excellence Center’s Annual Teacher

Recognition Program.

Cassy, along with Rowan kindergarten teacher

Jana Greco, and Jeff Hanlon and Jim Lucot, both

senior high school social studies teachers, were

recently chosen as honorees, or semifinalists, in

the annual program that picks 100 teachers from

the 5,000 nominated by 81 school districts in nine

southwestern Pennsylvania counties.

“It felt great,” said Greco. “You never know

what people think of your work unless you get

feedback,” she added.

The anonymous parent who submitted her

nomination couldn’t have been more impressed,

calling Greco a “nurturing and protective educa-

tor who promotes academic excellence and good

behavior.”

Greco was one of

nearly 150 teachers

nominated by

Seneca Valley

students, parents,

fellow teachers and

community members. Now, as one of the Top

100, she will attend a banquet on April 19 at the

Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. At that time,

each of the top seven will be named “Teachers of

Excellence,” and receive $2,500 grants for their

schools.

Jim Lucot says he will most likely spend the money

on speakers for his social studies classes, a place

where history comes to life as military veterans

visit or write to share their experiences. “I have

been very fortunate to have met parents and

community members who have supported my

classes and our projects,” Lucot said. “I would like

to thank them all.”

Jeff Hanlon said he was shocked to learn of his

nomination and pleased to discover that it was

from a student. In it, the high school senior

talked about Hanlon’s skill in teaching students

to apply what they learned to their every day lives,

a point brought home to Hanlon recently when

he was visited by a former student on leave from

duty in Iraq.

“After listening for about a half an hour to his

harrowing stories, I asked him, jokingly, if his

economics lessons have come in handy,” said

Hanlon. The soldier replied, ‘as a matter of fact,

since I don’t have many places to spend my

money, I decided, like you taught us, to invest

in a mutual fund with my combat pay!’ Even in

a war zone you can’t escape economics!”

“I am humbled to be placed among the top

educators in a district with so many outstanding

teachers,”

Hanlon said.

“I move on in

this process

representing

all Seneca

Valley faculty

and staff.”

Four SV Teachers Honored

by Linda Andreassi, Communications Director, Seneca Valley School District

Jeff Hanlon and Jim Lucot, both senior

high school social studies teachers.

Catherine “Cassy” Schmitt, a Rowan

Elementary School third grade teacher, along

with Rowan kindergarten teacher Jana Greco.


CranberrytodayCranberrytoday10 11

COMMUNITY CALENDARCOMMUNITY CALENDAR

APR

ILM

AYJU

NE

SUN

1FRI

6SAT

7

THURS

5WED

4TUES

3MON

2SUN

8FRI

13THURS

12WED

11

TUES

10MON

9

SUN

15FRI

20SAT

21THURS

19WED

18TUES

17MON

16SUN

22FRI

27SAT

28

THURS

26WED

25TUES

24MON

23SUN

29MON

30

APRILFOOL’SDAY

GOOD FRIDAYTownship Offices ClosedSVSD No School

Parks & Recreation Dept. ClosedSAT Test SVHS EASTER

Last Day to Receive Early Registration Discount for Community WaterParkPlanning Commission Work Session Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 5:30 pmLast Day for Property Tax Document Period

Board of Supervisors Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pm3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pm

Family PajamaStorytime Library, 7 pm

Microsoft Excel II Class*, Library, 9 am, Maple Sugaring Open House Cranberry Community Park, Jaycees Shelter, 11 am

FRI

1WED

6THURS

7

TUES

5MON

4SUN

3SAT

2FRI

8WED

13THURS

14TUES

12

MON

11TUES

12SUN

10SAT

9FRI

15WED

20THURS

21

TUES

19MON

18SUN

17SAT

16FRI

22WED

27THURS

28TUES

26MON

25SUN

24SAT

23FRI

29SAT

30

TUES

1SUN

6MON

7SAT

5FRI

4THURS

3

WED

2TUES

8SUN

13MON

14SAT

12FRI

11THURS

10TUES

15SUN

20MON

21SAT

19FRI

18THURS

17

WED

16TUES

22SUN

27MON

28SAT

26

FRI

25TUES

29WED

30THURS

31

3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pmBoard of Supervisors Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pm3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pmSenior Center Monthly Birthday Party Municipal Ctr, Senior Ctr, 9:30 am

SVSD – Last Day of SchoolEarly Dismissal/Graduation Day

3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pmParks & Recreation Advisory Board Mtg Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pm

SVSD No School3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pm

SVSD No SchoolZoning Hearing Board Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7:30 pm

3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pmBoard of Supervisors Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pm

Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Mtg Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pm 3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pm

Family PajamaStorytime Library, 7 pm

THURS

24WED

23

Family Pajama Storytime Library, 7 pm Color Your Attitude Bright Motivational Speech, Library, 7 pm

3–5 Year Old’s Storytime*Library, 11 am or 1 pmSenior Center Monthly Birthday PartyMunicipal Ctr, Senior Ctr, 9:30 am

Friday Night FlicksHappy FeetMunicipal Ctr, 7 pm

SAT

14ACT Test SVHSWaterPark Members Register for Aquatic ProgramsMunicipal Ctr, 8:30 am

Registration for Summer and Aquatic ProgramsMunicipal Ctr, 8:30 am,Walk In and Online only

3–5 Year Old’s Storytime Library, 11 am or 1 pm, Registration RequiredBooks & Bagels Book Discussion: The Midwife,Library, 10 am

Eating For A Healthy Heart UPMC Passavant Wellness Series, Municipal Ctr, Senior Ctr, 12:30 pmFamily Pajama Storytime Library, 7 pm

Cranberry Senior Citizen Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 1 pmHearing Loss R. Patrick Francis, Audiologist, Library, 7 pm

3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pm

3–5 Year Old’s Storytime*, Library, 11 am or 1 pmToilet Training Bellevue Pediatrics, Library, 7 pm

Security and Your Computer Class*Library, 9 am,

Planning Commission Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pmBook Discussion Call for title, Library, 7 pm

Municipal Primary Election DayInfant Family Time with Children under 2 years,Library, 11 am and 1 pm

SVSeniorProm

Backyard CompostingInstructional Class †Municipal Ctr, 10 am

Veteran’sMemorial ServiceNorth BoundaryPark, 1 pm

MOTHER’SDAY

MEMORIAL DAYTownship Offices ClosedSVSD No School

Cranberry Community Day Committee Meeting Municipal Ctr, 7 pm

2–3 Year Old’sStorytimeLibrary, 7 pm


Infant Family Time with Children under 2 years,Library, 11 am and 1 pm

Infant Family Time with Children under 2 years, Library, 11 am and 1 pmPlanning Commission Work Session Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 5:30 pmTackling Puberty For Dads & Sons Bellevue Pediatrics, Library, 7 pm

Planning Commission Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pmBook Discussion Call for Title, Library, 7 pm

WED

9

SATTestSVHS


FATHER’S DAYFather’s Day Night SwimCommunity WaterPark, 9 pm

Board of Supervisors Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pmThursdays in the Park, The DelaneysCommunity Park, 7 pm

FLAG DAY Senior Center Monthly Birthday PartyMunicipal Ctr, Senior Ctr, 9:30 am

Golf ChannelAmateur TourCranberry Highlands

ACT Test SVHSMutual of Omaha Drive, Chip & Putt Junior Challenge Cranberry Highlands, 1 pm

2–3 Year Old’s Storytime Library, 7 pmBoard of Supervisors Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pm

Family PajamaStorytimeLibrary, 7 pm

Family PajamaStorytimeLibrary, 7 pm

Cranberry Community DayCommittee Meeting Municipal Ctr, 7 pm

Household Hazard Waste Collection North Park Swimming Pool Lot, 9 am – 1 pm

Joe BullickHistorical Society Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 2 pm

How To Stay Young TogetherChiropractic Health, Library, 7 pmZoning & Hearing Board Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7:30 pm

Planning Commission Work Session Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 5:30 pmCranberry Community Day Committee Mtg Municipal Ctr, 7 pm

Rhythm Music ShowLibrary, 2:30 pmTotally Tubular Night SwimCommunity WaterPark, 9 pm

Thursdays in the ParkDime Store HaloCommunity Park, 7 pm

Books & Bagels Book Discussion:The Devil in the White City, Library, 10 am

Totally TubularNight SwimCommunityWaterPark, 9 pm

Summer Reading Program for Children* Preschool-grade registration begins, LibraryZoning & Hearing Board Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7:30 pm

Infant Family Time with Children under 2 years, Library, 11 am and 1 pmParks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pmTotally Tubular Night Swim Community WaterPark, 9 pm

SV School Picnic Kennywood Park Cranberry Senior Citizen Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 1 pm

SAT TestSVHS

3–5 Year Old’s Storytime* Library, 11 am or 1 pmCranberry Senior Citizen Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 1 pm

SVSD Grades 7-12 only, Early DismissalBooks & Bagels Book Discussion: Five Quarters of the Orange, Library, 10 am2–3 Year Old’s Storytime Library, 7 pm

SVSD Grades 7-12 onlyEarly Dismissal2–3 Year Old’s StorytimeLibrary, 11 am

2–3 Year Old’sStorytimeLibrary, 11 am

2–3 Year Old’s Storytime Library, 11 amBoard of Supervisors Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pm

Summer Camp RegistrationPhone/Mail begins, Municipal CtrPlanning Commission Meeting Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 7 pm

Book Discussion: Hillary RodhamClinton, Library, 7 pmYard Waste Collection Resumes

Totally TubularNight SwimCommunityWaterPark, 9 pm

Backyard CompostingInstructional Class †Municipal Ctr, 7 pm

* Registration required, call 724-776-9100. † Registration required, call 724-776-4806.


PARKS & RECREATION

Cranberrytoday

Larceny in their hearts. Springmeans different things to differentpeople, but to local thieves, it’s theseason for stealing items left inunlocked cars on parking lots, home driveways, and anywhere elsein Cranberry where cars are left unattended. Cell phones, CDs, toolsand loose cash are among the mostfrequently stolen items. CranberryTownship police urge anyone leavinga vehicle outdoors to lock it; very few reported thefts involve actualauto break-ins.

Going in circles. Teams of stalwartwalkers and joggers are beginning to form for the American CancerSociety’s marathon Relay for Lifefund-raising event July 21 and 22 in North Boundary Park. Teams ofanywhere from 8 to 15 members take turns walking or runningaround the park’s 1.1 mile track for24 hours straight, rain or shine. Formore information about registeringfor the Relay, call Tonya Newberry at 412-919-1072.

Congestion relief. After more than a year’s work, all lanes of theintersection at Rochester Road and Rt. 19 officially opened on the afternoon of February 21. The $3.7 million project, which was a joint effort of the Township,PennDOT, Gigliotti Properties andContinental Development Company,added two turning lanes to eachroadway of the heavily traffickedintersection. With major new developments underway along theRochester Road corridor, those

improvements will help to manageeven greater volumes of traffic in the future.

Whew! Less phew!Cranberry’s Board of Supervisorsaccepted a $692,911bid on March 1 from GreensburgEnvironmentalContracting Systems to build a newodor control device for Cranberry’sBrush Creek wastewater treatmentplant. The contract calls for theapparatus, known as a carbonadsorption unit, to be on line andrunning no later than November.But the Township is hoping to have the unit working well before its contractual deadline.

Decompose with the Masters. Thesecond of six two-hour offerings ofthe popular Backyard Compostingclass scheduled this year will takeplace on Thursday, April 12.Instruction for the program is provided by members of the Butler County Master GardenersAssociation. The class meets in theCouncil Chambers of the MunicipalCenter. Advance registration isrequired. And enrollment is limited.At the conclusion of each session,everyone participating receives a freebackyard compost bin with a retailvalue of $70. To register, call theCranberry Township CustomerService Center at 724-776-4806.

Service above self. CranberryTownship Supervisor Chuck Caputyand Parks & Recreation DirectorMike Diehl, were honored for

their service to the community at a Cranberry Rotary banquet inWarrendale on February 20. Diehl,left, and Caputy, second from theleft, were joined by Seneca ValleyHigh School senior Mike Emlingand Rowan Elementary School physical education teacher MichaelManipole in receiving certificates of achievement.

Sorry, this is reserved. Reservationsfor shelters in two CranberryTownship parks, as well as full-dayand half-day reservations for twonewly-built decks at CommunityWaterPark for the 2007 season, are now available. All shelters areequipped with electrical outlets, acharcoal grill, nearby running waterand restrooms; reservations are available both for business and personal/social use. Sun decks canbe configured with your selection ofchairs and loungers; early admissionto the WaterPark is available forthose with deck reservations. Call the Parks & Recreation CustomerService Desk at 724-776-4806 x1129to place your reservation.

Nature calls.The new SkipGross MemorialWetlands Trailand observationdecks are nowopen and avail-able throughoutthe year at the northern end ofNorth Boundary Park. The trail,which was built by the Lions Club of Cranberry Township and namedfor one of its most distinguishedalumni, will have interpretive signs,identifying the area’s most commonwetland wildlife and plantings,placed along its length this summer.

Continued on page 13

In Briefs:

12

SPRING 07 CranberryToday LR 3/29/07 11:19 PM Page 12

Cranberrytoday

PARKS & RECREATION

A bigger, bolder Community Chest is preparing to emerge from themargins of Cranberry’s communitylife. The revitalized organization, a fund-raising body with local rootsgoing back 40 years, is focused onsupporting the variety of charitablehealth, safety, and human serviceorganizations that currently operatein Cranberry Township.

But fund-raising isn’t the only goalthat Cranberry Supervisor BruceMazzoni, who has led the initiative to reorganize and re-energizeCommunity Chest, sees for theagency. “We want to strengthen voluntary community involvement

in their work. We want to help get their messages out to residents,” he said.“We want to promoteattendance at theirevents through ourTownship media. Andwe want to see how other Townshipresources can be made available tohelp them in their work.”

Although Cranberry’s originalCommunity Chest never stoppedoperating, its activities in recentyears witnessed significantly lowerlevels of interest than they had in the past. As a result, late in 2006,

its board accepted anupdated set of bylaws and in accepting that new charter, elected todisband. Consequently,the organization is nowseeking candidates for a new, eleven-member

board of directors that will set policyfor the agency.

To help re-launch the newly-char-tered organization and begin recruiting new board members whocan help realize its vision of bringingthe agency’s work to higher levels,the Township held an informationalmeeting on March 13. ˜

Cranberry Community Chest Grows New Hair

Keeping trim.Don’t let firehydrants, manholecovers, or watermeter touch pads on your

property get covered with mulch orovergrown with brush this spring.Firefighters and field employees of Cranberry’s Public Works department need to use that hardware, particularly in cases ofemergency. They ask that you keepyour bushes trimmed back enoughto allow easy identification and rapid access to those devices.

Dollars for scholars. The CranberryArea Chamber of Commerce will be awarding six $1,000 scholarshipsin 2007. High school seniors from Mars High School, Seneca ValleyHigh School, and Mars Home forYouth are eligible. For the first timethis year, the Chamber will also be awarding scholarships to technical,non-traditional, and alternative students who live in those same districts. Call the Chamber office at724-776-4949 to learn how to apply

or how your business can sponsorone of these scholarships.

Tax time, again. The 2007 ButlerCounty/Cranberry Township realestate tax bills that were mailed on March 1 may be paid at a two percent discount until April 30. After that, taxes can be paid at facevalue until June 30. Neither theTownship nor the County increasedtheir tax rates this year. If you refinanced and changed your mortgage company or are no longer using an escrow account to pay your property taxes, contact tax collector P.J. Lynd’s MunicipalCenter office at 724-776-1103.

Open season.During the weekof June 11-17,when OakmontGolf Club hoststhe U.S. OpenGolf Championship, interest in golfis expected to be at a peak through-out the region. To accommodatethat interest, Cranberry Highlands

is offering an Open Week packagethat includes 18 holes of golf, a cart,a Cranberry Highlands bag tag, alunch at the clubhouse grille, anddiscount coupons for merchandisefrom the pro shop. Package rates per player are $64 Monday throughThursday and $79 Friday throughSunday. Because of anticipateddemand that week, reservations forgroups ranging from 4 to 20 playersmay be made immediately using any major credit card by calling 724-776-7372.

Aquatic programs.Online and in-person registrationbegins Saturdaymorning, April 14 at 8:30 for Water-Park members only. General public registration begins at the same time on Monday morning, April 16.Registration for summer camp beganon March 31 and will remain openas long as space is available. ˜

In briefs: Continued from page 12

13


14

PUBLIC WORKS

Cranberrytoday

You won’t see any hybrid vehicles onlifts in the Township’s state-of-the-artPublic Works garage, at least not yet.And you won’t see any vehicles withother, even more exotic powerplants, such as ethanol, compressednatural gas, hydrogen, or fuel cells either. But it’s not becauseCranberry isn’t interested in keepingup with advances in automotive technology; it’s just the opposite.

“We’ve been studying hybrids andlooking carefully at these other newtechnologies every year in decidingwhat to buy,” according to PublicWorks Director Duane McKee. “Sofar, the cost/benefit ratios of thoseemerging technologies haven’t beenconvincing, particularly with all theunknowns about the long-term costs involved. And we tend to keep vehicles long-term.”

But Cranberry’s Public Works garage,completed two years ago with consid-erable input from the Township’sfleet maintenance technical staff, is ready for just about anything inthe gasoline-diesel family. “All the vehicles – admin, police, sewer andwater – come here,” maintenancemanager Walt Beighey pointed out.“Altogether it’s somewhere around100 vehicles. And that’s not countingtraffic signal generators, sewagewater pumps, weed whackers, lawnmowers, and anything else that has a motor on it, except for the golfcourse, which does its own mainte-nance. But even then, when theirtruck needs to be inspected or theirbackhoe needs work, we do it here.”

As a result, there’s a constant streamof traffic into the garage behind theRt. 19 fire station. “The police carscome in here once a month, everymonth. For emergency vehicles, it’s a safety issue. They do some wildthings in police cars, so you’ve got to make sure the wheels aren’t going

to fall off. Everything is checked over – the air pressure, the bolts, oil,fluids, undercarriage damage in casesomeone has jumped a curb – younever know what’s going to happen.”

An aggressive program of preventivemaintenance, in which the mileage,service record, and scheduledreplacement of wear parts for everyTownship vehicle is electronicallytracked, has helped to extend thelife of each vehicle, from the smallestutility cart to the heaviest truck.

Consider routine oil changes. “Whenthe manufacturer’s specs calls for achange every 6-8,000 miles, we usuallydo it in half that time, just to stayahead of the game,” Beighey said.“We’re very aggressive when it comesto oil changes. Big trucks might go10,000 miles between oil changes;but our big trucks go 4,000 miles.And with the newer police cars, it’sby hours of operation on the motorbecause they do a lot of idling whenthey’re at a traffic scene.”

As a result, there are vehicles inCranberry’s fleet that go back 30years or more, when trucks sold for$10,000 instead of the $140,000 theyfetch today. “Our 1973 Mack wassold at auction a couple years ago,”Beighey recalled. “The 1975 Mackhas been taken out of winter maintenance. It’s still here and it stillruns, but you can’t really rely on itfor snow plowing with a big heavybox on it and all the hydraulics. We have a 1979 truck we rebuiltthat’s now doing snow removal. I’vegot another truck in the works we’reputting together right now, andwe’ve got a 1985 Mack still running.”

With the exception of body work –the facility does not have a paintshop – Public Works is capable ofperforming essentially every repair,rebuilding and maintenance procedure required to keep the

Township’s fleet running smoothly.But with just three full-time mechanics, who become plow operators whenever it snows, it helpsthat the garage has formed closerelationships with local auto andequipment dealers who provide thewarranty work and stock neededreplacement parts.

“If we have a police car, our localFord dealer will turn it aroundquickly because they value the service it does for the community,”Beighey said. “A lot of other dealersaround here are like that too – Jeep, Bobcat, Caterpillar, John Deere– most of the people here are veryTownship-friendly. They give us priority. If we have a problem wecan’t figure out, we can go next door and they’ll give us a point ofview or lend us their manuals. Andthere are government programs outthere where we get better prices. A tire the Township pays $50 forwould cost you and me $150.” ˜

Public Works Mechanics Keep Cranberry’s Fleet Afoot

Things are looking up. Master mechanic Jim Puryear of Cranberry’s Public WorksDepartment helps to keep the Township’s fleet of approximately 100 vehicles on the road andin good repair through a rigorous preventivemaintenance program.


15

PUBLIC WORKS

Cranberrytoday

Quick quiz: what do a computer, a toilet,and a saxophone case have in common?

Give up? The answer is that they’reall among the assorted discardswhich have been picked up by teamsof volunteers along local roads inCranberry since the start of theTownship’s Adopt-A-Roadway pro-gram ten years ago. Participants inthe program, which is coordinatedand supported by Cranberry’s Public Works Department, includeindividual Township residents, families,neighborhoodgroups, Township-based businessesand members ofother local organi-zations. Some of

them have been at it since the outsetof the program in 1997.

Roads become available for adop-tion whenever new ones are addedor when participating organizationsleave the program. One road is currently available for adoption, anda waiting list of other organizationswho want to participate is main-tained by Public Works. To apply,you must commit a minimum of two years to the program.

At least two organizedcleanup days – one inthe spring and anotherin the fall – are requiredeach year. Applicationforms as well as a mapof the roads which are

cared for in the program, are available at the Township’s Web site,www.cranberrytownship.org. Moreinformation is available by callingAdopt-A-Roadway coordinator BarbyCheetham at 724-776-4806 x1500between 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM,Monday through Friday.

Volunteers taking part in the program are issued safety vests, traffic warning signs, pickup tongs,garbage bags, and other necessities.A list of safety precautions is alsoreviewed with each participatingentity. Signs acknowledging theadoptive organization are postedalong their roadway. Current participants and the roadways theycare for are shown in the tablebelow. ˜

Cranberry’s Adopt-A-Roadway Program Is Really Picking Up

MaintainedMILES ROAD NAME - Adopted By SINCE

0.5 PROGRESS AVE - Cranberry Women’s Club September 1998

0.8 BURKE RD - The Pindroh Family January 1999

0.8 COMMONWEALTH - Evans City Earthkeepers January 2002

0.8 DARLINGTON RD - Available February 1999

0.9 OLD ROUTE 19 - Louis Zona, CPA June 1999

1.0 EXECUTIVE DR & THOMSON PARK DR - BC3 - Cranberry Center August 1998

1.0 POWELL RD (Rochester to Freedom) - Cub Scout Pack # 403 November 2001

1.0 UNIONVILLE RD(Aberdeen to Glen Eden Rd) - Reale & McIntyre, Prudential Realty January 2001

1.1 HAINE SCHOOL RD - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints December 2004

1.1 MARS RD - Lowe’s #653 Commercial Sale March 2002

1.3 HOPE RD & WOODLAWN RD - The Treese Family August 1999

1.4 EHRMAN RD/OLD EHRMAN RD - Boy Scout Troop 403 April 2006

1.4 GLEN RAPE RD - The Hardman Family May 2000

1.4 GOEHRING RD - The Graf Family May 1999

1.4 MARSHALL RD - Township of Cranberry - Employees and Families February 1999

1.5 PETERS RD - Boy Scout Troop #404 September 1998

1.5 UNIONVILLE RD & OGLEVIEW RD(Route 19 to Aberdeen) - Cornerstone Church Youth Groups September 2002

1.6 GRAHAM SCHOOL RD - Dutilh United Methodist Church Youth Group June 1999

1.7 BEAR RUN RD - Plains Presbyterian Church November 1999

1.7 NORTH BOUNDARY RD - Volunteer Ambulance Corp October 1997

1.7 POWELL RD (Rochester to Glen Eden) - United Mobile Homes October 2001

1.9 FRESHCORN RD - The Davis Family August 1999


Cranberrytoday16

PUBLIC WORKS

Mark Wolinsky: Defender Of The Little CreaturesArthrobacter, Cirtomonas, andPsuedomonas may not be among thenation’s most fashionable domesticanimals but, like trendy toy poodles,they too have aficionados. MarkWolinsky is one of them. And his job as Cranberry’s PretreatmentAdministrator is to safeguard the little creatures, along with a varietyof other microorganisms whoseappetite for ‘food’ in the Township’ssewage are at the heart of its wastewater treatment process.

It’s not that anyone is out to harm the tiny organisms. But certain materials – particularly solvents, acids, and metals which are sometimes discharged into thesanitary sewer system by commercial,industrial, and even residential users– can have precisely that effect. And, if too much of it is dumped

into local drains, it can have seriousconsequences for the community’swastewater treatment plant.

Wolinsky, along with the help ofother Township plant and field personnel, has been using a combination of old-fashion legworkand high-tech detection equipmentto pinpoint illegal discharges sincejoining the Township staff last year.He understandsthe language of the little bacteriawhom he refers to as ‘bugs’.

“You try to keepthe inflow ofundesirable substances to a low level,” he said. “If toomuch comes in,

it can be toxic to the metabolism of the bugs; it can shut them down,it can kill them. Or it can just inhibit them so they don’t work as well as they normally do. They get a hangover once in a while whensomething comes in. They get sickto their stomach and say ‘oh, I can’twork today.’ And it messes up theprocess.”

No, it’s not R2D2. Cranberry Townshippretreatment administrator MarkWolinsky prepares a timer-driven samplecollector to be lowered into the manholeof a sanitary sewer line. The samplescollected can be analyzed for solvents,metals, and other material that might damage the treatment plant’s microscopic organisms which are at the heart of its cleansing process.

Sometimes, as you drive eastfrom Cranberryon Rt. 228, thetraffic signalsseem to operate in synch. Othertimes, theydon’t. But if theapplication for a $63,000 inter-municipal grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development isapproved, they will soon be able to operate in tandem almost all thetime, at least through Cranberry,Seven Fields and Adams Township.

Historically, signals were added by private developers as required to accommodate the traffic from any new shopping centers or housing plans they built. Althoughthe signals had to meet certain performance criteria, they were

not fully standardized.So, for example, theroadside box that controls the lights at one intersection is oftenincapable of workingwith another brand ofsignal box at the nextintersection, just 200

yards away. And once they’ve beeninstalled, the responsibility for a signal’s ongoing operation andmaintenance belongs to its hostmunicipality forever.

At least in principle, moving statehighway traffic safely and efficientlywould seem to be a natural task forintergovernmental coordination,because it involves roads that cross municipal boundaries lines all the time. But in southwesternPennsylvania, it is something municipalities have traditionally handled by themselves. However

the resulting fragmentation hurtsthem all. So in an unusual move,Cranberry and its neighbors havecreated a cooperative agreement to standardize specifications, coordinate traffic flow, and jointlymaintain traffic signals along thegrowing Rt. 228 corridor.

“This agreement is one of the few of its kind. What’s really unique isregional traffic control. The impetuswas trying to get all the communitiesaround us to recognize that regionaltraffic control, using smart systems,really works,” according to PublicWorks Director, Duane McKee. “It’s about the power of groupingmunicipalities together to requestmoney from the state to help pay for it. Most of those signals are onstate highways and municipalities areburdened with the maintenance ofthem. And it’s a heavy burden.” ˜

Traffic Agreement Signals New Era In Intermunicipal Cooperation

Continued on page 17


TRASH MASTER Challenge III – The Prequel! Just pick the right choice for disposing of each of the twelve items pictured below.

A. Garbage B. Recycling C. Yard Waste D. Tag E. Ineligible

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

Light bulbsANSWER: _________

MunitionsANSWER: _________

Evergreen wreathANSWER: _________

SyringesANSWER: _________

LogsANSWER: _________

Clamshell packagingANSWER: _________

Wire clothes hangersANSWER: _________

Plastic clothes hangersANSWER: _________

OvenANSWER: _________

Plastic bottlesANSWER: _________

SofaANSWER: _________

TypewriterANSWER: _________

When completed, turn the page to find the correct answers. Then check your TQ.

Cranberrytoday17

PUBLIC WORKS

That’s because the biological phase of the wastewater treatmentprocess is its most vulnerable aspect.While the plant’s chemical andmechanical operations remain mostly unaffected by the presence of those materials, without itscolonies of active bacteria, thecleanup process can’t work. And virtually every wastewater treatment plant operating today is biologically-based.

“There are different types of bugs in different areas of the plant and

different parts of the process,” heexplained. “Like the ones in the aeration basin that begin the processby getting rid of the human wastes;they’re decomposing the wastes,changing the organics into some-thing else. They eat it up, get fat, and sink to the bottom. Other bugsdecompose waste inthe sludge digestertank.” And they allrequire protection.

“It’s really a delicate

process,” Wolinsky noted. “It can be upset and cause problems, and that’s what we’re trying to avoid. We won’t catch everything that goesdown the drain, particularly if it’sonly an occasional event. But we’retying to remind people that there’sthe potential for them to get nabbedby our activity out in the field.” And if it is a particularly dangerousmaterial – one likely to create a danger to field workers or harm the environment – the violator caneven be held criminally liable. ˜

Mark Wolinsky: defender of the little creatures Continued from page 16


Cranberrytoday18

PUBLIC WORKS

Sofa.Answer: D. Sofas, upholstered chairs, mat-tresses and simila largefurniture items will bepicked up if you attach a $4 bulky item tag.

What’s Your TQ (trash quotient)? Check your score and rate yourself on the following scale:

12 –Trash Guru 11 –Trash Master 10 –Trash Journeyman 9 –Trash Apprentice 8 –Trash Trainee 7 –Trash Novice 6 –Trash Wannabe 5 or lower –Poor trash

Munitions. Answer: E. Hang onto them. Munitions are notsuitable for either trash disposal or recycling andmost household hazardouswaste programs won’t take them either.

Logs.Answer: C. Small logs, witha diameter of less than

4 inches, can be disposed of in your yard waste cart.Larger logs must first besplit. Burn them in yourfireplace if you have one.

Plastic clothes hangers. Answer: A. Plastic clotheshangers cannot be recycledeither, primarily because of their form. So discardthem with your garbage.

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

Light bulbs. Answer: A. Although incandescent light bulbscontain glass, they also contain other materials and are not suitable forrecycling. Pitch them in the trash.

Typewriter.Answer: A. Unless it’s too big to fit into your trash cart – in which caseyou’d need a 65¢ tag – treat it like ordinarygarbage.

Evergreen wreath. Answer: C. Natural wreathsare considered to be yardwaste and may be disposedof in your yard waste cart,but you should take off any decorative ribbons orother materials.

Syringes.Answer: A. Syringes may be disposed of in yourgarbage, but they should be put into a heavy plasticbottle which is sealed shutand clearly marked “do not recycle.”

Clamshell packaging.Answer: B. Clear clamshellpackaging is composed of a plastic which is well suitedto recycling. Separate out any cardboard inserts and place them in yourrecycling cart.

Wire clothes hangers.Answer: A. Although theyare made of steel, metalclothes hangers are notsuitable for recycling as are food cans. Takethem back to the cleaners.

Oven.Answer: D. Ovens and other major appliances are eligible for curbsidepickup using the tag system. You’ll need a $10appliance tag for this one.

Plastic bottles. Answer: B. Plastic bottles are well suited for recycling, so rinsethem out and put themin your recycling cart.


Cranberrytoday19

PUBLIC WORKS

Cranberry Township’s annual fire hydrant and distribution system flushing program is now underway. It is a regularmaintenance operation designed to flush sediment from the water system, check fire hydrant operation, and testchlorine levels in the water lines on each street. Flushing is conducted Monday through Friday between 7:00 AM and 4:30 PM. A week-by-week schedule is included here; for detailed information on thedate for your own street, call the Township’s Customer Service Center at 724-776-4806.

Discolored water and fluctuations in water line pressure are normal during flushing. The Township advises customers to refrain from using water or doing laundry as muchas possible when discolored water is present. If the water does not clear or return to normal pressure within a reasonable time, or if service is interrupted, call the CustomerService Center.

Water System Flushing Schedule Set

April 2-6: Pennwood Place,McKinney Warehouse, KeystoneDrive, Commonwealth Drive,Residence Inn, Freedom Road from Commonwealth to Route 19,Cranberry Woods - MSA Complex,Cranberry Woods, KnockoutDevelopment, Cranberry Mall, OldMars Road between Route 19 andMcElroy Drive, UPMC MedicalCenter, Fairfield Inn, NorberryCourt, Dutilh Road south of Route 228, Dutilh Road betweenFreeport Road and Turnpike Ramp,Route 19 south of PA Turnpike toBravo’s Restaurant, AmeriSuites,Brush Creek Commons, Red RoofInn, Holiday Inn Express, MargueriteRoad, Emeryville Drive, Old MarsRoad between McElroy Drive andFranklin Road, Cranberry CommonsMall, Grandshire, Spring Meadows,Franklin Road between Old MarsRoad and Beacon Hill Drive,Hazelwood

April 9-13: McElroy Road, Fox Run,Buckingham Trail, Franklin Roadand Peace St, Franklin Ridge,Shadow Creek, Bristol Creek, St Leonards Woods, Timberline,Peters Road between Franklin Roadand Old Farm Road, Old TowneApartments, Scenic Ridge, PetersRoad between Franklin Road andBurke Road, Forest Knoll, LakeviewEstates, Walden Pond, WindwoodHeights, Crystal Springs

April 16-20: Rowan Road betweenMarshall Road and Old Farm Road,La Grande Drive, Rowan School,Rowan Towers, Leonberg Road,

Marshall Road, Geohring Road,Preserve East and West, Route 19between Freedom Road andRochester Road, Cranberry Shoppes,Walmart, Cranberry Square, Streets of Cranberry, Doyle Equipment, OgleStation, Boston Market, Jerry’s CarWash, Home Depot, Smith Drive,Route 19 from Butler Auto Auctionnorth to Kenny Ross, Victory FamilyChurch, Penn Detroit, YMCA, Route19 from Butler Auto Auction south to Lincoln Mercury, Wiegand Drive,Route 19 from Smith Drive north toGoehring Road, Goehring Roadfrom Route 19 to Marshall Road,Wisconsin Avenue, Ogle View Road,TRACO, Progress Avenue, ParkRoad, Ernie Mashuda Drive, NorthBoundary Road, Marshall Woods, On a Roll, Cranberry Water Park

April 23-27: PineHurst, EhrmanRoad, Grace Estates, Garvin Road,Foxmore, Ehrman Farms, OakviewEstates, Unionville Road, SpringfieldManor, Cranberry Business Park,Winchester Lakes, Winchester Farms,Old Route 19, Settlers Grove Phase1& 2, Glen Eden Road, Glen EdenPhase 1, Settlers Grove 3, AntlerRidge

April 30 - May 4: The Maples, Glen Eden Phase 2, Glenbrook, Glen Eden Townhouses, ManorCreek, Cedarbrook, Freshcorn Road, Glen Eden Road west ofPowell Road, Briar Creek, MadisonHeights, Glen Rape Rd, CranberryHeights, Kingsbrook

May 7-11: Rochester Road fromRoute 19 to Robinhood Drive,

Thompson Park Drive, ExecutiveDrive, Costco, Brandt Drive,Commerce Park Drive, CranberryCorporate Center, Hampton Inn,Laurelwood, Sherwood Oaks,Fernway

May 14-18: Freedom Road fromCommonwealth Drive to Thorn HillRoad (RIDC), WESCO, Rolling RoadRegency Apartments, Freedom Roadfrom Thorn Hill Road (RIDC) toParkwood Drive, Georgetown Square,Parkside Place, Carriage Drive, KiraCircle, Haine School Road, HaineSchool, Pine Ridge, Rochester Roadfrom Robinhood Drive to AlpsAvenue, Valleybrook, Deer Run, Sun Valley, Cranbrook, WoodlandsTownhouses, Kirkwood Drive, SwiftHomes, Woodlands Houses

May 21-25: Clearbrook, CranberryEstates, Ashford Manor, CranberryPointe, Cranberry West, RochesterRoad from Haine School Road toPowell Road, Kimberwicke, HarvestDrive, Holiday Drive, Powell Roadfrom Rochester Road to Blue RidgeDrive, Creekwood Commons,Creekwood, Freedom Woods

May 28 - June 1: Forest Park,Crossings, Mystic Pine Trail, Blue Ridge Estates, Berkley Manor,Hampshire Woods, Autumn Hill

June 4-8: Powell Road betweenRochester Road and Glen EdenRoad, Highland Village, Havenwood,Hunters Creek, Stonefield &Farmview, Greenfield Estates, Avery’s Field, Woodbine Estates ˜

Cranberry Township 2007 Water Distribution System Flushing Schedule


2525 Rochester Road, Suite 400Cranberry Township, PA 16066

724-776-4806www.cranberrytownship.org

Board of Supervisors

John Milius, CHAIRMAN

Chuck Caputy, VICE CHAIRMAN

Richard HadleyBruce MazzoniJohn Skorupan

Jerry Andree, TOWNSHIP MANAGER

Jill Cueni-Cohen Contributing Writer

Cindy Marzock Communications Assistant

Shelley Notaro Layout and Design

Peter Longini Director, Communications

PRSRT STDUS Postage

PAIDPermit #25

Cranberry Twp., PA

For the most up-to-date information, visit us online at www.cranberrytownship.com

Cranberrytoday20

Check It Out!There’s noneed to beembarrassedby taking out materialsthat dealwith touchytopics anymore. No

longer will a curious library staffercast a wary eye at the books on professional wrestling or sexuallytransmitted diseases or Molotovcocktails that you are about to takeout. Now patrons of the CranberryPublic Library can take out books,videos, CDs and other media fromthe library’s 90,000-plus item collec-tion using two new, very discreteautomated SelfCheck™ kiosks thatwent into operation March 1.

The new units, which were purchased by the Township alongwith a main entrance sentry alarmsystem for $39,760, reads the same barcodes and uses the sameelectromagnetic tags which werealready attached to every item in thelibrary’s collection. In addition tochecking material out of the library,the kiosks can be used to renewmaterials, alert librarians if a patronneeds assistance, print receipts andgenerate reports. Later, themachines will be programmed tocheck borrowed materials back intothe library.

A number of libraries in AlleghenyCounty and the eastern part of thestate are already using SelfCheckunits, according to Head LibrarianCarol Troese. Approximately

60 percent of the checkouts fromNorthland Library in McCandlessare done with the automated kiosks.But Cranberry’s library is the first inButler County to install the system,and it is linked to every other librarydatabase in the county, meaningthat any patron in Butler Countycan use Cranberry’s system, no matter which library card they hold.

Although it is too soon to know forsure, Troese expects that the newmachines will free her staff forother, more challenging assignmentshelping the library’s patrons. Why does she think so? “Patrons are taking to it rapidly. And theyoungsters are really enjoying it,”she said, pointing to one of the new automated stations, “they saythey’re playing ‘librarian’.” ˜


westinghouse electric to join cranberry

Documents