Dunbar names new engineering firm | News

“When we reorganized, we tabled their reappointment because we had a lot of money on the table with projects and grant funds that we were waiting on, but that money has come through.”

Bartholomai said the borough had some concerns.

One council concern is a seeming change in repaving specifications previously agreed upon for Connellsville Street.

Two projects are taking place causing streets to be torn up: installation of gas lines and replacement of water lines.

Once the projects are finished, the respective companies are responsible for road repairs in the work areas.

Mayor Andy Lowry said council originally met with Columbia Gas about its proposed project, and both parties agreed on stipulations and specifications related to the work.

Once it was certain Columbia Gas would move forward with the project, the borough contacted the North Fayette County Municipal Authority.

Lowry said the authority previously expressed interest in replacing lines, and the timing might be right if the water line work occurred at the same time streets were opened for the Columbia Gas project.

Lowry said the authority and Columbia Gas determined how repaving responsibilities would be shared. He said the borough was not involved in the meeting.

Doug Deal, a Columbia Gas project manager, said the company and the authority agreed to shared restoration of some streets, including Connellsville Street.

“When we met with Columbia Gas, we had agreed on a 2-inch milling and 2-inch overlay,” Bartholomai said. “But when we met with the water authority at our last meeting, they said they were just going to scratch coat and put a one-and-a-half-inch overlay on top.

“But that’s not what we agreed on with you guys, and we just want to make sure that you guys are communicating with the water authority and we’re all on the same page.”

Carla Parkes, a Columbia Gas public affairs representative, assured council the company met with the water company to ensure a plan is in place before repaving begins.

Bartholomai said Dunbar’s Widmer representative is the authority engineering representative. Council worried it may be a conflict of interest.

“Part of our conversation with him last meeting was that we had agreed on a 2-inch topcoat, but he decided that we only needed a one-and-a-half-inch topcoat,” Bartholomai said.

“You can’t just change the work that was agreed upon to appease one party or another.”

Bartholomai said he was concerned with lack of information from the engineering company regarding ongoing projects, including the paving project on Short Street.

“There’s never any reports and there’s no information on any of our projects,” he said. “It’s time we move on and really be accountable to protecting the interests of our residents.”

Councilman Rob Grover agreed that having the same engineer representing the borough and the authority could be a conflict of interest.

“We don’t want our citizens to pay for a bad decision that we made,” he said. 

Jim Stanton of McMillen Engineering will serve as borough engineer.

In other business, Lowry suggested council consider paving such other streets as High Street and Susan Street, while the paving is in town.

“If we don’t have the money, we should look into the low-interest loans through the county commissioners’ program,” he said.

Bartholomai said a PennDOT representative told him the borough would be a good candidate for an annual grant program should council undertake a project to reopen Bryson Street.

Council agreed to consider both suggestions.

Lowry said the American Legion post has less than 10 members, all of which are older. He is hopeful younger veterans consider joining the organization to bolster the organization.