Slippery Rock Borough Council convened to discuss placing stop signs on Kelly Boulevard, a date for borough speed limit approval and future actions for the 466 Franklin St. property on Tuesday evening in the Borough Office building.
The council also convened in an executive session after the regularly scheduled meeting to discuss the private sale of the 100 S. Main St. lot.
100 S. Main St. lot
SJ Milliron, associate at Lutz, Pawk & Black, filled in for Solicitor Rebecca Black to discuss further measures regarding the sale of the 100 S. Main St. lot.
The council held an executive meeting tonight to discuss further details in private.
Milliron said the executive meeting was justified by PA Title 65 “Public Officers,” Section 708, Subsection 3 stating it would “be inappropriate to have this [discussion] at a public meeting.”
“We recognize that this is not a purchase or a lease [stated in 708, section 3], however we find that the principles are easily as applicable,” Milliron said, referring to the potential private sale of the lot.
Regarding the a theoretical situation of multiple ongoing negotiations for the private sale, she said the council does not “necessarily want to go that route with the borough entering into a lot of separate confidentiality agreement depending on how the negotiations go.”
“Anything we do moving forward will be with full transparency,” Campbell said. “Once we have a fully negotiated, signed, sealed, delivered deal with somebody we would divulge the terms to the public.”
Previous discussion of 100 S. Main St. was covered by The Rocket on March 3 and April 2.
Kelly Boulevard stop signs
The council suggested placing stop signs along Kelly Boulevard as a speed mitigation tactic.
President Jeff Campbell said he saw speeds of around 50 mph on the street with people utilizing it as a cut-across route.
“I really believe we need to do something,” he said. “We owe it to the citizens.”
The council vocalized support for placing stop signs but wanted to consult Solicitor Rebecca Black, who was not in attendance, and SRPD before proceeding with a possible motion.
Speed limits
Laskey stated since there is a waiting period after advertisement, the new borough speed limits passed in the last meeting will not be eligible for approval until May 21.
466 Franklin St. property
Borough Manager Christian Laskey gave an update regarding the property on Franklin Street, stating it is in the process of being boarded up. Currently, utilities are shut off and the property could head to a sheriff’s sale, according to Laskey.
Laskey also said it is not determined whether the property will be demolished and depends on discussion with the area’s housing authority. A property on New Castle Street which was previously demolished cost $30,000, something he said the borough is not likely pursue again.
Other happenings
First Energy Corporation volunteers will plant 136 trees in several areas of Slippery Rock Borough Park.
The planting will take place on Earth Day, April 22.
Slippery Rock Heritage Association was approved to organize a car cruise, the first time the borough hosted a car cruise since 2018.
SRU’s Interim Assistant Director of Communication Justin Zackal provided details on the university’s housing situation.
Zackal stated housing is 98% full this semester, compared to 101% last semester.
Spurred from the 101% housing situation last fall, Zackel said WPXI released “false media reports” stating SRU was housing students in hotels and converted office spaces.
For further details, The Rocket recently reported on the housing situation in March.
