The pool in Clairton Park will open June 6 through Aug.17 from noon to 7 p.m.

Certified operator Jessica Marlow said the opening was pushed back from Memorial Day to allow for more work to be done.

Mike Sedor Electric and Leon Cho­cinsky installed new lighting and did electrical work in the pump room and bath houses.

Pittsburgh-based Seabees from the Naval Construction Force repaired roofs and bathhouse dividers.

Other local businesses chipped in with donations for materials for other repairs.

“It was a massive amount of work,” Marlow said. “It was an impressive way of the city pulling together.”

Swim lessons and aqua aero­bics are available. There will be no night swims.

City manager Howard Bed­nar  said the pool employs 13 or 14 lifeguards, and the city is looking
into showing movies there, among other activities.

Season passes are $50 and available on-site. Daily admis­sion  is $5. Those 36 inches tall or shorter are admitted free of charge. Call 412-233-8123 or 412-233-8113 for information.

DiCresco-Parsons Ladies Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 803, will host its annual flea market on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the post, 911 N. State St. in Clairton.

Vendor table rentals are available at $10 for one table per day or $15 for two tables per day.

For more information or to reserve a table, call Francie Scruggs at 412-233-0845.

Clairton school official explains final figures all depend on assessments 

BY MICHAEL DIVITTORIO

Clairton City School District resi­dents are expected to see a reduction in their real estate tax rates, but may pay a higher bill because of Allegheny County reassessments.

School directors unanimously approved a preliminary budget at Wednesday night’s meeting with a millage rate of 75.4 mills for land and 7.5 mills for buildings. It reflects reduc­tions  of 4.6 mills for land from the current 80-mill rate, and no change for buildings.

Proposed revenue is listed at $14,296,146 with expenses at $14,490,407, leaving a $194,261 shortfall. The district is filling the financial hole with money from its $526,001 fund balance.

District business manager Chuck Lanna said residents should focus on their property assessments and not
just the millage rate when it comes to factoring their tax bills.

“The single biggest factor as to whether it’s going to be higher or lower is not the millage rate, it’s going to be the assessed value,” Lanna said. “If someone’s assessed value went up by more than 25 percent, and a lot of people’s did, their total tax bill is going to go up. If their assessed value went up by less than 25 percent, chances are it is going to go down ... If someone gets an 80 percent increase in their assessed value, no matter what you do with mill­age rates, their taxes are going to go up because their assessed value went up so
much.”

Lanna said the total assessed value of the district’s 5,000-plus taxable proper­ties  went up by roughly 23 percent.

Lanna said the district hopes to get updated figures from the county prior to the budget’s scheduled final adop­tion  on June 25.

He anticipates a slight reduction in millage for buildings, and setting 77 mills for land at that time.

School board president Richard Liv­ingston said the district may need to look into reopening the budget or seek some form of relief through Allegh­eny  County courts should the county figures and millage rates prove trouble­some.

“I don’t want to pass a budget that we’re requiring a millage rate, and that millage rate is not going to cover the bills we have,” Livingston said.

Lanna said there are “strict limita­tions”  on reopening a budget.

One significant assessment decrease currently being appealed is that of U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works
plant.

Livingston said its assessment dropped from $14.5 million to $2.5 mil­lion,  changing the payment to the dis­trict  from $360,000 to $20,000.

The district hired Ira Weiss earlier this year as special counsel for the appeal, and to perform an appraisal of the U.S. Steel property.

Tax bills will be sent out the first week of July.

Michael DiVittorio is a staff writer for Trib Total  Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext.  1965, or
[email protected].

 

REMINDER:  CLAIRTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 5KRUN / 2 MILEWALK IS TOMORROW MORNING.

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013

Registration begins 8AM at Clairton Park Swimming Pool

Run begins promptly at 9AM

Entry Fees: 

$25 – Adult Registration
 
$15 – Age 17 and under

You can find your Ballot and Voting Poll at the following site.  Just enter your street address and zip code.
Remember that Republicans need to "write-in" their choices for Clairton's elected positions as the candidates are running as Democrats.

http://www.smartvoter.org/

Information from the Candidates can be found on the page:  http://www.myclairton.com/election-2013-blog.html

MAY THE BEST CANDIDATE WIN!

Was a great day at the KABOOM playground project.  A lot of the people there were from our neighboring communities.  Thank you all
for your support!  Loved seeing the young kids there doing what they could to help.

http://triblive.com/mobile/4040851-96/playground-clairton-kaboom

The Redevolpment Authority meeting scheduled for May 23 has been moved to May 30 at 6pm. This is allowing a little more time to get things in order for the June 3rd tax sale.

Time to check the community calendar to see what has been added.  Mark your personal calendars for those events you are interested in attending.  Click on the events for the details.  Note that many of these events don't list an "end time" so the default is 1 hour.

http://www.myclairton.com/calendar-of-events.html

MAYORAL CANDIDATE RICHARD L FORD III

CANDIDATE FOR COUNCIL THIRD WARD - LEE (LEVINA) LASICH

Clairton mayoral contest a race to the bitter end (Daily News Article)

A letter from Candidate Rich Lattanzi

Introduction to Election 2013 Blog

http://www.myclairton.com/election-2013-blog.html

Clairton's PNC bank is scheduled to close in August. 

A Town Hall meeting is being held on Thursday, May 16th at 6:00 p.m. (doors open at 5:30)

Come hear the details and sign the petition to keep PNC in Clairton