Vandergrift Council tables issue of joining Alle-Kiski Intergovernmental Council

Tight finances have prompted Vandergrift Council to delay joining the Alle-Kiski Intergovernmental Council.

Action on joining the group of local communities, part of Westmoreland County’s first sub-regional plan, was tabled following a discussion at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

The Westmoreland County Planning Department established the council last year to provide a way to help local communities save money and respond to community needs through things such as joint purchasing, and sharing services and equipment.

According to its website, “The Council serves as a forum for the identification of intergovernmental issues, facilitates agreements and actions for specific programs and projects, and administers these activities as agreed to by its member governments.”

Members of the council include Allegheny Township, Arnold, East Vandergrift, Lower Burrell, New Kensington, Upper Burrell, Washington Township and West Leechburg.

Councilman Tom Holmes questioned if council could afford to pay the $967 membership fee, which is not included in the borough budget, and how much it would benefit the borough.

“Every month we come here with something that isn’t in the budget,” Holmes said.

Holmes said council has a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers to not spend money the borough doesn’t have.

He noted that the public works department already has spent 71% of its budget for fuel thanks to inflation and there are still five months left in the year. Borough Manager Steve DelleDonne also said that police overtime costs have jumped.

Holmes argued that paying the membership fee with five months left in the calendar year would not give Vandergrift its money’s worth, and he didn’t see a pressing need to join the group.

“I don’t think we are going to die on the vine in five months,” he said, “plus it will give the solicitor that time to look this over.”

Councilwoman Daisha Clayton, who has attended the Intergovernmental Council meetings with fellow council members Jody Sarno and Marilee Kessler, said the council does not fiscally operate on the calendar year. She said its fiscal year is from July 1 to June 30, so the borough would be getting the benefit of membership for the whole year.

Sarno also noted that the intergovernmental group has reduced its fees by half in response to reservations by some communities.

Uskuraitis said the regional approach to local governance is the wave of the future.

Holmes acknowledged that.

“I’m not against it, I just want to do it right,” he said. “I just want to make sure we go into this right and that we’re able to fund it.”

The issue was tabled until the August meeting to give the solicitor time to review the council’s proposed resolution and the budget committee time to find $967 in the budget to pay for the dues.