SUMMER 2013

Community Days 2013: What A Difference! From beginning to end, Cranberry’s of the world’s most advanced producers 2013 Community Days will be unlike of fireworks – which will be held in any other. mid-August at Coopers Lake in Slippery Rock. In previous years, for example, the conclusion of Community Days was Throughout the three-day event, guests marked with fireworks starting around will also be amazed at another high- 9:30 on Saturday evening. This year, profile spectacle. Several local knitting though, that fireworks spectacle circles including St. Ferdinand’s ‘God’s promises to be absolutely breathtaking. Precious Preemies’ group and the Butler drawings prepared by visitors to the That’s because, in addition to marking County Spinners and Weavers Guild, park. Using special software to create the culmination of Cranberry’s annual will be enveloping as many as ten fully a pictorial montage out of hundreds celebration of nonprofit and civic grown trees in Community Park with of smaller images drawn at various groups, it will also be the first public thematic knit creations. stations in Community Park, the finished preview of the 2013 Pyrotechnics Guild Another of Community Days’ Art in the mosaic will form a permanent addition International conference – a gathering Park features will be the construction to Cranberry’s public art collection. of an oversize mural crafted There will also be a difference in the from individual chalk layout of events in Community Park. In previous years, booths and attractions were distributed across the upper, lower, and mid-levels of the park. This year, however, the entire celebration will be held on the lower level – the largest and most accessible part of the park – where as many as 250 booth spaces will be available, up from 165 last year. This year the entire celebration will be Once again this year, Community Days held on the lower level – the largest will showcase a full-feature carnival including all the rides, games, and and most accessible part of the park. Continued on page 2.

A Publication of Inside This Issue: Municipal Center Renovations...... 3 Cranberry Highlands...... 10 Library...... 4 Calendar...... 12 Supervisor’s Commentary ...... 5 Engineering...... 15 Grace Community Church ...... 6 Public Safety...... 16 Business Profile...... 7 Community Development...... 18 In Briefs...... 8 Fire Company...... 20 Seneca Valley...... 9 Public Works...... 22 724-776-4806 www.cranberrytownship.org Community Days 2013: What A Difference! Continued from front cover attractions which were there in 2012. value treasure hunts are already of the Associated Artists of Butler But on Thursday evening, in place of a underway. The Cranberry Lions Club County will be featured at a cocktail traditional concert, a Broadway revue will hold its annual pancake breakfast party Wednesday evening. And Froggy will be presented as a possible run up on Saturday morning. American Heart Radio will be hosting an assortment of to the formation of a community-based Association’s Bean Bag tournament will musical events throughout the entire nonprofit theatre group. take place Friday. Thursday’s car cruise celebration. will be followed by an open-air movie The traditional Saturday morning 5k The only thing that hasn’t changed is at the Rotary Amphitheater this year. race, which previously focused on the admission charge: zero – it’s still Westinghouse will be hosting a golf raising funds for local libraries, is free – although various civic groups will outing benefitting Cranberry’s volunteer being expanded this year to benefit be collecting $5 parking fee donation fire company at Cranberry Highlands on any charitable organization chosen each day to help support CTCC’s 2014 Wednesday morning. Works by members by its registered runners. Three high- community project of the year. ˜

Cranberry’s Concert Series Hits A High Note Cranberry’s 2013 Community Park concert series opened unusually early with a concert by the eight-member ensemble Street Level on June 13. Then, following a month-long break, the series is scheduled to resume with an assortment of open-air concerts between July 18 and August 15. Attendance, which is open to all and requires no reservations, is free of charge, and so is the parking. All concerts begin at 7:00 PM at the park’s Rotary Amphitheatre. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets, or other personal items for their own comfort. Cranberry Rotary will have refreshments available for sale. Musical artists scheduled to perform in the series include: July 18. The Holidays. all over the greater Pittsburgh area, August 8. Mahajibee Blues. Although the last of its original is known for its high-energy sound Mahajibee Blues is a no-nonsense, artists has retired, this reborn and its repertoire of classic and five-member blues band from 1950s ensemble from Pittsburgh contemporary jazz, swing, blues, Pittsburgh which has been delivering includes four vocalists and five and Latin numbers. its own brand of hard-working blues instrumentalists who continue to tour, since 2000. August 1. Finally Free. record CDs, open for national acts, Finally Free is a five piece August 15. Christian Beck Band. and perform the music of the ‘50s, Pittsburgh-based band that performs Country singing isn’t Freedom ‘60s, and ‘70s at venues throughout original compositions and cover resident Christian Beck’s only the region. songs from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, musical interest. His original music is July 25. Big Fat Jazz. as well as more recent selections. also influenced by R&B, alternative, This Springdale-based, 18-member Its concerts offer a powerful mix of classic rock, and southern rock. band, whose performers come from high-energy classic rock music. Lunchtime concert series lineup For three Fridays in a row, lunch hours in Cranberry will be accompanied by musical artists performing in the Rotary Gazebo, on the lawn of the Municipal Center. The concerts – which will be moved inside the building in the event of rain – begin at noon and are free of charge. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and lawn chairs. August 2. Charlie Stayduhar, August 9. George Suhon. Guitarist, August 16. Pittsburgh Banjo Club. wearing Old Blue Eye’s signature keyboardist, and singer George The Club’s ensemble, which also fedora and with a website Suhon’s eclectic repertoire includes includes trumpets, tubas, and bass, proclaiming him as Pittsburgh’s Best old time standards, country two-step, performs sing-alongs, vocals, and Sinatra Tribute Artist, will offer a country and western, swing, doo-wop, banjo solos, as well as polkas and program of Sinatra classics. classic rock, disco, funk and polka. Dixieland.

PAGE 2 Cranberrytoday Municipal Center Mulls Modifications Sometime in the next few years, visitors are likely to need a new map to navigate Cranberry’s Municipal Center. The gradual evolution of the Township’s 93,000 square foot building, which morphed from a metal foundry in the 1980s into a versatile, multi-purpose community center, is continuing. And Township officials are once again contemplating significant changes to parts of its floor plan.

The Township’s 2011 bond issue provided the funding, at record low interest rates, to undertake a series of projects including remodeling parts of the Municipal Center.

No final decisions have been made, do. Parks & Recreation but three departments, in particular, announced that it wanted could find themselves following a the use of a room smaller Air space. Immediately adjacent to the library, the new carefully choreographed series of moves than the current gymnasium fresh-air Mazzoni Reading Garden will open later this intended to allow normal operations as for active programs, as summer. their spaces undergo renovation and well as a more public- expansion. The Library, Preschool, and facing customer service the Municipal Center. Then, around Parks & Recreation department are desk away from the heavily travelled that same time, the library secured a among the leading candidates for space indoor walking path. And the library Keystone matching grant of $260,000, alteration. offered that it really, really needed as well as a bequest from a former more room to accommodate its Impetus for the building renovations resident of Sherwood Oaks, to upgrade steadily growing demand for meetings, grew out of Cranberry’s 2008 its facility. That convergence helped to presentations, and tutoring space, in comprehensive plan. Part of that effort sharpen the planning effort’s focus. addition to several mechanical system included evaluating the best uses for Although the planning process has replacements. Municipal Center space freed up by not yet concluded, one early priority the relocation of the Township’s Public Then things began falling into place. The that emerged is an open-air reading Safety Department. Township’s 2011 bond issue provided garden, just outside the library. Although the funding, at record low interest primarily planned as a quiet space for The Township’s preschool, for example, rates, to undertake a series of projects patrons to sit in the shade and enjoy a volunteered that it needed a better including a Public Safety training good book, the Mazzoni Reading Garden drop-off area, as well as a facility building, water and sewer system – named for library benefactors Bruce where child-friendly bathrooms were expansions, Waterpark renovations, and Conni Mazzoni – will also be able accessible without requiring them leave and a new EMS building, with some to accommodate scheduled educational their classroom space as they currently money left for remodeling parts of programs, weather permitting. ˜

The Penalty Box. If you haven’t gotten around to paying your 2013 Butler County-Cranberry Township real estate taxes, June 30 was the last day you could do so at face value. The penalty period starts July 1 and runs thru the end of the year. On the other hand, your 2013/2014 Seneca Valley School District real estate tax bill won’t even be mailed out until August 1, and you can pay it at a two percent discount through September 30. If you have paid off your mortgage, or changed your mortgage company in the last year or are no longer using an escrow account to pay your property taxes, please contact tax collector P.J. Lynd at 724-776-1103 to make arrangements.

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 3 LIBRARY The Fiction Of The Modern Library “This isn’t your grandmother’s library,” learn in all kinds of ways. They learn Cranberry head librarian Leslie Pallotta through reading, they learn through Fact or tells her visitor, without a trace of hearing, they learn through visual fiction? sentimentality. “It’s not a ‘shoosh’ kind means, and they can learn through Some public of place. We aren’t quiet anymore.” doing.” libraries are moving In fact, with its growing roster of Creating spaces that will allow the biographies lectures, meetings, tutorials, crafts and library to sustain that mission into the formerly related social activities, Cranberry’s 21st century is a key objective of the classified as public library can sometimes be a library’s space renovations which will non-fiction to downright chaotic place. But, according begin by the end of this year, thanks their fiction to Ms. Pallotta, that chaos is an to a $230,000 matching Keystone shelves. authentic reflection of the way public grant. They include a larger meeting reference collection. But a core function libraries in America actually operated room which can be partitioned into two of professional librarians – appropriately in the 19th and early 20th centuries. spaces; three or four small quiet study vetting, cataloging and indexing its rooms, a programmable outdoor reading “Libraries have come full circle,” holdings – will remain. garden, and a consolidation of its she said. “If you look at the original “Lynn Henkel is our cataloger, and I joke circulation and reference desk areas. Carnegie Libraries – and you’ll see a all the time that the catalogers are truly fantastic example in Homestead – they Shifting gears the ones that have all the power in the have bowling alleys, swimming pools, library because they determine where It will also be reflected in an ongoing dance halls, theatres, and so on. And everything gets shelved,” Pallotta said. shift in the library’s collections away then there was the book component. “The best example of that lately is the from costly reference books like Lance Armstrong story. Do we suddenly encyclopedias and instead toward more move his biographies and the other Public libraries were not built non-traditional and non-print media. The books about him from Sports to Fiction? library’s website will continue to extend to be warehouses for books; In our library, we didn’t choose to do its service into something more closely that. But we’re watching the discussion they were built for people. resembling a 24/7 type of operation. to see what happens. And its subscription databases – many of which are purchased through county, “A huge part of what we do is to get The original public libraries were not regional and state library associations people reliable information. So we use built to be warehouses for books; they – will remain as pillars of its online sources that we consider to be reliable,” were built for people. And now I think service. she said. “And when the definitive book we’ve come full circle. that somebody is certainly going to write Print fiction, however, will always be a “Does that mean we’ll do swimming on the Lance Armstrong fallacy finally mainstay of the public library, she noted. pools and bowling alleys again? comes out, it will go into the non-fiction In fact, its ability to stock up on best- Probably not. But there’s a need for collection. But will it be next to his selling fiction may even enjoy a boost meeting spaces. Libraries are in the autobiography? I don’t know; we’ll have from its shift away from spending on its lifelong learning business, and people to decide that when the time comes.” ˜

Enjoy Martinis with Monet. Art aficionados will be gathering for the second annual Martinis with Monet cocktail reception for local artists and their work on Wednesday evening, July 10, from 7:00 to 9:00 in the Cranberry Public Library. Admission – which includes a voucher for a drink and snack – is just $10. Tickets can be purchased online from the CTCC website, at the Customer Service Desk in the Municipal Center, or at the door of the reception for $12. One lucky person attending the event, which is a joint project of the Associated Artists of Butler County and CTCC, will be awarded this original watercolor by artist Mary Kay Richardson, valued at $1,000. Martinis with Monet marks the official unveiling of the association’s Invitational Art Exhibit. The event was created to benefit the work of AABC and strengthen the fine arts community in southern Butler County. ˜ PAGE 4 Cranberrytoday SUPERVISOR’S COMMENTARY The Soul Of A Community by Bruce Mazzoni, Chairman, Cranberry Township Supervisor

What makes a Like many parents, we spent evenings residents with the same interests and community a at the parks watching our kids’ ball involvement. desirable place games. Our children’s sports formed our When our family was young, we took to live? What own social connections. Even today, we for granted the parkland and fields that draws people to have great friends who we met through others before us had worked for so stake their future in it? Are communities the sports programs. And the activities hard so that our generation could enjoy. whose residents feel more attached for families have only gotten better over Now, paying it forward, what can we do better off? Great schools, affordable the last few decades. Back then, all our to help the next generation of families health care, low taxes and safe streets games were in one park – Community coming into our community? all help create strong communities, but Park; today we have three beautiful is there something deeper that draws parks. Bloomberg BusinessWeek Within the last week or two, you should people, makes them want to put down recently ranked Cranberry as the best have received the CTCC Annual Report roots and build a life here in Cranberry? place to raise kids in Pennsylvania, in the mail. In the back of the report and I saw another ranking that put it names more than 650 people who Gallup and the Knight Foundation Cranberry 4th in the country! volunteered at least 50 hours last year launched the Soul of the Community – some as many as 2,000. In addition, project in 2008 with these questions As our kids got older, we became it listed more than 50 nonprofit and in mind. After interviewing close to more involved in volunteering and civic organizations that would love to 43,000 people in 26 communities community service. Over the last dozen have you as a member or a volunteer. If over three years, the study found that or so years, I’ve had the opportunity to you missed your copy in the mail, there three main drivers attach people to a meet many people who volunteer for are more available at various locations place: 1) Openness (how welcoming one of our 50-plus nonprofit and civic throughout the Municipal Center. a place is), 2) Aesthetics (its physical organizations. And I find with every one appearance and green spaces), 3) of them that they have formed close Sense of Community goes hand and Social connections with others in the social connections to our community hand with fulfillment of heart. The more community (sense of community). though their involvement. For them, you lose yourself in something bigger ‘sense of community’ refers to their than yourself, the more fulfillment you Cranberry ranks very high in all three volunteer efforts for the organizations will find. drivers. We welcome everyone at our they support and to meeting likeminded ˜ borders in multiple languages and make a strong effort to reach out to those who come from other areas. With our Knowing you are helping to create a better community Township’s streetscape requirements, interconnecting sidewalks and is only a fraction of the fulfillment you feel when you expanding parks, the aesthetics of volunteer. our community continue to improve. And finally, in our social connections, we also continue to improve. However ‘Sense of Community’ means different things to different people. As young residents back in the mid-1980’s, my wife and I were deeply impressed by the programs available for our kids. We used to show our out-of-town friends Cranberry’s Parks & Rec program guide, and they were shocked to see that our community had so many activities, let alone that we sent out the booklets several times a year.

You can reach Bruce Mazzoni by email at [email protected]

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 5 Serving The Community With Grace Matt Kaltenberger, the lead pastor of already hit 20,000. And congregants going to do that again; they wanted to Grace Community Church, isn’t content are encouraged to create their own serve some more. We had somehow just to preach the virtues of loving one’s projects by identifying ways they can talked them into thinking that the only neighbor and caring for those in pain. serve others – particularly including time they needed to serve was on Serve Along with his pastoral colleagues, he’s individuals in need – who may not have Day. So we had to blow that model up.” committed to reaching out and backing made the official list. Next year the church is considering a his 12-year old ministry’s mission of 100:100 challenge. compassion with serious time and The congregation has “When we first started, people were money. And so are those attending his saying ‘tell me what to do and I’ll do it. church’s non-denominational services, pledged to serve its And if you don’t come up with a project who currently number somewhere north home community with for me, then I’m just going to sit here of 2,000. 50,000 volunteer hours and wait.’ And our response was: ‘You That outside-the-box attitude is have a neighbor who needs help. You reflected in Grace Church’s new – the equivalent of live in a community. You go out’,” he Marshall Road building, which rejects 25 full-time workers – said. such predictable architectural trappings “But for the longest time, people would as a steeple, stained glass windows, through the end say ‘yeah, I coach football but I never or a grand sanctuary. The ministry of 2013. thought of that as helping somebody.’ doesn’t want to become building-driven, Well, you’re helping to shape the lives of Rev. Kaltenberger explains. little boys and little girls for the future. In Cranberry it has included hundreds of The fast-growing congregation, whose So absolutely that’s helping people. donated hours in support of Community theology inspires the faithful to make a Or, ‘I sit on a board in the community Days, the Kids Castle Playground, difference in their community, has led and I go to the meetings every other and other activities associated with to a surge in public service benefitting week, but I never thought of that as Cranberry Township Community Chest, individuals as well as organizations in making a difference.’ So it was actually CTCC. But it also involves youth sports need throughout Cranberry and the talking people into realizing why they coaching, charitable fund-raisers, a surrounding area. It has also backed do the things they do and what kind of variety of feeding programs, transitional that donated labor with church funds. difference it makes by doing them.” housing, urban youth programs, clothing They call it the 50:50 Challenge. drives, elderly care, and more. “Whether it’s coaching Little League This year alone, the church pledged Baseball, helping my elderly neighbor Year-round service $50,000 out of its operating budget mow her yard, or shoveling snow for the to benefit local non-profit agencies It is a pattern of engagement which is old folks home – the sky’s the limit,” he and groups it identified. In addition to continuing to evolve. “It has morphed for said. “I want to go out there and make that, the congregation has pledged to us,” Kaltenberger acknowledged. “We a positive difference in my world. And serve its home community with 50,000 used to shut down our normal services it starts from the top down. We need volunteer hours – the equivalent of 25 for one weekend a year and go out into to proclaim it in our personal lives so full-time workers – through the end of the community – all of us. And then people will know that this is a core 2013. By the start of June, its tally had people began to wonder when we were value of what Grace Community Church believes. That’s who we are; we’re not here to make budgets, take in money or build bigger buildings.” ˜

Men of Grace. Grace Community Church executive pastor Allan Osterwise, left, lead pastor Matt Kaltenberger, center, and family pastor Bob Zonts, right, minister to a fast growing flock whose contributions to the Cranberry community have lately taken on biblical proportions.

PAGE 6 Cranberrytoday BUSINESS PROFILE US Liner Company: Number One With A Bullet Talk about high-impact advertising. U.S. market for material lining the interiors of A few years back, when Cranberry- refrigerated trailers, as based US Liner Company rolled out a well as about 15 percent new composite material for lining the of the world market for interior walls of highway trailer trucks, refrigerated shipping rail cars and shipping containers, the containers. That’s a company’s chief took a gun to it. One by huge shift for an industry one, CEO Michael LaRocco took aim and which, until recently, had shot a series of product samples with a only used steel, wood .38 caliber pistol, leaving them largely or fiberglass reinforced intact, but each with a bullet lodged plastic to protect the inside. Then Jeff Meek, the company’s Check it out. US Liner V.P. of Sales and Marketing Jeff containers along with Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Meek, left, and company CEO Michael LaRocco, inspect their cargo. mailed the samples to prospective composite sheet coming off the lamination press in the customers along with a message: “If it Turning up the volume firm’s Cranberry plant. Variations of the rugged material can stop a bullet, think what it can do are used to protect interior compartments on refrigerated With three nearby plants – trailers and shipping containers worldwide. with a fork lift truck.” in Cranberry, Harmony, and The response was immediate. Everyone Zelienople – the company the markets that are biggest.” And who made trailers or containers wanted operates 24/7. About 200 employees, containers for transporting freight may to have some of that in their equipment, working four staggered shifts a day, be the biggest of them all. too. produce around 60 million square feet “In the U.S., a lot of trailer of lining composite a year. Even the “When we’d demo this stuff, they’d manufacturing is done in the Midwest 2008 recession failed to put a dent in find the biggest guy in the shop, who’d and southeast,” he noted. “And we its market, which last year accounted grab giant hammers and try to crack sell all over the world – to China, for sales in excess of $50 million. But it,” Meek explained. “We’ve snapped Europe, South America.” But why to accommodate that growth, more help hammer heads; we’ve had people choose Cranberry and southwestern is needed. The company is currently almost get hurt on these demos. It’s just Pennsylvania for a business home? amazing. But even if something does recruiting new employees both locally “I’m a Penn State grad, from upstate happen, by simply adding heat, you can and for an anticipated new plant in the New York,” LaRocco, explained. “I shape it and apply repair patches and Ohio-Michigan-Indiana area, where most didn’t want to go back to New York, fix it.” of the nation’s recreational vehicles are made. and I needed a place that was centrally Today, US Liner, which was formed in located. If you drew a 500-mile circle Of course, in addition to trailers, freight the early ‘90s and with headquarters on around Pittsburgh when I moved here in containers, RV floors and siding, Leonberg Road, owns roughly half the 1985, it would encompass 70 percent the impact-resistant qualities of the of the U.S. population.” So he opened company’s lining materials can also up shop in Pittsburgh’s Manchester benefit other applications including Today, US Liner, with head- district, eventually relocating to sports equipment, boats, aviation, Ambridge. But in 2005, the Cranberry quarters on Leonberg Road, military, safety gear and construction. facility with its unmatched highway In fact, at one time or another, US owns roughly half the U.S. access, became available. Liner actually dabbled in each of those market for material lining the markets. But that’s not the company’s “The Cranberry plant is a very nice interiors of refrigerated trailers. sweet spot. upgrade from where we were in Ambridge,” Meek observed. “It’s a good “We’re all about volume,” LaRocco But to accommodate that facility; it’s a clean facility. It works. And pointed out. “We don’t participate in I live just five miles from the plant, here growth, more help is needed. those specialty markets. We’ve chosen in Cranberry.” to allocate most of our capacity to ˜ Although widely known for its retail businesses, Cranberry is also becoming an important technology center. Each issue of CranberryToday features the profile of a different local technology company and offers a glimpse into the Township’s emerging economy.

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 7 IN BRIEFS The Coffee’s Hey, Kids! Like Playing Football? On Us Seneca Valley Would Like To Have Cranberry’s popular Your Head Examined Community Coffee series will continues with plenty The hyper-violent, bone-crushing tackles which, until recently, were endlessly of hot java and informal looped in NFL promotional videos, have fallen out of favor. Instead, public conversation with Cranberry concern over concussions suffered by athletes has exploded during the past Township Manager Jerry Andree. This few years. And their impact on child athletes, for whom the potential damage casual series of community-based can be life-altering, has become a particular focus of that concern. conversations, held monthly at different In response, lawmakers in Harrisburg and elsewhere have enacted legislation sites throughout the Township, provides to set standards for managing concussions in young athletes. In keeping with local residents with an opportunity to hear the new laws, school districts and community athletic leagues have put new first-hand what Cranberry’s municipal programs for monitoring head injuries and recovering from concussions into government is thinking about doing, place. what it’s working on now, what it has recently completed, and to pose their own This spring, Seneca Valley Junior Football and Cheer Association, SVJFAC, questions to the Manager. There is no announced its own Comprehensive Concussion Awareness Program for charge to attend any of the events, and football players and cheerleaders ages 10 to 14, in partnership with UPMC. no reservations are required. The schedule A fundamental part of it involves neurocognitive testing to learn, for each for this season’s get-togethers includes: individual child, what their normal, non-concussed condition is like. Variables include memory, attention, reaction time, and the speed of mental processing. Tuesday, July 23, 10:00 AM at BC3, 250 Executive Drive, next to the Post In the event a concussion were to occur, the results of the child’s annual or Office; bi-annual assessments of these factors would form a baseline of normalcy. It could then be used to determine the severity of the injury, the necessary Friday, August 2, at 12:00 Noon in medical treatment, and the student’s timeline for return to active play. conjunction with the Friday Lunchtime Concert in the Gazebo, followed by In late April, a number of SVJFAC parents 1:00 iced tea and cookies in the Sample brought their children in for baseline testing, Schoolhouse on the Municipal Center free of charge, at the CCAC North Campus front lawn; and in McCandless, under the supervision of UPMC Sports Medicine professionals. That Thursday, September 12, 10:00 AM, assessment program will continue in seasons at the Brush Creek Wastewater Treatment to come. More information is available on the Plant, 2306 Powell Road, near the corner SVJFAC website at www.svjrfootball.org. of Powell Road and Glen Eden. ˜ ˜

North Boundary Park Expands Cranberry’s Board of Supervisors approved an agreement to acquire two parcels of land adjacent to North Boundary Park from the Reynolds family. The two properties, which total just over 6.5 acres, would extend the park all the way through to Goehring Road. The two properties, which abut the southeastern corner of the park, would provide space for such future uses as a new public access road, trails, an adult softball field, community gardens, a basketball court, a picnic pavilion, park storage and parking. The sales agreement for the two properties stipulates a combined purchase price of $555,000. ˜

PAGE 8 Cranberrytoday NEXT STEPS Seneca Valley Foundation embarks on second year with hopes and promises

By Seneca Valley Communications Department

A little over a year ago, we introduced you to the Seneca Over the last few years, something special has taken shape in Valley Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation the Seneca Valley Schools as we’ve inched higher and higher dedicated to encouraging excellence and innovation in in the regional and state public school rankings. But how do the Seneca Valley Schools. we become one of the best? We need to be doing things for students and for education that we haven’t done before. We We are proud to report that our inaugural year was very need to come up with creative ways to help our students and successful largely due to the help and contributions of the staff achieve greater success. Since 2005, Seneca Valley has many community members who make up our thriving school risen from 43 to its current position of 12 (out of 105) in the district. Because of your generous donations, we were able Pittsburgh Business Times’ ranking of regional schools. We to provide Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) have risen from 99 to 43 in our state rankings (out of 501), mini-grants to assist students with high-intensity projects as all the while being one of the most conservative spending part of our STEM Science Fair. We have also donated funds districts in the state. to the elementary schools so they may purchase literacy materials for the classroom. For the award-winning Seneca Together, we can continue this progression forward. With Valley Marching Band, we have donated proceeds to help every new donation, the opportunities to improve our district them replace uniforms that have been worn for 13 years now. open wider. The more our community gives to the foundation, the more our foundation can do for our schools, and the All good work. However, there’s so much more to be done closer we get to being the best in the region and state. And and this is where we need your help. that is an incredible gift to give to children, to families and to Future contributions to the Seneca Valley Foundation are your community. expected to help facilitate the development of student We thank you for joining us and are genuinely appreciative scholarships, elementary and secondary programs and new of your assistance. Whether you participate in our upcoming capital projects. And because of your contributions, we are golf outing or are planning to donate directly, we thank you able to tell our students, our families and our community that for giving “The Gift of Hope, The Promise of Excellence.” we are forging ahead confidently.

Seneca Valley Foundation Gift of Hope Golf Classic August 20, 2013 Cranberry Highlands Golf Course Cranberry Township

For more information and/or to register, visit the SV Foundation Website at: www.svsd.net/svfoundation

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 9 CRANBERRY HIGHLANDS Cranberry Highlands Open Is July 22 Now in its fourth year, the Cranberry seven players to advance to Section’s Highlands Open golf tournament Match Play tournaments which, in turn, will be held on Monday, July 22, for lead to national PGA championship members of the Tri-State section of games. Prize money is also offered to the PGA as well as for amateur golfers the Open’s top player; last year it was with a documented handicap of eight $1,500. Application forms are available strokes or less. At least 100 players are on the Cranberry Highlands website. expected to take part in the tournament Participation requires a $95 entry fee – the largest single-day event that for amateurs, and all entries must be Cranberry Highlands holds each year. received by July 9. Doing well at the Open qualifies the top ˜

Cranberry Highlands Introduces Smartcarts They’re nice, but will they take all the in motor vehicles, the mobile golf at Cranberry Highlands are currently fun out of the game? information system also uses a outfitted with the devices, made by cellular phone network to track and GPS Industries using the company’s Golfers playing the award-winning display real-time tournament play, Visage System brand name. In Cranberry Highlands links this year as well as hospitality services, while addition to enhancing the players’ will have an advantage never before delivering highly detailed views of experience with information including available to first-time visitors: a cart- every feature in the award-winning shot distances and scorecards, the mounted 10-inch screen which shows par 70 course. system is also used to help golf every hole of the course in sufficient course administrators track players’ detail to figure out exactly which Its messaging system even provides carts and schedule play more clubs and approaches to use for golfers the opportunity to order food efficiently. each one. for pickup as they approach the clubhouse. Commercial messages, delivered Built on the same GPS technology between holes to players via the platform which is already routine All 80 carts in the Club Car golf fleet system’s touch-screen system, are available to advertisers as well. Advertising rates are available from Golf Operations Supervisor Craig Walker. GPS golf cart technology, which has only been available since 2011, is rapidly gaining acceptance among leading golf courses across the country. And there is no charge to players for using the system at Cranberry Highlands. But anyone running amok with a cart will find themselves in trouble. That’s because the system also allows golf course administrators to disable carts which have strayed too far from their designated pathways. ˜

PAGE 10 Cranberrytoday CRANBERRY HIGHLANDS Golf Pro Jody Barrett Hits His Stride At Cranberry Highlands These days, Cranberry Highlands head golf professional Jody Barrett has his hands full, doing what he loves most. As a PGA-certified Class A Teaching Professional, Barrett is responsible for the entire slate of instructional programs offered by the Township’s award-winning golf course in 2013. They range from private lessons for individual golfers at every level of experience – which can be scheduled at any time – to group lessons and clinics held throughout June and July each summer. This year marks Barrett’s 20th anniversary as a golf professional and his sixth with Cranberry Highlands. However, he has made a livelihood of working at golf courses in different Get a grip. Cranberry Highlands PGA pro Jody Barrett, right, offers expert instruction on capacities ever since 1978, when he all aspects of golf for new players, experienced players, and everyone in between. began his career as an aspiring 16 year old golfer. “What I found was that the only thing I 100 members of PGA’s Tri-State division A Clearfield County native and graduate really like to do – of all the jobs that you competed, he finished the par 70 of Clarion State University, Barrett do as a head professional – is to teach,” course with an impressive 66 – a score became a full member of the PGA in he said. “So I’m paying forward. I get which included a two stroke penalty for 1997. His acceptance into that elite to see somebody improve the next year. an out-of-bounds shot on the second body followed a series of increasingly Or I see a little kid that I taught when hole. responsible positions in maintenance, he was ten, and all of a sudden he’s in Barrett’s individual golf instruction administration, and teaching – initially college and playing college golf because is offered by appointment only. To at different golf courses in Central I taught him how to play. So when the schedule a personalized lesson or Pennsylvania and east coast, and then opportunity here came up and I was series of lessons – which can vary in later at the renowned TPC at Sawgrass hired by Cranberry Highlands, it was frequency, duration and cost depending Country Club in Florida. It was a make- like: thank God!” on the golfer’s age and place of or-break decision. Learning to play golf well requires more residence – contact the Cranberry “I sold everything I owned and packed than just listening to what an instructor Highlands office at 724-776-7372. up and moved to Florida,” he recalled. says; more importantly, it involves doing However, in addition to offering “I didn’t want to go through life saying what the instructor actually does. It is lessons in how golf is played, Barrett ‘I could have, should have’.” And the a carefully nuanced sport, so learning is also a Certified Club Fitter who can experience brought his true passion from a skilled golfer is essential to help players select the right clubs for into sharp focus. mastering the game. And Barrett is themselves. Cranberry Highlands’ pro highly qualified for that role. shop carries equipment from most “I found that the only thing An accomplished competitive golfer, major golf manufacturers including Barrett was one of just seven golf pros irons, hybrids, driver, putters, wedges, I really like to do – of all the from the region selected to participate golf bags and golf shoes. His fitting jobs that you do as a head in the 46th Professional National sessions are $35, but they’re free Championship in Monterey, California if the equipment being fitted is professional – is to teach.” last year. During the 2012 Cranberry purchased from the Cranberry Highlands Open, in which approximately Highlands’ pro shop. ˜

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 11 COMMUNITY CALENDAR Registration may be required for some programs. For more information, call: × Cranberry Library 724-776-9100 µ Cranberry EMS 724-776-4480 * Cranberry Customer Service 724-776-4806 ü Cranberry Highlands 724-776-7372 JULY † Parks and Recreation 724-776-4806 ext. 1129 ‡ Butler Housing Authority 1-800-433-6327 MON County/Twp Taxes due at face value TUES Board of Supervisors Mtg WED Firecracker Family Night Swim Planning Advisory Commission Regular Mtg Municipal Ctr, Council Cranberry Waterpark, 9–11pm 1 Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 6pm 2 Chambers, 6:30pm 3 Housing Counseling ‡ First Editions Book Group Library, 7–8pm Picture Book Picnic Library by Appt, 2:30–4:30pm Library, 11:30am–12pm Totally Tubular Tuesday Night Swims 9pm THURS INDEPENDENCE FRI Crafty Friday SAT Farmers SUN MON TUES Picture Book Picnic DAY Library, 11am–1pm Market Library, 11:30am–12pm 4 Twp Offices & 5 Farmers Market 6 Rt.19 Fire 7 8 9 Self-Improvement Workshop Library closed Municipal Ctr, Station, Becoming Aware: Create Your 3:30–6pm 10am–1pm Future, Library, 7–8pm Totally Tubular Tuesday Night Swims 9pm Housing Counseling ‡ CTCC Community Days Carnival, CTCC Community Days Carnival, WED Library by Appt, 2:30–4:30pm THURS Cruisin’ Cranberry, Booths, Carnival, Arts FRI Booths, Arts Festival, Concerts & CTVFC Golf Classic Festival, Broadway in the Park & Movie Cranberry More 10 Highlands, 9am 11 and More 12 Crafty Friday Library, 11am–1pm Teen/Tween Read-a-Thon Healthy Cranberry Sustainable Business Workshop Farmers Market Library, 10am–7pm Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 9–10:30am Municipal Ctr, 3:30–6pm CTCC Martinis with Monet Infant Story Time Library, 11–11:30am Municipal Ctr, 7–9pm Mae West I’m No Angel Library, 7–8pm SAT CTCC Community Days Run for your Library 5K, Lions SUN MON Zoning Hearing TUES Picture Book Pancake Brkfst, Carnival, Booths, Arts Festival, Rides, Board Mtg Picnic Library, 13 Concert: Nick Marzock Band 8pm, Fireworks 9:30pm, 14 15 (as needed) 16 11:30am–12pm Rt 19 Community Park Council Chambers, Totally Tubular Farmers Market Rt.19 Fire Station, 10am–1pm 7:30pm Tuesday Night ECS&R Electronic/Household Hazardous Waste Collection Swims 9pm 129 Ash Stop Rd., Evans City UPMC Wellness Series Concerts Sheriff’s Office: Crafty Friday Relay in the Park Gun Licensing WED Carpel Tunnel, Signs, THURS FRI Library, SAT SUN For Life Municipal Ctr, Symptoms and Treatments The Holidays 11am–1pm North Municipal Ctr, Sr/Teen Ctr, 9am–2pm 17 18 Community 19 Farmers 20 21 Boundary 12:30–1:30pm Park, 7pm Relay For Life Market Park Housing Counseling Infant Story North Boundary Park, 10am ‡ Municipal Ctr, Time Library by Appt, 2:30–4:30pm Library, 3:30–6pm Farmers Market Rt.19 Fire Indian Cooking Library, 7–8pm 11–11:30am Station, 10am–1pm Concerts in the Park TUES Coffee & Conversation w/ Twp Mgr Spinal Screening – THURS Big Fat Jazz MON BC3 Cranberry Campus, 10–11:30pm WED Finn Chiropractic Community Park, 7pm 22 23 Picture Book Picnic Library, 24 Library, 25 Board of Supervisors Mtg 11:30am–12pm 11:30am–1:30pm Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, Housing Counseling ‡ Library by 6:30pm Zillions of Zucchini Cook-off Library, 7pm Appt, 2:30–4:30pm Infant Story Time Council Totally Tubular Tuesday Night Swims 9pm Touch-A-Truck Library, 10-11am Chambers, 6:30pm Planning Crafty Friday Household Hazardous Totally Housing FRI SAT SUN MON Advisory TUES WED Library, Waste Collection Tubular Counseling ‡ Commission 11am–1pm 9am–1pm Tuesday Library by Appt, 26 27 28 29 Work Session 30 31 Farmers Farmers Market Night 2:30–4:30pm Municipal Ctr, Market Rt.19 Fire Station, Swims Kids Castle Council Municipal Ctr, 10am–1pm 9pm community Chambers, 3:30–6pm build begins 5:30pm

PAGE 12 Cranberrytoday COMMUNITY CALENDAR Registration may be required for some programs. For more information, call: × Cranberry Library 724-776-9100 µ Cranberry EMS 724-776-4480 * Cranberry Customer Service 724-776-4806 ü Cranberry Highlands 724-776-7372 AUG † Parks and Recreation 724-776-4806 ext. 1129 ‡ Butler Housing Authority 1-800-433-6327 THURS School Tax Notices Mailed FRI Lunchtime Concerts Charlie Stayduhar, SAT Farmers Market Rt.19 Fire Concerts in the Park Finally Free Municipal Ctr Gazebo, 12–1pm Station, 10am–1pm 1 Community Park, 7pm 2 Coffee & Conversation w/ Twp Mgr 3 Cranberry CUP Board of Supervisors Mtg Gazebo Schoolhouse, 1–2:30pm www.cranberrycup.org Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, Farmers Market Municipal Ctr, 3:30–6pm 6:30pm Cranberry CUP www.cranberrycup.org

SUN Cranberry CUP MON Planning Advisory Commission TUES Totally Tubular WED Wells Fargo Financial www.cranberrycup.org Regular Mtg Municipal Ctr, Tuesday Seminar Library, 4 5 Council Chambers, 6pm 6 Night Swims 7 10:30–11:30am First Editions Book Group 9pm and 7–8pm Library, 7–8pm Housing Counseling ‡ Library by Appt, 2:30–4:30pm

THURS Concerts in the Park FRI Lunchtime Concerts SAT Farmers Market Rt.19 Fire Station, Mahaijibee Blues George Suhon, Municipal Ctr 10am–1pm SUN 8 Community Park, 7pm 9 Gazebo, 12–1pm 10 ECS&R Electronic/Household 11 Farmers Market Hazardous Waste Collection Municipal Ctr, 3:30–6pm 129 Ash Stop Rd., Evans City

MON TUES Indian Cooking WED Housing THURS Concerts in the Park FRI Lunchtime Concerts Library, 7–8pm Counseling ‡ Christian Beck Band Pittsburgh Banjo Library by Appt, Community Park, 7pm Club, Municipal Ctr 12 13 14 2:30–4:30pm 15 16 Gazebo, 12–1pm Farmers Market Municipal Ctr, 3:30–6pm SAT CPR/AED/First Aid SUN MON Zoning Hearing Board TUES WED Housing Counseling ‡ THURS Class 8:30am Mtg (as needed) Library by Appt, 17 Contact EMS 18 19 Municipal Ctr, Council 20 21 2:30–4:30pm 22 Farmers Market Rt.19 Chambers, 7:30pm Fire Station, 10am–1pm

FRI Farmers Market SAT Farmers Market Rt.19 Fire Station, SUN MON Planning Advisory TUES Municipal Ctr, 10am–1pm Commission Work Session 23 3:30–6pm 24 ECS&R Electronic/Household 25 26 Municipal Ctr, Council 27 Hazardous Waste Collection Chambers, 5:30pm 129 Ash Stop Rd., Evans City 5K Run/Walk & Aquathon North Boundary Park WED Housing Counseling ‡ THURS Board of Supervisors Mtg FRI Farmers Market SAT Farmers Library by Appt, 2:30–4:30pm Municipal Ctr, Council Municipal Ctr, Market Rt.19 First Day of School for SVSD Chambers, 6:30pm 3:30–6pm Fire Station, 28 29 30 31 10am–1pm

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 13 COMMUNITY CALENDAR Registration may be required for some programs. For more information, call: × Cranberry Library 724-776-9100 µ Cranberry EMS 724-776-4480 * Cranberry Customer Service 724-776-4806 ü Cranberry Highlands 724-776-7372 SEPT † Parks and Recreation 724-776-4806 ext. 1129 ‡ Butler Housing Authority 1-800-433-6327 SUN MON LABOR DAY TUES Planning Advisory Commission Regular Mtg WED Housing Counseling ‡ Twp Offices & Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 6pm Library by Appt, 1 2 Library closed 3 4 2:30–4:30pm

THURS ROSH HASHANAH FRI Farmers Market SAT Farmers’ Market SUN Board of Supervisors Mtg Municipal Ctr, 3:30–6pm Rt. 19 Fire Station, 10am–1pm 5 Municipal Ctr, Council 6 7 Puppy Plunge 8 Chambers, 6:30pm Waterpark, 9am–12:30pm

MON Teen Advisory TUES Pet Psychic WED PATRIOT DAY THURS Coffee & Board (TAB) Library, Manhattan Project Conversation w/ Twp 9 Library, 4–5pm 10 10am–7pm 11 Library, 11am–7pm 12 Mgr Brush Creek Housing Counseling ‡ Treatment Plant, Library by Appt, 10–11:30pm 2:30–4:30pm

FRI Farmers SAT YOM KIPPUR SUN MON Zoning Hearing TUES Market Farmers’ Market Board Mtg (as needed) 13 Municipal Ctr, 14 Rt. 19 Fire Station, 10am–1pm 15 16 Municipal Ctr, Council 17 3:30–6pm ECS&R Electronic/Household Chambers, 7:30pm Hazardous Waste Collection 129 Ash Stop Rd., Evans City

WED Housing Counseling ‡ THURS FRI Farmers SAT Household Hazardous Waste SUN Library by Appt, Market Collection 9am–1pm 2:30–4:30pm Municipal Ctr, Sheriff’s Office: Gun Licensing 18 19 20 3:30–6pm 21 Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 22 9am–2pm Farmers Market Rt.19 Fire Station, 10am–1pm

MON Teen Advisory TUES Alaska WED Housing Counseling ‡ THURS Board of Supervisors Mtg Board (TAB) Cruising Library by Appt, Municipal Ctr, Council Chambers, 23 Library, 4–5pm 24 7pm 25 2:30–4:30pm 26 6:30pm Native American Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: speakers and dis- Muslim Journeys – The American plays, Library, 7pm Muslim Stories, Library, 7pm

FRI Farmers SAT Farmers’ Market SUN MON School Tax Notice Schedule Market Rt. 19 Fire Station, 10am–1pm Planning Advisory Commission 27 Municipal Ctr, 28 Drug Take Back Collection 29 30 Work Session Municipal Ctr, 3:30–6pm Municipal Ctr, Rear Parking Lot, Council Chambers, 5:30pm 10am–2pm

PAGE 14 Cranberrytoday ENGINEERING There’s Light At The End Of The Tunnel On 228 It may not seem that way to frequent It was a visionary plan – one which roundabout by Westinghouse up to travelers along Rt. 228, but the end of included a variety of moving parts and Franklin Road and Cranberry Woods construction is near. projects. And at the outset, it wasn’t Drive. And then you see the PennDOT clear either how it would be financed or I-79 ramps project coming in,” he said. More than ten years ago, Cranberry when it would be complete. At its core, crafted a Master Plan for the portion of “The Flyunder project – which I call the however, the plan sought to create a Rt. 228 that runs across the Township’s MSA Thruway project – is really the last network of parallel secondary roads southern tier. It visualized the 228 piece; it’s going to tie all of this work which would allow motorists to access roadway as the core of an increasingly we’ve been doing together,” he noted. local destinations and move through the commercialized thoroughfare, anchored But what, exactly is a flyunder? And busy corridor without actually having to by the Cranberry Woods office park, and what is it really about? In essence, the enter onto the main road. punctuated with a series of mixed-use project involves moving traffic over or But for those who had no other choice under 228 without actually touching its “The Flyunder project – which except to merge onto 228, there would pavement. Its peculiar name reflects the we call the MSA Thruway be other enhancements as well. Among initial uncertainty as to which route that them: added turning lanes, protected would take. But now it’s decided: the project – is really the last lefts, signal timing enhancements, and MSA Thruway will be an underpass – a piece; it’s going to tie all of easier on and off ramps. short tunnel linking Cranberry Woods near the Marriott Courtyard with the “This has all happened in just the this work we’ve been doing north side of 228, where it would tie last three or four years,” Cranberry into Mars Road, Cranberry Crossroads, together.” Engineering Director Jason Kratsas and future developments nearby. recalled. That was when the master developments along both sides of the planning effort started to become One central element of the Thruway is highway. According to that plan, 228 concrete. an add-on to the current exit from I-79 would become the central artery of an north – one which would loop drivers active corridor, involving an assortment Falling into place through a roundabout that could point of roads, all tasked with handling a “In the past two years, we’ve built them a number of different ways – constantly growing volume of traffic. what will be future triple lefts out of a including to their north, beneath 228, And the plan stipulated a series of completely upgraded intersection at to Cranberry Springs Drive. improvements to accommodate that Cranberry Woods Drive. We’ve built growth. “It’s a very real project,” Kratsas Cranberry Springs explained, citing the diversity of public Drive through the and private funding sources needed Cranberry Crossroads to underwrite such projects. “But it’s plan with lanes on premature; we don’t have approvals 228 to accommodate for it yet. At the same time, though, them. We’ve built a I think we can get there. We’ve had free-flow right turn lane very productive conversations with the coming out of Cranberry PennDOT district. They’re as excited Crossroads which about it as we are because they see connects Mars Road and the benefit of taking the people any future development destined for those side uses off of the to the north; we’ve seen main line and giving them the ability Franklin Road upgraded. to move around without creating more There’s a signal coming congestion on 228. with the North Catholic project along with the “Once we get those approvals, we can extension of Mars move into final design, which will take Road into Seven Fields. most of 2014. Then the project could We’ve seen Longtree be built as early as 2015.” Way connecting the ˜

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 15 PUBLIC SAFETY Watch Out: Motorcycles Are Everywhere There’s a sardonic rule of thumb who never saw regardless of its type, should be treated that’s frequently cited by public safety the motorcycle with exceptional caution by other professionals who have to deal with coming. In drivers. the aftermath of traffic accidents. fact, three- Statistically, according to NHTSA, They call it the Lug Nut Rule, named quarters of helmets save lives. Pennsylvania had for the fasteners that secure wheels the time, it required all motorcycle operators and to a vehicle. It works like this: in an involved a passengers to wear helmets until ten accident, whoever has the most lug motorcycle years ago. But protests from freedom- nuts wins. rear-ending a vehicle in front of them; loving bikers led to a significant in only six percent of the accidents were Tractor trailers and heavy trucks rollback in the law. As a result, the rate motorcycles themselves hit from behind. frequently have a dozen or more per of fatalities and serious injuries has wheel. Cars generally have four or five. Grim stats increased. Although mandatory helmet A motorcycle has one. So in an accident, laws may be restored, it is unlikely to Motorcycles, according to the National the outcome is for a cyclist usually isn’t happen anytime soon. Highway Transportation Safety very favorable. And today, with more Administration, make up just three In the meantime, motorists should motorcycles on the road, and with their percent of the registered vehicles in the remain vigilant for the sights and operators riding both earlier and later United States and account for less than sounds of motorcycles around them – in the year than in the past, the outlook one percent of all vehicle miles traveled. particularly on warm Thursday nights is especially grim. But in 2011 – the most recent year in Cranberry when hundreds of bikers Ted Fessides, the Operations Director for which the agency has data – they congregate at the Quaker Steak and of the Cranberry EMS, has seen the represented 17 percent of all occupant Lube restaurant on Freedom Road. growing trend. “I’ve been here 14 years, fatalities. And a disproportionate When following a motorcycle, never and for the first seven years, I never number of them involved riders 40 or tailgate; although motorcycles can had a motorcycle fatality,” he recalled older – a sharp increase in just the past make shaper turns than cars, they this past May. “But in just the past year ten years. also require more distance to stop. we’ve had three.” Because of their size, motorcycles A rear-end collision with a motorcycle – Every accident is different. Many are harder for motorists to see, even at low speed – can have a involve a solo operator losing control which poses obvious risks. And in very unhappy outcome. on a curve, sliding on wet pavement, or recent years, they’ve been joined by Just as important is keeping in mind hitting a stationary object – frequently even more unconventional types of that motorcycle operators are entitled as a result of excessive speed. Franklin motorized vehicles on the road – some to all the same rights accorded to car Road, for example, includes some there legally, others not. Their official and truck drivers, including designated stretches where conditions have proved classifications, both for purposes of rights of way at intersections, the use particularly challenging for motorcycles. registration, insurance, inspection, of a full traffic lane, and the same level But where there’s a collision involving a vehicle licensing and operator permits, of courtesy and respect accorded to the second vehicle, it often involves a driver have created a somewhat confusing drivers of every other vehicle. legal situation. But any open vehicle, ˜

Slow-Down Campaign Accelerates Yard signs, speed trailers, and traffic counters will be going up in more than a dozen Cranberry Township neighborhoods starting August 26, along with increased police patrols. The number of participating housing plans has continued to grow as the program enters its third year in Cranberry. The week-long programs are built around a nationwide campaign to raise driver awareness of 25 miles per hour residential speed limits at the end and beginning of each school year. The Drive 25 campaign, with strong support from neighborhood homeowner associations, is designed to raise driver attentiveness to the need for increased vigilance and speed moderation. This year’s program costs have been underwritten by CTCC, RJ Development Company, Ed Rae of ReMax Select Realty, and the Cranberry Township government. ˜ PAGE 16 Cranberrytoday PUBLIC SAFETY Cranberry’s Bicycle Balancing Act They don’t normally pack heat, but Bike and Pedestrian Connections bicycle riders have become just Plan. Its goal is to establish practical as adamant as gun owners about connections between centers of exercising their rights. In the case of employment, shopping, schools and bicyclists, however, the flash point recreation and make Cranberry a place concerns their statutory right to use where people can bike safely. It would public roads with the same level of also have health benefits: a network courtesy, respect and justice accorded of shared roadways, bike lanes, and to motor vehicles. interconnected trails is expected to encourage a healthier, more both ways. Traffic signals and other sustainable, more active Cranberry control signs are not just for motorists; Bicyclists are legally allowed Township. they must be obeyed by bicycle riders on all roads except for Getting pumped up as well. And sidewalks in Cranberry’s Interstate highways. commercial district are for pedestrians, Progress toward those goals is already not motorists or bike riders. apparent. Last summer, the first segment of CycleCT was completed. It In addition, a state law enacted last year But it’s more than just a matter of begins in Graham Park and terminates requires drivers, whenever they pass securing equal protection under the at the Township’s southern border, a bicycle, to maintain at least four feet law; it’s also a cultural issue. For many on Thorn Hill Road – about 3.5 miles between the car and the bike. In return, motorists – particularly those raised in altogether. Then last fall, the new however, bicyclists are required to stay an era when bikes were considered to Cranberry Crossroads development on the far right of the road and make be toys ridden by children on sidewalks along Rt. 228 added markings and reasonable efforts not to impede the and playgrounds – treating bikes like signage to a portion of Mars Road as normal and reasonable movement of cars represents seems baffling; no one well as to the newly built Cranberry motor vehicle traffic. Bike riders appears to be sure of the etiquette Springs Drive and MacKenzie Way. who violate traffic laws are subject involved in commingling bicycle and This summer, projects will include the to state-mandated fines, just as motor vehicle traffic. As a result, units of installation of signs and markings along motorists are. government all around the country are the rest of Mars Road as well as the ˜ struggling to balance the two forms of entire length of Graham School Road. travel so they can work safely together. And on the horizon are new routes along Cranberry is one of them. For his senior project, Powell, Freshcorn, and Heights Drive. Seneca Valley graduate During the development of Cranberry’s But that won’t necessarily make them Brendan Linton 2009 long-range plan, some of the safe and accessible to all riders. Some most persistently vocal input came from produced two videos bikeways may not be appropriate as residents concerned about the need which review how to share a result of traffic speeds, volume, or to make the Township friendlier for the road with bicycles, other conditions which would require bicyclists and pedestrians. In response, advanced bicycle skills. That’s a pedestrians, and motorists. Cranberry’s Bicycle and Pedestrian particular concern for young children, To get to the videos, click the Connections Plan was developed and so the Township strongly encourages Cycle CT logo on the formally adopted by the Township’s parents to accompany their children Board of Supervisors in 2010. It Township website home page. when riding. identifies current bike and pedestrian routes, proposes new segments, and Even though bicyclists are legally provides design guidelines both for the allowed on all roads except for Interstate construction of those new sections and highways, those which carry shared for related improvements. lane markers alert motorists to expect bicycles there and to treat them as CycleCT is the name for the though they were cars. But it works implementation phase of Cranberry’s

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 17 PUBLIC SAFETY CMU Study Gives Save A life; Learn CPR Township Traffic The Cranberry Township EMS Management offers classes High Marks in life-saving techniques A post-doctoral study conducted by two Carnegie-Mellon University on the third researchers looked into the economic and environmental impact Saturday of of Cranberry’s traffic signal management. Using data from 2011 every even and 2012, they determined that the Township’s high level of signal month. The next offering is August 17; the ones maintenance, and the sophistication of its timing plans, saves local after that will be on October 19 and December commuters of $600,000 a year. For everyone passing through on 21. There is a $30 fee for CPR and AED Township roads – when you factor in fuel use, vehicle wear, and instruction, which go together. A separate class environmental cost savings – those savings amount to $2 million. in First Aid is also $30 – also on the same days. The study concluded that the annual cost of maintaining the traffic The CPR/AED portion of the class runs from signals at an intersection – which it estimated at $3,500 – are 8:30 to noon; First Aid is 8:30 to 3:00. To vastly outweighed by the savings, which it put at $50,000. The register, call the customer service desk of the authors credited the Township for providing “an exceptional case of Cranberry Police Department at 724-776-4806, proactive maintenance of its signal timings in the nation.” ˜ ext. 1400. ˜ EMS Preps For New Community Services Last year, the Cranberry Township safety check involves child-proofing looking for risks Volunteer Ambulance Corps changed its the home and includes such things such as loose name to Cranberry Township Emergency as moving potentially harmful items throw rugs and fall Medical Service, or EMS. Next year, it to places where infants can’t reach hazards, and then may need to reconsider the “E” word. them, putting cabinet locks on, covering helping to correct those That’s because this fall it will be rolling electrical outlets, and so on. issues. out several important non-emergency The other program is called Community Both programs are set to launch this services to create a healthier Cranberry Wellness Check. It is designed to check fall. However, at least for now, they are Community. up on people with chronic medical not covered by health insurance. But There are two parts to the organization’s conditions, although it is available the rates are very reasonable. The Safe new Community Medicine Project to anyone. It can be either a weekly, Landing Program is $150. As many as initiative. The first is a program called bi-weekly, or three visits a week 12 people – including friends, neighbors Safe Landing, for new and expectant program, depending on what level the and guests – can attend the training parents. In it, technicians from the EMS subscriber signs up for. It can include portion, although the home safety schedule a time to visit the family’s a vitals check, a weight check, and and car seat check is only for a single home to teach infant CPR and first aid, making sure the person is taking all household. For Community Wellness to do a car seat check and installation, their medications. Technicians can help Checks, a month’s subscription is $140 to do a home safety check, and to talk them answer questions about medical for one visit a week. Details about about the proper ways of putting babies issues, set pricing and back to sleep. up doctor’s registering for appointments, the program Through partnering with a nonprofit and arrange are available foundation, Cribs for Kids, EMS transportation. from EMS personnel are being trained for their They will Deputy Director new assignment. If they find any also check Ted Fessides at unsafe cribs, the foundation will donate the home 724-776-4380, replacements, allowing the unsafe ones for safety – ext. 4. to be pulled out of service. The home ˜

PAGE 18 Cranberrytoday COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT No Flashing, Please. It’s A Sign Of The Times. Are ‘dancing hot dogs’ good for you? have always been the top reason for which included examining dozens of According to Cranberry Township cases argued before Cranberry’s Zoning ordinances from other communities Community Development Director Hearing Board – a body empowered to struggling with the same issue – was an Ron Henshaw, they’re not. But it has grant waivers and variances to portions attempt to balance what are sometimes less to do with diet health than with of the Township’s zoning ordinance. seen as conflicting objectives. driving safety. The current generation of electronic Signage is a matter signs – essentially oversize versions of of great importance the screens found on home PCs, TVs, and mobile devices – are perfectly to retail businesses capable of presenting a nonstop parade for whom being visible of animated characters and special effects in brilliant color. Problem is, if to traffic is a critical you happen to be driving past one, it’s success factor. awfully easy to get distracted – to take your eyes off the road in order to watch the moving display. That’s almost as On top of that, falling prices and For example, electronic signs are bad as texting behind the wheel, and improved capabilities of electronic signs allowed, but only on those portions of it’s something the Township is eager were making it clear that use of the Rt. 19, 228, and Freedom Road where to prevent. new sign technology is almost certain commerce is currently concentrated. to continue growing. So last year, the Electronic messages can change, Until this spring, however, Cranberry’s Township decided it was time to take but only at a measured pace. Posted strategy had been to simply ban what another look at its sign ordinance. messages must be static, not animated. it now refers to as electronic message A brief interval of black between center signs. Static signs were the Blending safety with prosperity adjacent messages is required; no only ones allowed, and even then, only “We really had to dig into the technical elaborate transitions are permitted. within certain restrictive covenants. At aspects of those signs,” Henshaw Message illumination can only fall within the same time, however, the Township acknowledged. “How they function, certain levels of brightness. No flashing allowed for various exceptions. Gas how they look in daylight, how they look is allowed. And there are limitations on stations, for example, were permitted at night, how they change, move and the size of message center signs, tied to electronically show current fuel animate. We looked into brightness and to the size of the business development prices. Banks could display time and resolution. What we were trying to do associated with it. temperature. Churches could show any is to make driving safety and economic message they wanted. And so could the “We spoke with sign company prosperity blend together.” Township itself. representatives about the technical Finally, at its meeting this past March, aspects of electronic signs and we Although well-intended, it was difficult to Cranberry’s Board of Supervisors learned a lot,” Henshaw said. “Then legally reconcile those distinctions. And adopted the first of what may be a we sorted through that information signage is a matter of great importance series of revisions to those regulations and used the most important aspects to retail businesses for whom being – starting with electronic signs. The to create an ordinance that makes visible to traffic is a critical success outcome of the Township’s review – sense and accomplishes the Township’s factor. As a result, issues involving signs goals.” ˜

Monster-Free Zone. Although commercial message center signs are now permitted in Cranberry with certain restrictions, there are other types of signs which are not allowed in the Township at all. Inflatable advertising novelties, including those promoting ‘monster’ sales, are among the prohibited types. Pennants flown outdoors are not allowed either under Cranberry’s recently revised sign ordinance. Business owners should consult with the Township’s Community Development Department before investing in new business signage.

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 19 FIRE COMPANY

Firefighter Profile: Hot On The Trail: Following Cranberry’s Junior Firefighters

To the eyes of young children, probationary period, Don’t play with fire. Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire firefighting is one of the most appealing all of them are issued Company’s Junior firefighters at a recent training session careers anywhere. No wonder. The turnout gear and the include, top row left to right, Andy Schultz, Taylor Rickert, spectacular sights, commanding older ones receive Sean Howley, and Daniel Hayden. Front row, left to right, sounds, and awesome equipment pagers as well. Tyler Kimmel, Alex Corson, Phoebe Walback. Not pictured: associated with a job that combines State law and fire Brian Burger and Matthew Pristas. courage, strength and skill, make company policy limit firefighting a captivating occupation. cool, joined with her parents’ blessings the things people under 18 are allowed to pursue that new fascination. So it’s no surprise that volunteer fire to do at the scene of an incident. They companies would be eager to capitalize cannot, for example, climb ladders, Taylor Rickert, a Seneca Valley junior, on their enthusiasm. But they face some operate high pressure hoses, run an was drawn into it by several of his important limitations. Among the most aerial platform, or use certain kinds high school friends. Tyler Kimmel, a significant are state child labor laws – of cutting equipment. And for the freshman in Seneca Valley whose father legislation designed to protect minors youngest of the Junior Firefighters, and brother are both members of the from injury and prevent the exploitation there are further restrictions including fire company, just recently became of children. And for inherently dangerous a prohibition against riding to the eligible to join. Sean Howley, who had jobs like firefighting, those restrictions scene in fire engines or participating in been planning a career in protective carry particular weight. firefighting activities. services as others in his family have done, saw it as the fulfillment of a There is, however, a middle ground. At the same time, however, Junior dream. Even his dad, who had not Junior Firefighters – programs for those Firefighters are eligible to take most previously been part of the fire service, under 18 who want to get as close as of the same basic training that adult was convinced to sign up at the same permissible to the action – have been firefighters are required to have. The time. formed in volunteer fire companies only exception is the final module of throughout the country. Cranberry has firefighter essentials training which Regardless of their motives, what all of had one for years. It currently includes involves entering a burning building; that them share is the adrenalin surge that nine young people, ages 14 to 17, who part needs to wait until the trainee turns comes with responding to emergencies have felt the lure of firefighting. 18. But the practical result is that within and making a real difference by serving just a few months of a Junior Firefighter their community. Some of them have adult relatives coming of age, the fire company can already in the fire service. In fact, for Firefighters Timothy Morgan and Ryan have a new, fully trained and legally Cranberry’s program, only those who Kahsar mentor Cranberry’s Junior certified firefighter on call. have an adult relative actively serving Firefighters program – answering their in the CTVFC are eligible to join as The attraction to work with a fire questions and making sure they keep 14 and 15 year olds. Others need to company, although strong, works their grade point averages where they wait until they turn 16. But, following a somewhat differently for every need to be. And the program appears to individual. Daniel Hayden, who just be paying off. “There are actually quite completed 11th grade in Seneca Valley a few fire company members who were State law and fire company High School, wanted to follow in the formerly Juniors,” fire company Chief policy limit the things people footsteps of his older brother, Sean, with Brian Kovac pointed out. “I started out under 18 are allowed to do whom he used to hang out at the fire as a Junior myself. There are a lot of station. Phoebe Walback, a 10th grader guys here like that. It’s surprising.” at the scene of an incident. who found a display of firefighting ˜ equipment at her school to be extremely

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

PAGE 20 Cranberrytoday FIRE COMPANY

Fire School Alfresco Members of Cranberry’s Volunteer Fire Company will soon be able to take their training in a fresh air environment. A $13,000 State Fire Academy grant is financing an Outside Field Training Classroom. Built like an open-air pavilion with a solid back wall for whiteboards and props, the classroom has picnic-style seating so that firefighters training in the nearby tower and fire pads, instead of trekking into the new enclosed Public Safety Classroom building for a post-event critique, can go directly to an outside classroom while still wearing their wet and muddy turnout gear. Cranberry’s Public Safety training buildings are available for use by all of Cranberry’s Mutual Aid partner companies, provided that someone from the Township’s fire company is present to admit guests through the secured gates. ˜

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 21 PUBLIC WORKS Dynamic Duo Rescue Cranberry’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Two years ago, Cranberry’s Brush Creek He later acquired a Texas Instruments and started watching over the guy’s treatment plant entered a contest 44 computer – regarded as the first shoulder. For the next two or three sponsored by a leading supplier of home computer – which sported such years, we would troubleshoot and plant control equipment. It submitted a innovative features as lower case tweak the system, and Joe was very Township-produced sci-fi parody video text and an onboard memory of 256 instrumental in that process. featuring a pair of superheroes as its bytes, as well as a modem which was “So, based on that success, we decided entry into a nationwide competition essentially a cup placed over a standard to put in a similar system at our Wolf among industrial and municipal phone receiver. He began work at the Run lift station. We got a contractor wastewater plant operators. The prize Cranberry plant in 1988. to come out. He did the programming, was $50,000 worth of electronic Frank Houser took a different path. In got on a plane, and went back to instruments used in state-of-the- the early ‘90s, he began working for Minnesota. Two days later, the whole art sewage treatment facilities. And a company that built machinery used thing quit working. We tried to call the Cranberry won. in the wastewater treatment industry. technician back, but he couldn’t get But it turns out the heroes weren’t just Along the way, he picked up a working back here for another two weeks. fictional. knowledge of the electrical components “That was when Joe really started of the equipment, and from there went Typically, plants that win the company’s learning on the fly. He would call into its engineering department to focus annual competition don’t have the the contractor in Minnesota, do the on designing the systems. Cranberry ability to install that equipment programming locally and eventually got was one of his customers. Eventually, in-house, so most of their winnings the station to work as designed. So then though, the company folded, and after are eaten up paying outside vendors we decided to automate the old water a short time on his own, he joined the to install them. But Cranberry’s plant booster station. Its contractor hired a plant’ staff. is different. Its staff includes several college kid to write a program to open operators who are just as comfortable Into the 21st century and close the valves. It worked really with software and process logic control well – until one of the computers finally Corraini and Houser’s arrival at the plant boards as with mechanical valves and broke. Then we went looking for the came at an opportune time. In 2000, switches. And both men are largely self- program. But the kid must have had it the plant experienced a major upgrade taught. on his laptop, and by then he was long and expansion. From its original design gone. as a largely manual operation with Several operators are just as few electronic parts, the rebuilt plant “So we got a new controller and Joe emerged as an increasingly automated was able to take the parameters from a comfortable with software facility with sensors, controllers, logic different valve and load them onto that and process logic control boards, monitors, and more. one. And Frank’s job was to program the logic controller boards. The two of them boards as with mechanical For the most part, it ran quite well. speak and write the same language. So But there were also some crises. valves and switches. for us, that makes them the Dynamic “We purchased a basic system to run Duo for troubleshooting and making pumps,” Plant Manager Mike Sedon changes to our treatment plant’s recalled. “A programmer came out to do During the late ‘70s, driven by nothing systems.” the setup. Joe Corraini was inquisitive more than natural curiosity, Joe Corraini picked up some Basic computer programming language in high school.

No Spandex, thank you. Learning on the fly, Cranberry wastewater treatment plant technicians Joe Corraini, left, and Frank Houser picked up the know-how to troubleshoot and repair the Brush Creek facility’s increasingly automated process control systems.

PAGE 22 Cranberrytoday PUBLIC WORKS Scouts Do Their Duty To mark the start of National Public Works Week in mid-May, local Boy and Girl Scout troops spent several days emblazoning seven of the truck-mounted snow plow blades used by Cranberry Township with designs of their own creation. Plow painting, which had previously been done by art students at Rowan Elementary and Haine Middle schools, is part of a Township effort to raise awareness among young people about the work required to maintain their community throughout the year. Altogether, the Township outfits 14 trucks with plows and salt spreaders for the duration of the winter season. The decorative themes painted onto the plows blades, which range from 8 to 11 feet across, were designed by the Scouts themselves and jointly selected by Cranberry’s Public Works Department and Scout troop leaders. A protective coating of polyurethane was applied to the blades by Township staff at the conclusion of the project. ˜

Cranberry’s What’s on TV? High The electronics recycling event held Watermarks at the Cranberry What’s really in the Public Works water you drink? Find out Operations Center in Cranberry’s annual at the end of April water quality report, now collected more available online and than 26 tons of in print. The federally- old electronics from 453 vehicles driving through over a mandated report four-hour period. TV sets were the single most recycled documents the results items, although computers and their peripherals were of hundreds of water also well represented. The previous Township record samples tested during for e-collections had been 30,000 pounds and 250 the previous year for substances which could vehicles. The great majority of those dropping items impact human health. The detailed report, which off were Cranberry residents, although residents of reflects 2012 findings from the Township’s water other municipalities throughout the three-county area supplier – the West View Water Authority – as well also showed up. Contributing to the turnout was a as from points sampled throughout Cranberry’s new state law which went into effect January 24 that own 170-mile distribution network, found no prohibits haulers from collecting electronics at the curb contaminants in violation of allowable limits. The for disposal in landfill sites. Volunteers from a variety full report is available on the Township’s website of organizations including Grace Community Church, at cranberrytownship.org/WaterQualityReport. the Seneca Valley Marching Band, Ambridge School Print copies are also available from the Township’s District, Battery Giant, and several Cranberry Township Customer Service Department and Municipal departments all participated along with the project’s Center take-one racks. ˜ vendor, Hy-Tech Recyclers. ˜

www.cranberrytownship.org PAGE 23 PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Permit #25 Cranberry Twp., PA

724-776-4806 www.cranberrytownship.org 2525 Rochester Rd, Ste. 400, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066 Board of Supervisors Bruce Mazzoni, Chairman Mike Manipole, Vice Chairman Richard Hadley / David Root / John Skorupan POSTAL PATRON Jerry Andree, TOWNSHIP MANAGER CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA 16066

Paul Staudenmaier Contributing Photographer Shelley Notaro Layout and Design Peter Longini Editor

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