GIS Workshop – On Thursday, February 16th at 11:00 a.m. the QVCOG in partnership with Civic Mapper will be conducting a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) workshop open to all who are interested in learning more about the platform. Newly generated maps focusing on road ownership and legislative boundaries will be demonstrated. The workshop will take place at the Sewickley Public Library (500 Thorn Street, Sewickley, PA 15143). Please contact Executive Director Conners to confirm your attendance at the event. 

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The Pennsylvania Building Officials Conference (PENNBOC) is offering a training course focused on property maintenance and housing fundamentals on Thursday, February 2nd. The full-day training event will take place at the Hampton Township Community Center, 3101 McCully Road Allison Park, PA 15101. The training will include a panel of experienced municipal solicitors who will present the ins and outs of prosecuting ordinance violations, responding to complaints, gathering evidence, issuing citations or notice of violations; appearing before the Magisterial District Court and Court of Common Pleas; and, addressing other blight-fighting tools, such as conservatorship, sheriff’s sales, and tenant/rental registration ordinances. Further information including registration information can be found here. 
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Beginning January 9th applications will be accepted for the 2023 Local Government Academy Municipal Intern Program. Applications are due February 15, 2023. Interested parties may review past project by clicking here. Executive Director Conners has experience as both an intern and supervisor within this Program and would be happy to assist any member community with their project proposal. The Academy anticipates awarding 10 host sites within Allegheny County for the 2023 cycle. Per the program’s guidelines, appropriate projects include, but are not limited to, financial management, human resources, asset mapping, development of geographic information systems, comprehensive planning, economic development, capital improvement planning, intergovernmental cooperation, code enforcement, community engagement, and social media campaigns. 

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At its December 21st meeting the QVCOG's Board of Delegates unanimously approved an honorary proclamation recognizing Mr. Harry Dilmore for his over six decades of Public Service for two QVCOG member communities. Mr. Dilmore provided an exceptional level of customer service for both the Borough of Avalon (Councilperson 1975 – 2001 & Manager 2001 – 2017) and Kilbuck Township (Manager 2008 – 2022) addressing the various questions and concerns levied by visitors, residents, and business owners providing them with friendly and thorough solutions. Harry's institutional knowledge and exuberant stories will be greatly missed. 

​Notice is further given that the Board of Directors of the Quaker Valley Council of Governments (QVCOG) shall, for the purpose of conducting any and all business that comes before the Board, meet in-person on the following dates at the following locations at 7:00 p.m. in the year 2023:
 
January 18, 2023 - Sewickley Public Library – 500 Thorn Street, Sewickley, PA 15143
February 15, 2023 - Aleppo Township 100 North Drive, Sewickley, PA 15143
March 15, 2023 - Avalon Borough 640 California Avenue, Avalon, PA 15202
April 19, 2023 - Bellevue Borough 537 Bayne Avenue, Bellevue, PA 15202
May 17, 2023 - Bell Acres Borough 1850 Big Sewickley Creek Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143
June 21, 2023 - Ben Avon Borough Building 7101 Church Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15202
July 19, 2023 - Sewickley Borough 601 Thorn Street, Sewickley, PA 15143
August 16, 2023 - Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143
September 20, 2023 - Kilbuck Township 343 Eicher Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 
October 18, 2023 – Edgeworth Borough, 301 Beaver Road, Edgeworth, PA 15143
November 15, 2023 - Leet Township 194 Ambridge Avenue, Fair Oaks, PA 15003
December 20, 2023 - Leetsdale Borough 373 Beaver Street, Leetsdale, PA 15056
 
The aforementioned meetings will be simultaneously broadcast over Zoom. Further information including meeting links can be found by visiting qvcog.org.
 
Patrick Conners, Executive Director
Quaker Valley Council of Governments

Date & Time: December 21, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. 

Location: Kilbuck Township Municipal Building (343 Eicher Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237) 

​Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83823850225?pwd=N2lsMlcxYTNpcGlFcUg5SjJ1bWtUdz09

The Quaker Valley Council of Governments is proud to announce that it has been awarded three Gaming Economic Development & Tourism Fund (GEDTF) grants through the Commonwealth Finance Agency. Funding through the GEDTF program is made possible through a state law requiring casinos to pay a daily assessment of 5.5% of their gross terminal revenues.

Sewickley Heights Borough - Public Works Infrastructure Improvement Project : $190,000 
​This project includes the installation of 4 new catch basins and 220 linear feet of storm pipe. Additionally, the project will include the reconstruction of 1,235 square yards of driveway and buffer yard. The project seeks to resolve sedimentation from degraded asphalt surface and improve surface to subsurface drainage to mitigate future impacts from heavy precipitation events.

Leet Township - Stormwater Improvement Project: $100,000
This project will reconstruct a failed stormwater management facility in the Old Sewickley Highlands neighborhood. 

Leet Township  - Township Park Improvements: $300,000
This project will include the restoration of the existing basketball court and deck hockey court at the Township facility including replacement of the surfacing, new fencing, new playground equipment, and construction of a War Memorial.

At its November 16th meeting the QVCOG Board of Delegates unanimously approved the 2023 Budget. Highlights from the Budget can be found below: 

Highlights

• 2022 Regional Asset District (RAD) revenues saw a substantial increase (based on 2021 revenue collections).By using current and available revenue data for the 2022 calendar year, another windfall is expected (estimated at $25,000.00). Please note, 70% of RAD revenues are pledged to the QVCOG’s Capital Fund while the remaining 30% are deposited into the General Operating Fund. For the 2023 Budget, an estimated $15,500.00 is expected to be transferred into the QVCOG’s Capital Fund;
  
• 2022 set the tone for the future of the QVCOG’s recycling programming with a record setting Act 101 Section 904 Recycling Performance Grant award (based on 2020 commercial and residential recycling rates). The QVCOG anticipates receiving a similar award amount ($20,000.00 budgeted for 2023). Of the award, it is estimated that $10,000.00 will be transferred into the Joint Recycling Fund. The remaining amount will be distributed to participating communities as well as used for collaborative recycling initiatives such as the glass recycling and yard waste drop off programs;
  
• There is projected to be a decrease of approximately $5,000 for CDBG Project Management. This continued decrease is due to a more accurate understanding of the time requirements associated with the administration of CDBG funding as well as lower administrative payroll expenditures when compared to previous years;
  
• No growth is expected within the QVCOG’s “Service Fee” revenue stream. To summarize, in 2022 Emsworth Borough ended its service agreements for both the Proactive Code Enforcement and Zoning Technical Assistance Programs. Please note, in 2022 Leet Township entered into a service agreement with the QVCOG for the Zoning Technical Assistance Program.
  
• The 5-year Waste and Recycling Contract (2022-26) includes a franchise free ($1 for each household serviced in the participating communities). An expected $10,416.00 will be deposited over the course of 4 quarterly payments into the general fund;
  
• General operating costs (i.e. rent, telephone, software, and technology expenditure) are expected to remain near or at current levels;
  
• Personnel budget expenditures for 2023 are projected to remain identical when compared to the 2022 Budget. A total of $6,000.00 has been budgeted for a seasonal intern through the Local Government Academy’s Municipal Intern Program. If selected as a host site, 50% of the intern’s wages would be reimbursed through the Program.
  
• A new line item is being proposed to establish an annual budget for the QVCOG’s Police Chiefs Committee. A total of $2,500.00 is being allocated towards the establishment of collaborative programming and training.

To summarize, the proposed budget allows for the continued growth of QVCOG services and programming while remaining conservative towards overall expenditures. A substantial portion of anticipated revenues ($25,500.00 or 14%) are slated to be transferred into the Capital Fund for future collaborative projects. It is the opinion of the Executive Director and Budget Committee that the proposed Budget accurately reflects the QVCOG’s ability to provide a high level of service to each of its 15 member municipalities and their residents for the 2023 fiscal year and beyond.
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The QVCOG is proud to announce that it has received an additional equipment award from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association in the amount of $13,379.73 through the "Latent Evidence Improvement Project". This grant award will be used to procure a a 48-inch floor model Safefume CA Fuming Chamber and a 36-inch floor model Drysafe Evidence Drying Cabinet which may be utilized by our region's 9 Police Departments.

​After a discussion with the WM team and a re-calculation of the 2023 Fuel Cost Adjustment, the rate has been revised from a $0.12 increase (per unit, per month) down to $0.09 (per unit, per month). The new rate will take effect on January 1, 2023. This adjustment will impact the following QVCOG member communities: Aleppo Township, Avalon Borough, Bellevue Borough, Ben Avon Borough, Edgeworth Borough, Emsworth Borough, Glen Osborne Borough, Glenfield Borough, Kilbuck Township, Leet Township, and Sewickley Borough. A summary of the fuel cost adjustment that is included within the current Waste & Recycling Agreement can be found below:
 
Per the current Waste & Recycling Agreement, a fuel cost adjustment must be calculated for the second year of the contract which will go into effect on January 1, 2023. The fuel price variance shall be based upon a 52-week period (September 2021 - September 2022) as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy Weekly Retail for the price of On-Highway Diesel Price. Per the Agreement, fuel cost increases/decreases shall be calculated on or around September 1st of each year and become effective on January 1 of the contract year and shall be recalculated using the same formula and become effective on the same date each contract year thereafter.