News & Events

The Moon Township Board of Supervisors will finalize the 2011 budget during a series of public meetings planned for this fall. All meetings will be held in the conference room on the right side of the Municipal Building.
The following is this year’s tentative budget schedule:

Oct. 20 – 6 p.m.; Discussion
Oct. 27 – 5:30 p.m.; Discussion
Nov. 3 – 5:30 p.m.; Discussion
Nov. 10 – 6 p.m.; Discussion
Nov. 17 – 7 p.m.; Supervisors expected to vote on preliminary budget
Dec. 8 – 6 p.m.; Supervisors consider adoption of proposed final 2011 budget

The preliminary budget will be on display for 20 days at the Moon Township Municipal Building, Moon Township Public Safety Building (24 hours a day) and Moon Township Public Library. The preliminary budget also will be available online at www.moontwp.com where residents can continue following the budget process.

The Moon Township Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Moon Township Municipal Building, 1000 Beaver Grade Road, Moon Township, PA 15108 to hear the following conditional use request:

A request from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for a conditional use application to deviate from the requirements of §208-214 (Landscaping) and 208-213D (Bufferyard Re quirements). The proposed deviations are to provide more than ten parking spaces without the provision of interior landscape islands, and for a reduced bufferyard. The parcel is located at the Pennsylvania Air National Guard base at Pittsburgh International Airport. The parcel is also known as lot and block number 696-D-396.

A complete true and correct copy of the subject application and related materials is on file and may be examined at the Moon Township Municipal Building, 1000 Beaver Grade Road, Moon Township, PA 15108, during the hours of: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM Wednesdays; and 8:00 AM to Noon on Fridays. The public is invited to attend the hearing and offer comments.

TOWNSHIP OF MOON
Jeanne M. Creese
Township Manager

Proof of Publication: Two Times –
October 20, 2010
October 27, 2010

After holding a one-year follow-up meeting with neighborhood residents and reviewing a traffic analysis of the area, the board concluded that the Sharon Road speed humps effectively decreased both traffic speeds and volumes through the neighborhood.

The Township installed the speed humps at four points along Sharon Road last year after a written request and petition from residents activated Moon Township’s Residential Traffic Management Program in 2009.

A follow-up traffic analysis of the area found that speed decreased by an average of 7 miles per hour, and as much as 11 miles per hour, at five testing locations. Traffic volumes also decreased substantially at all of the testing locations, including decreases of more than 1,000 at three of the testing points.

The board did receive some negative comments about the speed humps, and encourages residents to continue contacting the Planning Office to work through any problems or concerns. Based on the overall improvements to traffic flow and residential safety, the board has decided to maintain the speed humps in their current locations.

When it comes to home smoke alarms, there’s reason for both optimism and, well, alarm. The good news is that, nowadays, most homes have at least one smoke alarm. The bad news is that smoke alarm maintenance sometimes falls by the wayside after the initial installation.

As part of Fire Prevention Week 2010, which runs through Oct. 9, Moon Township Fire Marshal Charlie Belgie strongly recommends that residents take a moment to check up on their smoke alarms in keeping with this year’s theme, “Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With.”

In Moon Township, code requires that every residence have, at minimum, a smoke detector in each sleeping room, in the hall outside the bedrooms and in the common areas on each level of the house. During his rounds in the area, however, Belgie said he often visits homes where residents have removed the batteries to silence a chirping smoke alarm. 

According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke alarms halve the risk of dying in a reported fire, but they are only effective if maintained properly. That means replacing batteries – not removing them. From 2003 to 2006, approximately two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms, according to the NFPA.

As the stats show, it’s not enough to install a smoke alarm. It is also essential to maintain it properly. In order to form an effective fire safety plan for your family, Belgie recommends the following precautions: 

• Test smoke alarm each month by pushing the test button. If the alarm chirps, this is a warning that the battery is low. Replace the battery right away. 
• Replace smoke alarm batteries at least once a year. A good rule of thumb is to make this a Daylight Savings Time ritual while turning the clocks back.
• The smoke alarm itself, regardless of type, should be replaced every 10 years or sooner.
• Create a home fire escape plan and designate an outdoor meeting spot for your family. Practice the plan at least twice a year.

For more fire safety information from Fire Marshal Belgie, tune in to MCA-TV (Comcast channel 14/Verizon channel 35) to catch the “Fire Marshal Minute,” a seven-part series of fire safety tips. You can also contact the Moon Township Volunteer Fire Company at 412-262-5004 or visit www.nfpa.org for more safety tips.

The Moon Township Public Works Department begins its fall composting program for residents this month with curbside tree limb/brush pick-up and leaf drop-off programs. Leaves, brush and tree branches will be composted or chipped at the Township’s site in Moon Park. Residents who are interested in picking up compost or wood chips for their yard should call the Municipal Building at 412-262-1700.

Tree Limb/Brush Curbside Pick-up:
Oct 18 – Nov. 12 (Excluding Nov. 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day)

Please keep the following regulations in mind:

• Pick-up follows residents’ regular garbage collection schedules
• Brush must be at the curb line by 8 a.m. on the day of pick-up.
• Brush should not exceed six feet in length and four inches in diameter.
• Brush should not be bundled or tied.
• Leaves are not accepted for pick-up.

Leaf Drop-off: Oct. 30 – Dec. 5
Public Works will provide a leaf drop-off site for residents at the Downes Fire Station located at the intersection of Beaver Grade Road and Ewing Road. The site will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.