Sligo: Where The Alleys Have No Name

Ron Wilshire

Ron Wilshire

Published September 17, 2016 12:00 pm
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SLIGO, Pa. (EYT) — Irish band U2 had a hit song about a place where streets have no name, but Sligo Borough added its own touch of the Irish and proclaimed its alleys have no name at its September council meeting.

Jim Kriebel, under public comments, raised the issue about an unmarked alley on his property near the cemetery and was being used by a resident to store personal belongings.   Kriebel said he was unaware that his driveway was an alley.

“As far as I know it has always been an alley, at least that’s what I thought when I was a kid,” said Council President Lyle Foringer.

“If it’s a borough alley, why aren’t they plowing it in the winter?” asked Kriebel.

Borough Secretary Janey Corle responded that it was an unopened alley, but Kriebel still question how it could be unopened if the was able to drive back to it to get to his garage.

A look at the official map of Sligo Borough revealed that there were many unopened or “paper” alleys.  Kriebel wanted to know what was the name of his alley.

“No alleys have names,” said Corle.  “None of our alleys have names.”

“If that’s an alley, there are people who have buildings built on it,” said Kriebel.  “I have a camper parked on the property and my neighbor asked me to move it get to his garage.  If I have to move my camper, he should have to remove his shed built on the right of way or alley.”

Chuck Marsh noted that people were not allowed to build anything on a paper or unopened alley. Marsh and other council members felt it was acceptable to park something movable such as a camper on paper alleys.

Asked who owned the shed, Kriebel said it was Tom Switzer who was present from the earlier Sligo Authority meeting. 

“The thing is he bought the alley, and I can’t get back to my shed,” said Switzer.

After much discussion, Kriebel agreed to move his camper with advance notice when Switzer needed to get into his shed.

Footbridge

Marsh outlined emergency actions taken to temporarily repair the footbridge used for walkers to the Sligo Elementary School on Route 58.

A hole developed on the footbridge over the summer, and safety concerns led to the slight deviation going to school, but a temporary solution was in placed by the time the first day of classes ended.

Once notified of the problem, Marsh talked with the Larson Design Group and asked if there was a temporary fix for the small hole in the walkway.  Larson suggested using plywood to cover the hole until a permanent solution could be developed.

Ed Myers and Ron Simpson from Sligo Borough Maintenance attached the plywood cover over the center of the hole and added additional pieces at each end of the center plywood section.

“Whenever they did the bridge repairs, we asked for some repairs in the footbridge and even the neighbors asked PennDOT why it could not incorporate a wider walk area,” said Corle. “I think they told us at the time that they didn’t have it the design and the funding to do that.”

A long-term fix for the problem is likely to be expensive, and Sligo Borough will be seeking whatever grants and funding is available.

Clarion County Bridge Inspectors presented recommendations on what is needed and several companies are presenting estimates on the future repair.  Preliminary estimates include: temporary fix at $16,000.00; sandblasting and removal of all decking and then replace it at $165,000.00; and replacing the whole bridge with a pre-fab bridge at $117,000.00 and doesn’t include removal costs of the old one.

“This is going to give us time to look at our options,” said Marsh.  “We don’t have money to do this, so we have to look for grant money and possibly some county money.”

In addition to the school pedestrian traffic, other residents use the walkway to connect with the COG Park and shopping at Dollar General.

In other business:

• Auctions in the Sligo Rec Center are scheduled for October 11, November 15, and December 13. Home for the Holidays is also scheduled for November 3, 4, and 5.

• The August Police Call Log includes an animal complaint, traffic offenses, traffic stops, harassment, and domestic.

• Inlet concerns over a recent installation by Jefferson Paving continue and Municipal Services Representative Jim Schepis was contacted.

• Connie Graham received approval from West Penn and Windstream for Sligo Borough to place veterans banners on utility poles next years. An agreement will also be singed with West Penn Power to attach flags to poles.  The displays will be similar to those hung in Rimersburg Borough.

• An open letter of support was approved for continued development of the Sligo Spur as part of the Redbank Valley Trail and support of the Northwest Commission Greenways Grant Application.

• Brian and Jodie Acey recently purchases the former Northwest Savings Bank building.  There were no details provided about their plans.

• A request from Tidelands Geophysical to release a $64,275.00 bond was approved.  The project was completed at the end of 2014.

• The Sligo Borough Authority met before the Council meeting, its first meeting in two months because of a lack of quorum.

• Attending the September Borough meeting were president Lyle Foringer, Vice President Chuck Marsh, Don Lawrence, Michelle Elder, Wayne Meier, and George Weaver.

• Attending the Sligo Borough Authority meeting were Chairman Chuck Marsh, Vice Chairman Lyle Foringer, Tom Switzer, and Michelle Elder.

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