By Elizabeth Perry
Area residents are frustrated with Coraopolis’ handling of a repair project on Stratford Avenue.
Russell Standard Corporation executed a crack sealing project on Stratford Avenue on June 5.
Several residents of the street say they were not made aware and that residents were not told individually that they had to move their cars. Anyone parked on the street received $25 parking tickets.
“Where are we supposed to park?" Resident Bob Elder asked.
Elder was angry the residents were not notified more than three days ahead of time before the paving was done, and the signs alerting them to the situation were inadequate. He wondered aloud why the whole street had to be closed all at once rather than half the street being closed.
“What were we to do?” Elder asked.
Neighbor Karen Murphy was not ticketed, but was still upset by the lack of “common courtesy” in regard to the situation.
“I’m really, really disappointed,” Murphy said.
Paul Klepar was on vacation and came home to three tickets on his car, which he refuses to pay.
“I didn’t see any signs, nobody notified me it was being done,” Klepar said.
Borough Solicitor Richard F. Start said in order to fight the tickets, the residents could go before the magistrate and explain the situation.
“You screwed up and now, unfortunately, I have to take a vacation day?” Elder asked.
Start clarified his response in an interview after the meeting.
“I’m sure that Judge Santicola would be very compassionate,” Start said. “That’s the only remedy available.”
Manager Ray McCutcheon said the signs were up four days prior to the work being started.
“Any leniency will be determined by the circumstance, officer's recommendation and the Magistrate's determination,” McCutcheon said.
The borough voted to table paying the company $18,830 for the 2023 crack sealing project for 30 days pending a meeting with the company to discuss issues.
Council member Robb Cardiman called work on the project, “unprofessional,” and said he hoped following the meeting the problems could be fixed.