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A LOOK BACK
Published:
February 10, 2010
Every Wednesday, The Cranberry Eagle takes a look back at the top stories from a year ago.
Economy drives increased library usage
Libraries across the county saw increases in usage, and some believed it could be tied to the faltering economy.
Pat DiFiore, adult services librarian at the Cranberry Public Library, said the library had seen a steady increase in circulation in the past few years, but she was unsure if it was based on the economic conditions.
The library continues to offer DVDs for rental.
"On Mondays, sometimes it is so busy, it looks like a video rental store," DiFiore said.
Book circulation in 2008 was 260,000, up from 230,000 in 2007 and 206,000 in 2006. For Internet usage, in 2008 the total was 24,700 compared to 24,500 in 2007.
There are 19 computers available in the adult section of the library.
"Lots of times they are all full, and I know some people are using them for job searches," she said.
Mars schools decide to exit swaption deal
The Mars School District decided to pay $3 million to get out of one of several swaption deals made during the past several years.
Scott Shearer of Public Financial Management told school board members $615,000 of the termination payment would come from $2.5 million the district had saved from the initial payments from earlier swaption deals, plus interest earned on that money.
The remainder was to be generated in interest savings when the district issued $10 million in variable rate bonds. Shearer said the current interest rate on variable bonds was 4.75 percent, as opposed to the 7 percent the district would pay if it stayed with the swaption.
District solicitor Tom King said many government entities entered swaption deals in the past five years or so to raise immediate capital for building projects or to fill holes in the annual budget.
Some of those entities spent the cash payments from their deals immediately, while Mars saved the payments for future projects and collected interest on the funds.
Zelie Airport targeted for funding
The Zelienople Municipal Airport was one step closer to developing a new aviation business park, thanks to a new state grant.
The airport, which is just outside Zelienople across the Beaver County line, was among eight aviation projects in the state awarded $12.2 million in grants from the State Department of Transportation Aviation Capital Budget/Transportation Assistance Program.
The Zelienople Airport Authority was to receive $275,000 to be used to extend an access road and utilities into the airport to develop and attract new aviation business opportunities.
Airport authority chairman Tom Surgalski said the infrastructure work is one component of a plan at the airport to develop a light industrial park on property not used at the airport.
After building the infrastructure for an industrial park, the airport could lease the land to businesses, which would pay rent and create a new revenue stream for the airport.
Plans move ahead for senior complex addition
Plans for a two-building addition to the St. John Specialty Care campus in Mars moved forward despite a downturn in the senior care market.
Architects and Lutheran Senior Care officials brought plans for the addition to Mars Borough Council, which approved them unanimously. The buildings are planned for land spanning the Adams Township/Mars border at the intersection of Route 228 and Pittsburgh Street.
Dave Fenoglietto, president of Lutheran Senior Care, said because of the depressed home-buying market and the poor performance of retirement accounts, many seniors do not have the financial ability to move to a senior facility.
He said decreasing state reimbursements also are damaging the senior-care business.
Fenoglietto said the addition of new residents has all but stalled at LAS/Passavant Retirement Community in Zelienople, which is also owned by Lutheran Senior Care.
"It's very slow right now for the senior living business," Fenoglietto said.
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