Shaler will invest in new audio-visual equipment as it moves broadcasting of its monthly commissioners meetings from Facebook to YouTube.
Commissioners approved livestreaming meetings on YouTube on June 9.
The meetings currently are available on the township’s Facebook page, which uses a single, ceiling-mounted stationary camera, and there are, at times, difficulties in hearing those speaking in the room.
In a separate vote, they also approved paying Texolve Digital about $5,264 for upgraded camera equipment.
Commissioners hold their regular monthly meetings at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.
Commissioner Josh Fleitman also sought to have commissioners vote to stream their committee meetings on YouTube as well. Committees meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month.
Several residents spoke in favor of the township livestreaming both the regular board meetings and the committee meetings, where much of the discussion and deliberation of issues takes place.
However, a majority of commissioners voted against having a motion concerning committee meetings added to the agenda, with only Fleitman and Commissioner Frank Iozzo voting in favor. As chairman, Commissioner James Boyle did not vote.
“I’m disappointed that we missed a big opportunity to improve transparency in Shaler Township, and that a majority of the board voted down a common-sense proposal to livestream our committee meetings,” Fleitman said. “But I’ll keep working to make it easier for residents to engage with our township government.”
It was not known in what month the regular monthly meetings will be moved from Facebook to YouTube, township Manager Judy Kording said.
In other business
• Commissioners approved hiring two police officers to fill vacancies in the township’s department.
Conditional offers of employment were made to Joseph Barger and Ronald Schamus. Conditions included that they each complete training, pass physical and psychological medical evaluations, live within 25 air miles of the township building on Wetzel Road and complete a one-year probationary period.
Police Chief Sean Frank said Barger and Schamus are expected to enter the Allegheny County Police Academy’s six-month program on July 7, during which the township will pay them a recruit rate of $22 per hour.
• Following a public hearing, commissioners approved placing a third stop sign at East Elfinwild Road and Balsam Drive.
One area resident spoke against adding the stop sign on East Elfinwild, arguing that he has not seen accidents there despite increasing traffic and that having traffic stop coming up a hill could be treacherous in the winter.
Township police recommended placing the stop sign following a review of the intersection in response to complaints from several residents.
Once erected, the new stop sign will have a flashing red light attached to alert drivers to its presence, Kording said.
• Commissioners will hold a public hearing on a proposed ordinance regulating parking in cul-de-sacs during their meeting beginning at 7 p.m. July 14.
As proposed, the ordinance would prohibit angled or perpendicular parking in cul-de-sacs. Vehicles standing or parked on a street within a cul-de-sac would have to be positioned parallel to the curb or edge of the street , in the direction of traffic, with its right wheels within 12 inches of the right-hand curb or as close as practicable to the right edge of the right-hand shoulder.
Fines for violations would be $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second and $150 for a third. Vehicles reaching a fourth violation would be towed.
• Commissioners approved a total of 18 change orders for the new bathhouse at Crawford Pool in Kiwanis park that in total increased the cost of the $2.1 million project by about $16,100.
Twelve change orders were approved for TBI Contracting as the general construction contractor, which had a net increase in cost to the township of about $3,890. Given the size of the project, Kording said the amount was not significant.
Four more change orders to TBI, as the electrical contractor, reduced the cost by about $1,371.
Two change orders to plumbing contractor East End Plumbing increased the cost by $13,585.
Kording said the change orders to East End Plumbing were for a pressure reducing valve at the pool and a backflow preventer. While the township had hoped to use the existing blackflow preventer and pressure regulator, a 2-inch service line was changed to a 3-inch service line so they could not be repurposed.
“There’s over 220 pounds of pressure coming into that bathhouse, and we had to reduce that to probably 60 to 80 pounds so we did not blow the fixtures off of the walls,” she said. “This was an absolute necessary change order.”
The bathhouse is scheduled to be dedicated at 6:30 p.m. July 4 during the township’s Community Day, which will run from 11 a.m. until fireworks beginning at dusk. In case of rain, fireworks will be on July 5.
Engraved bricks remain available at the bathhouse at a cost of $130. Orders and payment are due by July 1. Those interested can email Sharon at slobosco@shaler.org, or call or visit the township office.
• Commissioners approved an agreement with Morton Salt, the low bidder with the North Hills Council of Governments, for road salt for 2026-27.
The price is $95.03 per ton, an 8% increase from the $88.01 price for 2025-26. The township commits to buying at least 3,000 tons and up to 7,000 tons from Morton, Kording said.
The township also buys salt through the state’s COSTARS purchasing program, which she had not yet awarded a bid.