Ross Commissioners Approve Budget, Hire Manager, Okay Restaurant Renovation, Honor Hero

Budget Vote

The Ross Township Board of Commissioners voted Monday night to approve a new budget which slightly increases spending about .03-percent, but lowers the real estate millage rate from 3.0 to 2.7 mills.

"This is a .3 mill decrease from 2012 because of the increase in the new Allegheny County assessment values," said Deborah J. Grass, Interim Township Manager, and Roger A. Dunlap, Interim Finance Director, in their budget statement. Board President Grant Montgomery said that in the first year of a countywide reassessment, municipalities are capped by state law at 5-perecent of additional collection from the real estate taxes that were collected from the previous year.

New Township Manager

Montgomery also confirmed the selection of a new township manager. Douglas Sample, of Ross, will begin Jan. 21 if contract negotiations with the township are successful. He would replace Wayne Jones, who was fired in August.

Restaurant Renovation

The commissioners also approved plans by North Park Lounge owner Mark Baranowski to renovate the former Sunseri's restaurant at 3385 Babcock Boulevard.

"The plan not only improves the structure of the restaurant," said Montgomery. "It also is designed to be less disruptive to the surrounding neighbors."

The restaurant, which will be called Rum Runners Saloon, will have a menu similar to the original North Park Lounge, featuring a wide variety of sandwiches, some entrees, and plenty of appetizers and munchies.

Hero Honored

The Commissioners also presented a plaque, and a citation from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to Paul Shields, 20, who alerted his neighbors as fire consumed their home at 125 Lilac Avenue on the day after Thanksgiving. 

"Paul is a hero. That's all there is to it," said Heyl a few days after the fire. "The kid saved our lives. Thank God he was home from school and was able to wake us up. I can't say enough about him."

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