Lifesaving Team Recognized for Saving Restaurant Patron
Medical Rescue Team South and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association recognized local residents, healthcare professionals and first responders whose actions saved the life of a man who suffered cardiac arrest at the Mt. Lebanon Saloon on June 12.
Chief David Turkel of Medical Rescue Team South said the victim survived because every link in the “chain of survival” worked as intended, from immediate CPR and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) by bystanders to advanced care provided by police, firefighters and paramedics. Officials also recognized the restaurant’s decision to purchase and maintain an AED before it was ever needed.
The patient, David Delapina, thanked those involved in the rescue, calling their teamwork the reason he is alive today.
Commission Authorizes Up to $7.1 Million in Bond Financing
The Mt. Lebanon Commission approved an ordinance authorizing the issuance of up to $7.1 million in general obligation bonds to finance several capital improvement projects.
Projects include the Cedar Boulevard parking improvements, Brafferton Field upgrades, lighting and turf installation at Clint Seymour Field, Main Park improvements and the Mt. Lebanon Public Library revitalization project.
The commission approved the bond ordinance following a public hearing at which no residents commented.
Maher Duessel Retained as Municipal Auditor
The commission approved a new three-year agreement with Maher Duessel to provide independent auditing services through 2028.
The accounting firm was the only respondent to the municipality’s request for proposals. Officials cited the firm’s specialized municipal expertise and quality of service in recommending renewal.
The contract totals $129,000, including $41,500 for the 2026 audit.
Gypsy Lane Properties Approved for Consolidation
The commission granted final approval for the consolidation of two adjacent residential properties at 716 and 720 Gypsy Lane.
Owners Daniel and Elizabeth Schaefer plan to combine the parcels into a single 1.276-acre lot. The proposal includes demolition of the home at 716 Gypsy Lane while maintaining residential use of the property.
The Planning Board previously recommended approval after determining all engineering requirements had been satisfied.
Snow Removal
Contract Awarded
Little Landscaping LLC will continue providing snow and ice removal services for municipal sidewalks and stairways after the commission approved a new contract.
The agreement guarantees a minimum of 35 responses during the 2026-27 winter season for $52,000, with optional renewals of $55,000 for 2027-28 and $58,000 for 2028-29.
Municipal officials said the company performed the work satisfactorily under the previous contract.
Students Named Junior Commissioners
The commission appointed Henry Clark to serve as junior commissioner for the fall 2026 semester and Julia Antunes for the spring 2027 semester.
Junior commissioners attend meetings, participate in discussions and gain firsthand experience in municipal government while representing the perspective of Mt. Lebanon students.
Library Employee Begins Retirement
The commission approved the retirement and pension benefits for longtime library employee Marina Nielsen, effective Aug. 1.
Commissioners thanked Nielsen for her years of service to the Mt. Lebanon Public Library before unanimously approving the benefit commencement.
Police Car Show Rescheduled
The Mt. Lebanon Police Department’s annual car show has been rescheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Washington Road after weather forced an earlier postponement. Residents who previously registered do not need to register again. New registration forms are available through the Police Department and the municipality’s website.
Pennsylvania Stormwater Fee Reclassified as Tax
On April 30, 2026, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the Borough of West Chester’s stormwater management charge is a tax, rather than a local fee, in Borough of West Chester v Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. This reclassification has immediate effects for property owners receiving stormwater bills and municipalities that use money collected from those fees to fund local infrastructures.
Prior to the April ruling, the Borough of West Chester imposed a stream protection fee on any owners of developed property that benefited from the Borough’s stormwater management system. This was challenged by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, or PASSHE, when they refused to pay and asserted that the charge was a tax that they should receive immunity from as a state entity.
The Court considered both the purpose of the municipality’s stormwater service and the relationship between the municipality and the recipients of this service in their decision. Following that line of reason, the majority decided that the Borough operates its stormwater program in a public capacity because the program is driven by mandates such as the Clean Water Act, rather than a desire to benefit individual property owners.
Benefits of the stormwater charge, such as the federal and state mandates it funds and its general contribution to public health and welfare, convinced the Court to reclassify the fee as a tax. This will relieve tax-immune entities, such as state universities and Commonwealth organizations, of the charge.
Stormwater revenue is at risk as a result, and individual property owners who benefit from the fee’s funded projects but aren’t considered tax-immune may suffer consequences from the Court’s decision.
The questions posed by the decision made in Borough of West Chester v Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, such as whether a refund is issued to previously charged tax-immune entities, are left up to interpretation and may lead to inconsistencies between municipalities. The Mt. Lebanon website still lists the charge as a fee, though entities within Lebo will be expected to pay charges as they align with the new ruling.
