U
nfortunately, people often understand very
little about government. As the saying goes,
“you don’t know how much you don’t know.”
Through my Boro position and my community
involvement, I have plenty of opportunity to
talk with residents and to be a part of the conversations
about what’s going on in Plum. I’m always surprised by
how little is known about the Boro, how misinformation
spreads throughout Plum and how rumors eventually
become “facts.”
Even for those of us that work in government, it can be
confusing at times. To add to the problem, we typically don’t
invest adequate time and resources into communicating
and developing a well-informed public. Residents can easily
request information to find out how and where tax dollars
are spent, but there needs to be a more proactive approach
to establishing a better relationship within the community.
Today, more than ever, with the various channels available
to us: websites, social media, phone apps, traditional print
media, there is no excuse for poor communication.
One of our primary goals for 2019 is to make information
more accessible and to improve citizen participation and
we know that a “one size fits all“ approach is not effective. In
late 2018 we launched a new public information platform,
Savvy Citizen, with a free mobile app to make it easier
for those that prefer “mobile tech” to stay up-to-date and
involved. We are continually expanding and promoting
our cable TV programs on BoroTV to provide as much
information as possible and to involve the public more
in the program development. We recently launched the
new Boro website with greatly expanded resources for
residents to obtain and request more information, and we
have committed to providing information content each
quarter in the IN Plum magazine.
Each quarter, Elected Boro Officials and Staff members
will provide articles and information on Boro events,
construction projects, seasonal issues and services, financial
performance and other valuable information for our
residents. The Mayor, Council Members, Chief of Police,
Engineer, Solicitor and other Boro personnel will all take
part in providing you with an “in-depth” perspective on how
your tax dollars are spent, the history of the Boro and how
our government is structured, along with the performance
of the various functions and departments of the Boro. Look
for more information each quarter in this publication, on
our website at www.plumboro.com, on our Facebook page,
Comcast cable channel 19 or Verizon channel 29 and don’t
forget to visit savvycitizen.com to sign up for community
alerts and download our app.
Michael A. Thomas,
Borough Manager
“Whenever the people are well-informed, they
can be trusted with their own government.”
Thomas Jefferson
24
PLUM
BOROUGH OF PLUM
4575 New Texas Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15239
412.795.6800
Business Hours: Monday – Thursday 8:00 am
to 5:00 pm, Friday – 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Council Members:
Mike Doyle, President
Dave Seitz, Vice-President
John Anderson
Paul Dern
Dave Majernik
Dave Odom
Mike Pastor
Mayor:
Harry R. Schlegel
Borough Manager:
Michael A. Thomas
Tax Collector:
Fran Ferragonia
Municipal Monthly Meetings –
Open to the Public
Council Work Session –
1st Monday at 7:00 pm
Council Action Meeting –
2nd Monday at 7:00 pm
Planning Commission –
3rd Monday at 6:30 pm
Zoning Hearing Board –
3rd Tuesday at 6:00 pm
Holidays:
Good Friday – April 19
Trash/Recycling collection will be
on schedule
Memorial Day – May 27
Trash/Recycling Collection will be
delayed one day
E-Waste and Household Hazardous Waste
Pick-Up Service:
Your household hazardous waste (HHW)
and E-waste can be safely collected from
your home by call Republic Services at
877.788.9400. Residents calling will be asked
to describe the items they wish to have
collected. They will be told how to package
their HHW and E-waste and be given a
collection date.
This service is available throughout the year
at no cost.
Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook * Savvy Citizen * Boro
TV (Comcast Channel 19, Verizon
Channel 29)