Police Confirm Kittanning Child Attacked by Dog Sunday
Kittanning Borough Police and Borough Council are investigating an incident where a child was attacked by a dog August 4 at a Johnston Avenue home. Chief Bruce Mathews said the dog has been quarantined during the investigation. The child is currently being treated within Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
by Jonathan Weaver
A Kittanning grandmother made an impassioned plea to Borough Council last night for change.
Mary Olinger spoke before Council three days after her grandson was attacked by a Rottweiler-mixed dog shortly about 7PM August 2.
The incident happened at a Johnston Avenue home as the child – who is currently recovering from surgery within Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh - was visiting a friend.
“It’s a very sad thing, and I’m here to ask Council if there’s any kind of ordinance that can be made that if these dogs are going to be in the community, that they either have to be caged in a proper-size cage or just banned from our area,” Olinger said.
“I would not want to see anybody else’s child, a grown-up, looking like my grandson is – and I do think something needs to be done.”
In addition to Friday’s incident, a Maltese dog was also mauled to death by three dogs Sunday afternoon along Hawthorne Avenue.
Police Chief Bruce Mathews said both incidents are currently under investigation – especially the mixed breed in the Johnston Avenue case since the dog attacked a mail carrier earlier this year.
Council voiced their condolences to Olinger.
A police committee meeting is to be held to deliberate on possible ordinances to prevent any similar instances in the future.
In his monthly report, Mathews addressed some traffic concerns brought before the department.
He hopes to update pedestrian signs before the start of the school year, and is to post an ‘Opposing Traffic does not Stop’ sign near the intersection of North Water and Hickory Streets because of the Richard G. Snyder YMCA two blocks away.
Last night’s meeting was recessed until 6:30PM August 19 after they heard from Community Development Division Director Jennifer Bellas regarding Kittanning Borough’s Community Development Block Grant funding – which has been delayed for the calendar year so far at the State level.
“We’ve gotten some indication that applications are going to be due at the end of September, but in order for us to start the process, we need to have everything in order before the end of this month – prior to next month’s council meeting,” Bellas said. “In that regard, I’m going to need a special meeting for a public hearing and to approve the projects via resolution at a regular meeting,”
Even though funds were not received yet, Bellas recommended Borough Council dedicate all those funds to the revitalization project since there is not enough time to survey affected homeowners for possible roadwork. Bellas said council can modify their allotment in the future if they choose.
Council unanimous agreed with Bellas’ recommendation, 6-0.
In regard to the revitalization project, Department of Planning and Development Project Manager Walt Smail updated Council that EG&G Engineering based in Fairlawn, Ohio has completed conceptual drawings of Market Street.
“Thanks to a very-generous commitment by Rosebud Mining of $200,000, we have been able to contract EG&G to continue their work…to actually begin the final construction documents for Phase 1 of the project,” Smail said.
Phase one is classified as the block between McKean Street and Grant Avenue.
Because of the committee’s goal of revamping Jefferson Street for two-way traffic and possibly relocating utility wires either underground or behind businesses, the project price will rise to nearly-$2 million.
$1 million in Revitalization Capital Assistance Program (RCAP) grant funds are remaining, as well as $340,000 through Kittanning Borough CDBG funds to-date and the above-mentioned Rosebud Mining contribution, but that still leaves about $400,000 needed for improvements.
Leaders will kick-off a three-month fundraising campaign for the balance before the project is bid hopefully in Spring 2014.
“We need the rest of the community to step up, fill that gap for us, and we can kick off a very nice project that once we get that built, future funding becomes easier to get,” Smail said. “We feel that once we get it jump-started and going, we can keep the project going.”
Borough Council also learned that a “Jam on Market” event will be held Saturday, August 17 focusing on rock music and looked forward to an Arts on the Allegheny concert featuring “The Clarks” August 24th.
Allegheny River Development Corporation Treasurer Linda Hemmes said officials will continue to pursue opening river locks, even though they were initially denied access.
“That doesn’t mean that’s a dead horse – we’ll just keep going to the 24th, and if they say no on the 24th, then we’ve lost that battle. But we’ll keep trying,” Hemmes said.
The entire council meeting will be rebroadcast today at 1PM on WTYM AM 1380 radio.
Work is still being performed by engineers to pursue the Kittanning Revitalization Project along Market Street downtown, but more funding is required by local residents and businesses to equal the projected total cost. A three-month long fundraising campaign will soon begin.
Kittanning Borough | jweaver August 6, 2013
1 Comment
Other Links to this Post
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
By FreedomFighter03, August 6, 2013 @ 1:17 PM
It’s all in how they were raised. Think about it. Not the dog’s fault their owner is an idiot/abuser and drove them nutty. Sorry, I know a handful of RESPONSIBLE pit owners that have their dogs around BABIES and haven’t had any issues, besides cuddling.