Sharing Services Earns New Brighton Borough Silver

New Brighton Borough, a champion of sustainability, earned Silver in the Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification.  Intergovernmental cooperation is an important way to increase a community’s sustainability and New Brighton uses this to its advantage.  Sharing services can increase economic efficiency, public safety and emergency preparedness, and builds regional cohesion.  Among neighboring municipalities and the New Brighton School District, New Brighton utilizes shared resources through numerous Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreements.  Those agreements signed by New Brighton Borough include:

• Police services with the Townships of Daugherty and Pulaski, and the Borough of Fallston.
• Code and zoning enforcement services with Daugherty, New Sewickley, Pulaski, Fallston, Freedom, and Rochester.
• A shared Township employee for inspections of rental properties in New Brighton Borough and Daugherty Township.
• Merged Fire Departments in New Brighton and Fallston, which will be the second of its type in Beaver County.
• Cost sharing for operation of playground programs, maintenance of landscaping, and recreational services including the School District and Daugherty, Pulaski, and Fallston.

Dwindling populations have negatively affected many areas of Southwestern Pennsylvania, but proactive community policing, code enforcement services, and zoning administration have allowed the Borough to effectively confront problem areas and help mitigate the effects of blight.  In addition, recent streetscape projects have beautified downtown New Brighton into a well illuminated, accessible, and pedestrian friendly area that supports local businesses.  New Brighton’s business district is prospering, and per Tom Albanese, New Brighton Borough Manager:

“Vacancies in New Brighton Borough’s central business district are now few due to a large investment into the five-block downtown.  The district was completely renovated in 2009 during a $2.5 million streetscape project that included the relocation of electric services to the rear of properties, the filling in of coal chutes and vaults that were under the sidewalks, new curbs, storm water inlets, handicap ramps, exposed aggregate sidewalks, decorative walls, fencing, Cleveland Select Pear trees, refuse receptacles, benches, and new street lights with a mast and globe over the street and a separate mast and globe over the sidewalk.”

Along with the central business district, New Brighton Borough offers several parks and boasts a productive community garden.  From downtown, there are walkable connections to the Beaver River, where residents and visitors can fish at the New Brighton Fishing Park and picnic, walk, or nature watch at Big Rock Park.

Incorporated in 1838, New Brighton Borough celebrated its 175th birthday, or “Dodransbicentennial”, in May 2013.  New Brighton’s professional and enthusiastic leadership along with a sustainable vision for the future has allowed the town to prosper by welcoming new concepts and developments, while appreciating its rich history.