Elected North Hills Officials Plan Joint Meeting Tonight

The North Hills School Board members, West View Borough Councilors and Ross Township Commissioners will hold a joint meeting at 7 p.m. tonight in the LGI room at .

The meeting will be the first of its kind in recent memory, said organizer Edward Wielgus, the school board president.

It is intended to open discussions about ways to improve the quality of life in Ross and West View at a time when revenues for public services and projects are predicted to be flat over the next few years.

Wielgus said he’d like the agencies find creative ways to make the communities more vibrant and attractive to young people. He said he hopes the meeting will be the first of several.

“Obviously the economy isn’t where anyone would like it to be,” Wielgus said. “We’re facing flat revenue streams, and there isn’t going to be a whole lot of growth; both communities are built out. That’s not a bad thing, but the answer is not just to continue raising taxes.”

School directors earlier this month raising the district’s real estate tax rate to 20.91 mills. The increase will raise about $2 million for the district and will increase property tax bills $109 a year on the median priced $109,000 home in North Hills. The district is predicting a loss of $1,710,383 in state and federal funds for the 2011-12 school year.

Ross officials also increased taxes recently, approving a 1.0329-mill increase in December to raise about $500,000 in additional funds for the police department.

Wielgus sent the letter in early June to invite the elected officials to the meeting. The board’s secretary is tracking the RSVPs but was on vacation Wednesday and could not be reached. Wielgus said he expected about three or four members from each government body to attend the meeting.

“We know we don’t have jurisdiction over the municipalities nor they over us,” he said. “This is not about politics.”

The meeting will be open to the public. Anyone from the community with ideas will be given a chance at the end of the meeting to present their thoughts, Wielgus said.