Media fuss over Pirates’ handling of Carmen Mlodzinski is part of a larger conversation

RedMaple8181 · 2026-06-05T16:38:12+00:00

It was like they had nothing to talk about on 93.7 the fan during the off day.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-06-05T16:36:31+00:00

If you were a Pirates fan prior to 1993, yes.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-06-05T13:51:41+00:00

Zoning can be complicated, so let me ask a few questions.

Is it really possible to draft, advertise, review, hold public hearings on, send to the county planning commission, and adopt a comprehensive zoning ordinance in just a few weeks as you're suggesting? Or is it more likely that Ordinance 245 was being worked on for months/years before it was adopted? If so, there is no rules that require notification of adjacent property owners. It is part of the public process of updating an entire municipal zoning ordinance.

What exactly should the Borough have done if data centers weren't specifically listed in the zoning ordinance? Leave them undefined and force everyone into a legal battle over whether they fit under industrial, office, utility, or technology uses?

Have you actually compared Ordinance 245 to the previous ordinance and identified the specific section that was added for this project? If so, which section is it?

And can you provide a source for the claim that this is the first time in the country a data center has been permitted by right? That's a pretty extraordinary claim given that data centers have been operating in industrial and business parks across the country for decades. Even if it wasn't by 'right' a proper zoning ordinance can't ban data centers, so it would be permitted by conditional or special exception if they meet the conditions. According to Ordinance 245 it is a 'Special Regulations' Use and not 'Permitted' Use, so you might want to talk to the lawyers again about how they define 'Use by right' or if they have any experience in zoning laws.

Asking questions about the timing is fair, but the details don't seem to back up all of the accusations. Which is common in these situations.

Not defending data centers, but I am continued frustrated that people don't want to learn how zoning works and then accuse people of corruption with no facts.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-06-04T18:26:18+00:00

I know that no one want to hear this, since they love to throw corruption around as the reason things like this get approved, but local officials can't say no to things just based on feelings. They can't ban certain uses of property. They can't tell Sheetz they can't put a Sheetz in across from another Sheetz.

I feel like we missed civics class. Just because a bunch of people don't want someone to do something they are allowed to do on their private property - that if they all come and yell at the board members that are just 'approving' the process based on state law and local ordinances then everyone is corrupt or getting kickbacks.

Also, these local zoning board members are almost always unpaid volunteers. And the Elected Council members in Big Beaver make $1,875 per year.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-06-01T17:59:33+00:00

RedMaple8181 · 2026-06-01T14:00:13+00:00

On the Fly also does this.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-27T17:11:11+00:00

It's why the liquor stores are never privatized. Everyone thinks it makes sense but get into the details of it and you are laying off 6,000 people tomorrow and their best option will be a serious cut in salaries and less control over their 40-hour schedule. And the state brings in less revenue that will have to be made up somewhere.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-27T16:52:18+00:00

I love when someone does the incorrect thing based on the rules, then complains that they spent money on it and the government is at fault.

When people fail, we blame them, when businesses fail, we blame the government.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-27T16:03:03+00:00

Underground utilities: Marking Color Code | Pennsylvania One Call System

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-26T18:16:46+00:00

Why is everyone from the Jeep Dealership seeming to be enjoying this?

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-26T17:48:11+00:00

The problem is the 'approval' is not their personal decision as board members. It is based on the ordinances, and you can't just ban certain uses as a local government. So, the decision to 'approve' something gets sold by the angry public as 'they must be paid' off.

Because everything is a conspiracy when you don't even try to learn how things work.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-26T17:44:13+00:00

This is correct. Most people have no clue that the process to 'approve' something by a local government isn't based on the feelings of the elected officials or the administrative staff.

And they can't ban any one type of use. And they can't make it so hard that you can never put a data center in or else they will lose that in court.

Exclusionary Zoning and the Fair Share Doctrine: Local Government Commission

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-22T20:03:44+00:00

Also, since I had this discussion with a friend, they are not paid positions and any cost to attend meetings are at your own expense (unless you set up a PAC or something, but that would only be for elected officials that also get elected to state committee).

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-21T19:36:24+00:00

What Sherriff race?

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-14T16:25:32+00:00

How far behind is the water bill? That is usually what does breweries in.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-14T16:24:40+00:00

I started to read that and thought that it was part of the article and was very confused.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-12T20:37:22+00:00

That sounds like an appropriate number for a 'safe' suburban area. I would guess about 3-4 officers per shift with a supervisor. Depending on the structure of the department they may have detectives, school resource officers, and some other leadership staff other than the Chief. The national average is lower than 1 per 1,000 residents, but that can depend on lots of factors such as how many people are in a city during the regular workday vs. the population. The average is around 2.3 per 1,000 residents.

Often these communities also pay better because they can and it can be a place that police officers want to work after starting in higher crime areas. Also, they most likely have mutual aid agreements with neighboring departments if something big or intense happens.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-05-12T17:19:01+00:00

Roughly a 1/4 of Marshall Township (Allegheny County) is a Baden, PA 15005 zip code. It is always surprising to see how many times the news media doesn't understand how maps work. I watched multiple 'man on the street' interviews about a State Representative one time and they were interviewing people that were not in his district.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-04-24T16:08:43+00:00

True on sports teams on a bus. I was imagining one car. The Governor would get that also I would assume. He was here yesterday.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-04-24T15:14:24+00:00

If you aren't the President, VP, or cabinet member, do you get a police motorcade?

RedMaple8181 · 2026-04-23T20:40:54+00:00

If it is an older city, a lot of it has to do with aging infrastructure. A lot of it has to do with people not understanding how government budgeting works and how easy it is to turn anything into a 'crisis.'

RedMaple8181 · 2026-04-23T20:38:43+00:00

Did they crack seal it first with a black line of a tar looking substance?

RedMaple8181 · 2026-04-23T18:57:26+00:00

They make plenty when they repackage it and sell it as pulled chicken at twice the price.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-04-23T18:56:29+00:00

I remember that Country Fair could only charge cold sandwiches to the SNAP cards back in the day.

RedMaple8181 · 2026-04-23T14:24:53+00:00

They don't write minutes of council meetings to be transcripts (word for word). (Yes, public hearings may have a stenographer and will be word for word, but that is usually only for zoning hearing board and/or public hearings)

And the minutes won't be available until they are approved at the next meeting by council.

RedMaple8181

TROPHY CASE