(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

The New Brighton Borough Council held their first meeting of 2023, but the first order of business honored two former citizens for their longtime dedication.

Two proclamations were given for longtime city employees: James Campbell for his work on the New Brighton Sanitary Authority for 38 years (including several as chairperson) from 1985 to 2022, and Bill Edwards for his work at the New Brighton School District (as former principal and social studies teacher) and New Brighton Business District Authority (1989 to 2017). The proclamation ceremony was presided over by borough president Robert Hartwick.

The Central Business District was front and center on Thursday night’s agenda, as the board unanimously passed Ordinance 1268 regarding new parking restrictions in downtown. “It will make three changes,” stated borough manager Tom Albanese. “The first being that there will be a 72-hour parking restriction in the 200 blocks of 8th Street, 9th Street, and 10th Street. That would then require us to number all of the parking stalls within the downtown. And finally, any vehicle that is not fully removed within one of those numbered parking stalls within the posted time limit would be subject to penalty.” Albanese also stated that the changes would take effect immediately, pending the process of properly numbering the parking stalls according to the ordinance.”

The council members also unanimously approved the hiring of Tyler Kelosky as a full-time police officer on the borough staff. A bid package for improvements to the fishing park and Big Rock Park was authorized by council approval, as was the authorization for advertising a used 1995 Chevrolet G30 van previously used by the Public Works Department. The bills were paid at a total of $1,107,825.52.