Rails to trails mixup in Donora

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

Donora Council discovered a former councilman was put into a leadership position on the borough’s rails to trails steering committee that he shouldn’t have been given.

Councilman Joe Greco, chair of parks and recreation, said ex-councilman Dennis Gutierrez has called him a few times over the past few weeks to set up a meeting regarding the rails to trails project.

That’s a project state Rep. Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run Township, pushed for early in his first term. Cook sent his representatives to the borough to walk then-council members through the process of getting a $100,000 grant for a feasibility study to determine the possibility of developing a potential Mon Valley Coal and Steel Heritage Trail.

Part of the grant money is to be used for site work at Palmer Park, one of the potential trail’s hubs. Gutierrez was involved in the project during his time on council.

Greco said he called borough Administrator Terri Petroske to get the names of everyone on the steering committee, and she had to reach out to Dennis Martinak of D. Martinak Planning and Consulting, who is overseeing the study.

According to Greco, Martinak was very upset that Gutierrez was calling a meeting because he is no longer on council.

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