Testimony continued Tuesday in the injunction hearing over the implosion dispute centered on the old Cheswick Power Plant. More than a dozen Springdale residents filed an injunction hearing late last month to stop the implosion of the Boiler House at the Old Cheswick Power Plant. The implosion has been on hold since September 22nd of this year. On Tuesday, lawyers for the Springdale residents called two current Springdale Borough Council Members to the stand. The judge heard testimony from Shawn Fitzgerald and Antoinette Robinson. Testimony was expected from Mitchell Karaica, the former council president. Instead, Karaica was dismissed without testimony as lawyers instead called Shawn Fitzgerald to the stand. Fitzgerald maintained he had no knowledge that he would be testifying Tuesday, saying he showed up on his own accord and had previously been present inside of the courtroom on the opening day of the hearing.Fitzgerald testified that he did not know about the permit for demolition of the scheduled implosion until earlier this month, even though he regularly attends council meetings. On cross examination, he testified that he was aware that the building would be taken down but not aware that it would be an implosion. At one point, Fitzgerald testified that he “would have liked to be on notice,” although he was not aware whether or not his notification would have been required under current borough policy. Much of Councilwoman Antoinette Robinson’s testimony focused on the difference between knowing the power plant was being taken down versus how that was going to happen. “We were not privy to any information,” testified Robinson before saying council only heard “little chirps” that it would be disassembled. At one point, she spoke directly to the judge emphasizing the difference between something being “demolished” and “imploded.” According to Robinson, council had no knowledge of the demolition permit until this month – saying she would have liked to know sooner because she lives directly across from the plant. Lawyers for the power plant and demolition companies pointed to a February 2023 document from the borough’s current code enforcer where the demolition of the power plant was listed. After a question from the judge, Robinson testified that she would have seen that document but added “to be honest I didn’t even notice it.” Sam Miller, a former plant manager at the power plant, took the stand Tuesday afternoon. He fielded questions about the plant itself, as well as the cleanup efforts in the days following the June implosion of the smoke stacks. He then walked the courtroom through what buildings are still standing at the old plant as well as what machinery may be included inside. Miller’s testimony comes as a visual inspection of the site is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Testimony continued Tuesday in the injunction hearing over the implosion dispute centered on the old Cheswick Power Plant.
More than a dozen Springdale residents filed an injunction hearing late last month to stop the implosion of the Boiler House at the Old Cheswick Power Plant. The implosion has been on hold since September 22nd of this year.
On Tuesday, lawyers for the Springdale residents called two current Springdale Borough Council Members to the stand. The judge heard testimony from Shawn Fitzgerald and Antoinette Robinson.
Testimony was expected from Mitchell Karaica, the former council president. Instead, Karaica was dismissed without testimony as lawyers instead called Shawn Fitzgerald to the stand.
Fitzgerald maintained he had no knowledge that he would be testifying Tuesday, saying he showed up on his own accord and had previously been present inside of the courtroom on the opening day of the hearing.
Fitzgerald testified that he did not know about the permit for demolition of the scheduled implosion until earlier this month, even though he regularly attends council meetings. On cross examination, he testified that he was aware that the building would be taken down but not aware that it would be an implosion.
At one point, Fitzgerald testified that he “would have liked to be on notice,” although he was not aware whether or not his notification would have been required under current borough policy.
Much of Councilwoman Antoinette Robinson’s testimony focused on the difference between knowing the power plant was being taken down versus how that was going to happen.
“We were not privy to any information,” testified Robinson before saying council only heard “little chirps” that it would be disassembled. At one point, she spoke directly to the judge emphasizing the difference between something being “demolished” and “imploded.” According to Robinson, council had no knowledge of the demolition permit until this month – saying she would have liked to know sooner because she lives directly across from the plant.
Lawyers for the power plant and demolition companies pointed to a February 2023 document from the borough’s current code enforcer where the demolition of the power plant was listed. After a question from the judge, Robinson testified that she would have seen that document but added “to be honest I didn’t even notice it.”
Sam Miller, a former plant manager at the power plant, took the stand Tuesday afternoon. He fielded questions about the plant itself, as well as the cleanup efforts in the days following the June implosion of the smoke stacks. He then walked the courtroom through what buildings are still standing at the old plant as well as what machinery may be included inside.
Miller’s testimony comes as a visual inspection of the site is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
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