Donora Borough

Question:
Measures are taken to ensure a wide range of candidates are interviewed for all municipal job openings i.e., the Rooney Rule.

Question:
The municipality has a written municipal policy prohibiting discrimination and valuing diversity and inclusion.

Question:
Sustainability policies, goals, and principles have been adopted.

Question:
A sustainability assessment has been conducted to evaluate municipal facilities, operations, plans and regulations relative to conserving resources, saving money, and implementing policies and procedures that simultaneously advance the environment, economy, and social equity.

Question:
Incentives exist for establishment of farms and gardens within the municipality.

Question:
A community produce garden(s) is available.

Question:
Programs by local government, or in cooperation with the non-profit and private sector, exist to address community health concerns, i.e. exercise programs, feeding programs for children and the elderly, crime watches, accessible health care, exercise away from areas of air pollution, etc.

Question:
Outdoor recreation opportunities, amenities, and lifestyles are promoted.

Question:
Municipality has or is in the process of retrofitting street lights and traffic signals to LED bulbs.

Question:
The municipality has reviewed ordinances, resolutions, and other policies to remove impediments to the use of alternative energy (wind, solar, geothermal) installations or green buildings.

Question:
The use of pesticides and herbicides is being monitored and reduced by all municipal departments which use them

Question:
Municipality communicates with the public via a regularly scheduled newsletter or regularly updated web based communications.

Question:
All municipal-sponsored events have a sustainability-awareness component

Question:
Civic engagement, public participation and transparency are regularly assessed and facilitated.

Question:
A Historic Review Commission is active.

Question:
The municipality utilizes Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements (ICA) to engage in multi-municipal endeavors.

Question:
Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreements include conflict resolution provisions.

Question:
A municipal sustainability program (in name) has been developed and departmental goal setting and budget processes are used to advance it.

Question:
Procedures are in place to measure and track the impacts of the sustainability program (and yearly reporting to the public on results is conducted).

Question:
An executive/management level municipal staff person has responsibility for management of the municipal sustainability program expressly included in their job description.

Question:
Municipality maintains updated public safety mutual aid agreements with neighboring municipalities and shares resources.

Question:
Municipality participates in a regional service program or contracts services to or through other municipalities for fire, police, or EMS.

Question:
A revenue-expenditure trend analysis is conducted annually.

Question:
Funds for capital-related borrowing are not used for day to day expenses.

Question:
Municipality routinely evaluates ability to ensure that revenue is sufficient to maintain public infrastructure, i.e., road, water, sewer, stormwater (community has an asset management based budget system).

Question:
Obligations for pensions/other post-employment benefits are funded for the long-term to at least 80%.

Question:
Taxation takes a balanced approach applicable to all sectors of municipal services provided and fees satisfy cost recovery.

Question:
5-10 percent of operating funds are carried over year to year.

Question:
Green vehicle fleet assessment has been initiated toward: using greener fuels and/or vehicles, vehicle right?sizing for the job/trip, retrofit or replace older diesel trucks or equipment with cleaner technology, or driver education about driving techniques for fuel economy

Question:
Professional staff are employed or retained, in the areas of budgeting and finance.

Question:
A clean construction emissions policy for all publically subsidized projects has been adopted and is enforced.

Question:
A burn ban has been formally adopted and made part of municipal ordinance, and State or County outdoor wood fired boiler construction and operation is in accordance with state law

Question:
Policies, plans and ordinances protect wetlands and waterways and their buffers.

Question:
Written policies exist and ordinances and incentives have been enacted to conserve environmentally and ecologically sensitive places (for example, slopes over 25%, slide prone soils and geology, springs and vernal pools, mature woodlands, Natural Heritage Areas, etc.) in order to protect public safety and natural resources while using green infrastructure for stormwater management.

Question:
Low impact and green development projects, as well as techniques (pervious pavement, bioswales, cisterns, woodland and steep slope protection) are fostered through incentives, ordinances and design guidelines.

Question:
Developers are required to submit a comprehensive and detailed fiscal impact analysis including long-term fiscal impacts such as road repair, school infrastructure needs and other public services with their development applications.

Question:
Land use and development decisions are assessed to ensure they do not have negative fiscal, stormwater, traffic, infrastructure, or service demands, or quality of life impacts on neighboring municipalities.

Question:
There is a municipal policy ensuring Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise are considered in municipal purchasing, bids and contracts

Question:
Drinking water and sanitary sewer rates are based on the real cost of providing service.

Question:
Cooperation is occurring with neighboring municipalities to manage water and sewer supply, treatment and distribution, sewage and stormwater, in the most cost-efficient way.

Question:
Sufficient investments are being made to the water, sewer, and stormwater systems per real costs and keeping pace with maintenance and operations.

Question:
The municipality actively encourages water conservation and efficiency measures in the community and among businesses.

Question:
Low impact development and onsite stormwater infiltration is encouraged.

Question:
The municipality utilizes an Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach (as described by EPA) to identify the municipality?s priorities for projects and includes a description of how the proposed priorities reflect the relative importance of adverse impacts on human health and water quality and the municipality?s financial capability. See: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/integratedplans.cfm

Question:
The Comprehensive Plan includes a parks/recreation and open space component with proposed passive or active greenways, parks and trails and the zoning and subdivision ordinances support the vision.

Question:
Sustainable landscape maintenance practices are in place for parks and municipal grounds.

Question:
Alternate transportation (e.g. transit, inter-modal, multi-modal, bicycle/pedestrian) are accommodated and promoted.

Question:
Up-to-date ordinances for zoning and subdivision/land development are in place to implement the comprehensive plan.

Question:
Staffing is in place sufficient to enforce building and maintenance codes.

Question:
Professional staff are employed or retained to manage the land use program.

Question:
Trails for walking and bicycling are being developed or maintained

Question:
Public transportation and ride sharing are promoted and facilitated, as is transit-oriented development (where applicable).

Question:
The community is tracking and reporting annually to the public on results toward affordable housing for residents.

Question:
A current inventory of vacant and blighted/blighting properties is maintained and mapped.

Question:
A program is being implemented to put blighted, abandoned properties back into productive use: smart rehab code, conservatorship, demolition, acquisition, green lot strategies, etc.

Question:
The zoning ordinance has inclusionary housing provisions/incentives

Question:
A program exists (perhaps in partnership with an outside agency) to facilitate home ownership: homebuyer incentives, employer-assisted housing, community land trust, etc.

Question:
The zoning ordinance provides for or accommodates a full range of housing opportunities throughout the community.

Question:
The municipality utilizes a system for collection of delinquent taxes and fees in order to mitigate blight and abandonment.

Question:
The municipality has elected to administer and enforce PA's statewide Uniform Construction Code (UCC).

Question:
The municipality has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code within the last 6 years per good, safe rental housing.