Oct. 7--Greensburg City Council will vote next week on a grant agreement that would net the city police department $435,000.

During the monthly work session Tuesday, council heard details about the grant, which would enable the city to buy new dispatching equipment using funds from the Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services program, or COPS.

"The chief has worked hard on this," said Mayor Karl Eisaman, acknowledging police Chief Walter "Wally" Lyons.

In other business next week, council will vote on a bill that would vacate part of a 5th Ward alley, sometimes known as Williams Alley, to enable Excela Health to construct a 27-space parking lot as part of its expansion.

If council approves a proposed paving agreement next week, the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County will pave Seminary Avenue between Third and West Pittsburgh streets in exchange for a $5,970 credit from the city. The paving is part of an ongoing water line replacement project.

Also next week, council will consider a reciprocal agreement with the Municipality of Murrysville for emergency assistance. City Administrator Sue Trout said that Murrysville had requested it, although state law made a formal agreement unnecessary.

"I think it's because of that gas line explosion," she said, referring to the gasoline line that ruptured last year, sending hundreds of gallons of fuel into Turtle Creek.

Council will also consider approving several downtown sign proposals, including for the Chocolate Shoppe, a new business scheduled to open this fall on North Pennsylvania Avenue; Comrades Barber Shop, which is moving from South Main Street to West Third Street; and Stifel Nicolaus, a brokerage firm that has replaced the UBS on South Main Street. All of the signs were recommended for approval by the city's Historic and Architectural Review Board at its meeting last month.

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