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These billboards are like a tatoo on your teenage daughters butt. Something you never want or need to see.

What is up with Monroeville? Does this borough want to become the next Penn Hills of the east, with property values dropping and schools declining and strip malls at every turn? Wake up Monroeville citizens, this is your town. Don't let the back door, behind the scenes crowd that currently runs our council win: keep some green in Monroeville and do NOT revisit this question.

We should give credit to the Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) and it’s solicitor Bob Wratcher. Were it not for their work, the hillsides in Monroeville would now be plastered with large billboards. The problem is caused by a majority on Monroeville’s Municipal Council and their attorney Bruce Dice.

For those of you who may not remember:

In 2005 Monroeville Council approved an illegal rezoning of land owned by Duquesne Light along the Parkway for the installation of large Interstate Billboards. The rezoning violated the Federal Highway Beautification Act, but attorney Dice either didn’t know that or didn’t care. Only the actions of the ZHB denying the large number of variances needed for the signs prevented them from going up. It is that ZHB decision that is now being appealed to the court.

While that was going on, the attorneys for the billboard applicants, Cohen and Grigsby, attempted an end run around the ZHB by requesting a curative amendment to the Monroeville Zoning Ordinance. Initially, it was rejected by Council after negative newspaper articles and an outcry from the public. But soon Cohen and Grigsby were back, and thanks to an (in my opinion incorrect) ruling from Dice that this was just a rezoning request and not a curative amendment, they were permitted a rehearing of the billboard applications. Again there was a public outcry and Cohen and Grigsby delayed the proceedings for months, and when the public outcry did not go away they finally attempted to withdraw the applications. The applications were denied in August 2007 but Cohen and Grigsby did not leave empty handed. On Bruce Dice’s recommendation they were appointed Bond Counsel for the Municipality. No competitive bidding needed for that job.

And, as mentioned above, Cohen and Grigsby are now attempting to have the signs approved by appealing the ZHB denial.

The ZHB has also been fighting Lamar who wants to convert 17 billboards in Monroeville to electronic signs similar to the ugly electronic Jonnet Sign that currently dominates Route 22 Business. The ZHB position was upheld by the Court of Common Pleas but Lamar has appealed to higher court.

And, yes, the ZHB is still dealing with an appeal of the municipal permit for the erection of the controversial Jonnet sign. It is reported that Bruce Dice insisted that the municipal staff issue permits for that sign.

Anybody who cares about the future quality of life in Monroeville needs to keep a close eye on these proceedings.

Look, you all have a stake in what goes on. First order of business is to vote Mr. Logan OUT of Senate. Where do you think the push from these things is coming from? Fast Eddy R. is pushing Logan to get this past us for election contribution pay back from his "sign" buddies in N.J. Have you heard a single peep out of our Senator on this subject? I didn't think so. And then flees to Plum. How can he say he represents Monroeville? His favorite word is “Tax abatement" because he doesn't have to worry about his school taxes going up. His official title should be: Senator Sean Logan D-Harrisburg.