The North Huntingdon commissioners last week hired a former township engineering firm to assist planning director/engineer Andy Blenko with small-scale engineering issues, including inspections during the current road-paving program.

Glenn Engineering & Associates was hired by a 4-3 vote after successive motions by Commissioner Lee Moffatt to hire Senate Engineering and Morris, Knowles & Associates, Inc. failed by 4-2 margins. The firms were among five of which Mr. Blenko compiled information.

The contract will run through Dec. 31 at a cost not to exceed $10,000.

Glenn Engineering is owned by North Huntingdon resident Don Glenn, who was the township engineer for 20 years before he was asked to resign in October 2002.

According to Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas records, North Huntingdon Township Municipal Authority filed two lawsuits against Glenn Engineering.

In 2004, KurKurin Contracting, Inc., of Export filed suit against NHTMA for damages resulting from delays during construction of the Stewartsville pump station along Colonial Manor Road. In early 2005, NHTMA in turn brought Glenn Engineering into the litigation as a co-defendant.

In early 2005, the authority also filed litigation against Glenn Engineering.

NHTMA General Manager Kate Petrosky declined comment on both cases because of the pending litigation.

Despite the litigation filed by NHTMA, commissioners President Dave Herold defended the decision to hire Glenn Engineering as a consultant.

"I'm not ignoring the NHTMA litigation, but right now I don't see it as a factor because nothing has been resolved," he said.

During a July 10 meeting, Commissioner Rich Gray -- who was absent for last week's session -- raised concerns about work Glenn Engineering had performed for NHTMA. He claimed a recommendation for storm water retention tanks that the firm made failed to address underlying problems with sewer lines. "It cost the township a lot of money," he said.

Mr. Gray and Commissioner Angelo Furlin were members of the board in 2002 when Mr. Glenn was asked to resign.

Last week, Mr. Furlin voted to hire Glenn Engineering along with Mr. Herold and fellow Commissioners Anthony Martino and Don Austin. Fred Patter and Mr. Moffatt dissented.

Mr. Moffatt and Mr. Patter favored the motions to hire Senate Engineering or Morris, Knowles & Associates. Dissenting were Mr. Herold, Mr. Martino, Mr. Austin and Mr. Furlin.

In unrelated action, the commissioners voted, 6-0, to sell 2.2 acres of the 84-acre former Maple Drive-in Theater site to Walnut Capital Partners for $35,000.05. The township Public Works complex is on that site off Route 30 West.

Pittsburgh-based Walnut Capital plans to build a retail complex that will include a Walgreens Pharmacy and a Starbucks coffee shop on the site of the former landmark Chesterfield's Restaurant. The action permits the developer to construct a revised, less costly, storm water management system utilizing a retention pond.

Walnut Capital's original site plan, approved last year by the township planning commission and commissioners, called for large subterranean closets to collect and dispense storm water, plus a 15-foot high retaining wall to stabilize the steep slope at the northern rear of the retail complex site.

Mr. Blenko noted some properties along the northern side of Route 30 West have reported minor landslides. The retaining wall was required to ensure soil stability for the original storm water system.

The commissioners June 18 approved subdivision of the property, including the township-owned parcel, and a revised site plan for the retail complex that included the new storm water management revision.

The township commissioners also have filed legal action against EADS Group, Inc., another former engineering consultant, over issues involving the universal air conditioning unit that services the Town House, including the police department on the lower level.