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Proclamation recognizing Peter F. Ramage for his years of dedication to Etna Borough, and we thank him for his service to the community with his time spent on the Borough’s Council.
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WHEREAS, Peter F. Ramage, a lifelong resident of Etna Borough, was first elected to Etna Borough Council in 1970. Six years later, he was elected Council President and as of 2021, he still serves as Council President; and
WHEREAS, for thirteen years, Peter served as the Emergency Management Coordinator and currently is finishing up this year as the Deputy Coordinator; and
WHEREAS, immediately following graduation from Etna High School in 1956, Peter joined the United States Navy in November of that year. He served for almost four years with the Navy until he was discharged in 1960 as a Communication Technician Second Class Petty Officer; and
WHEREAS, in 1965, Peter graduated from Duquesne University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. He continued to Graduate School where he obtained his Master’s in Education from Duquesne University in 1968 and a Principal Administrator’s certificate in 1972; and
WHEREAS, from 1965 to 1988, Peter worked as a math teacher in the Pittsburgh Public School System. In 1988, he became a Vice Principal in the City of Pittsburgh Public School System and he served in that position until retiring from the District in 1996; and
WHEREAS, from 1998 to 2004, Peter served as the Principal of the All Saints Catholic Grade School in Etna, until its closing following the devastating flood of September 17, 2004 from Hurricane Ivan. He served as the Interim Principal of Holy Spirit Catholic Grade School in 2006; and
WHEREAS, Peter has served as the Delegate to Three Rivers Wet Weather Basin Group since its inception and has previously served as the Delegate to the North Hills Council of Governments from 1989 through 2019, serving as Chairman from 1996 to 1997; and served two terms as the Delegate to the TriCog Land Bank; and
WHEREAS, Peter currently serves as the President of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, St. Matthews Parish, All Saints Church and has volunteered for that organization for more than 15 years, serving as President for the entire time. He is a long-standing volunteer with Visual Connections, an organization that assists individuals that are blind throughout the community; and
WHEREAS, Peter served as a founding member of the Etna Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) in 2001 and served as President from 2010 until 2021. During his time with the organization, Etna was named a Main Street community and a recipient of the Keystone Communities Main Street program; and
WHEREAS, under his leadership, EEDC was the fiduciary agency for a large, three-year philanthropic grant from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation for the Triboro EcoDistrict work for the communities of Etna, Millvale and Sharpsburg Boroughs; and
WHEREAS, several noteworthy projects were completed under Peter’s leadership in Etna Borough including: the Etna Riverfront Trail and Park Project; the adoption of a Green Master Plan; the acquisition and construction of the first “green” public parking lot in Etna at School Street; the construction of the Dougherty Veteran’s Nature Trail in 2006 and 2009; major improvements to the Fugh Memorial Playground and Swimming Pool; and in 2021 Butler Street in Etna was designated 2021 Great Place in Pennsylvania in the Great Streets category. Since joining Council in 1970, Peter has been the lead member of the Borough’s Negotiating Team for both labor contracts and is most proud of the great relationship with both unions and the fact there has never been a strike by either union in all that time; and
WHEREAS, Peter has guided the community through several major flooding events, including the flood of May 1986 and the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 both as Council President and Emergency Management Coordinator. Under his leadership, over five million dollars have been invested in flood protection projects and addressing stormwater management issues in the community; and
WHEREAS, Peter’s pure joy is his family, his four adopted daughters, their husbands and his nine grandchildren, most of which he tutored in math at various stages;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that I, Allegheny Council Member Anita Prizio, do hereby honor and recognize Peter F. Ramage for his years of dedication to Etna Borough, and we thank him for his service to the community with his time spent on the Borough’s Council.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto caused the Seal of the County of Allegheny to be affixed this 27th day of November 2021.