Welcome to Osborne Borough, Pennsylvania

Welcome to the website of the Borough of Osborne, Pennsylvania.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania historically has had more units of local government than any other State, believing that government that's closest to the people is the best government. Allegheny County, in which we're located, is no exception: including our most well-known city, Pittsburgh, we have 130 municipalities, mostly Townships and Boroughs.

Osborne has existed since we were incorporated in 1883. We seceded from Aleppo Township in that year, considering in true Pennsylvania style that we had more in common with ourselves than with the Township.

We currently have some 200 homes and 600 citizens in an area approximately a mile long by a half mile deep, adjacent to the Ohio River about 12 miles NW of Pittsburgh. Osborne is a suburb of Pittsburgh. In addition to our residents, we also are home to the US Coast Guard Station along the Ohio River, and to the Osborne Elementary School (a Blue Ribbon School which is a part of the Quaker Valley School District). People driving through Osborne along Beaver Road (which dates back to the 18th Century), or Ohio River Boulevard, usually think they're in Sewickley, our more well-known neighbor, with which we share a common border (cleverly called Boundary Street).

Being adjacent to Sewickley has its advantages, especially the ease with which our many walkers can stroll into the Village in 10 minutes or so. Nevertheless, we have a somewhat different character than our larger neighbor, which I guess I'd sum up as an equal mixture of politeness, courtesy and tolerance in our dealings with one another. That's not to say that those things are missing from our neighboring municipalities' makeup - far from it - just that we seem to take it more seriously. The thing that distinguishes us from most of the other communities in what's called the Quaker Valley is the fact that we avoid duplicating and replicating government services wherever possible. We contract our fire service and Borough Secretary from Sewickley Borough. In addition, we try to jointly work on projects with other local governments where it makes sense to do so.

This has permitted us not only to keep our independence, but it has kept our taxes under control (which is one and the same thing). And that independence permits our citizens the opportunity to stop me and the members of council in the street, or call us on the phone, and let us know what they think about how we manage their Borough's affairs. It also permits them to participate in government in an elected or appointed capacity if they have an interest in doing so.

When you think about it, that's pretty good in the 21st Century.

William P. Boswell

Mayor