EVANS CITY — Frank Viola operated Evans City's only full-service grocery store from 1988 until Viola Market's closure in July.

At Monday's borough council meeting, Evans City presented Viola with the key to the borough to honor his and his family's contributions to the community.

“This gentleman here has done so many things for this borough, (and) it's just unbelievable what his family's done as well,” said Lee Dyer, borough council president.

Beyond the supermarket, Dyer listed some of the contributions Viola made to Evans City, including his donations to Rotary Club programs that helped community members in need.

After the meeting, Viola said the honor was a testament to the community as much as it was an honor for him.

“We always tried to be a good neighbor, a good partner for Evans City,” Viola said. “They've been a very good partner.”

The now-retired grocer was also named a Paul Harris Fellow for his contributions to the Rotary Club. And his most visible contribution — Viola's — still weighs on the community.

“While we understand Viola's no longer there, it still hurts our hearts every day,” Dyer said.

Weighing on borough council again were the issues of two monuments in EDCO Park and the grants that helped fund the pool's renovation.Mayor Dean Zinkhann presented council with a petition from the local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter supporting the transplantation of two memorials from the park to Main Street, on NexTier Bank property.The petition was signed by 15 veterans and 38 auxiliary and social members of the chapter, he said.“It is the veterans (who) want to do it,” Zinkhann added. “I asked the veterans and they said (to) go ahead with it.”John McKinney, post commander of the Evans City American Legion Post, challenged that assertion.“Are you going to approach the Legion about it? It's their monument, are you going to approach the Legion?” McKinney asked. “You didn't ask all the veterans.”Brad Rubinosky, who helps raise funds for EDCO, asked council when they learned Evans City had to pay more than $31,000 to match grant money that helped pay for the pool's renovation.“It stinks,” he said. “We tried really hard to get that pool looking nice and getting extra stuff, and now (future fundraising money) has to be diverted.”