City Council

CITY OF MCKEESPORT REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY 7:00 P.M. JANUARY 4, 2017 This Meeting of Council was called to order on the above-stated date at the above-stated time after the Pledge of Allegiance and a Moment of Silence by President of Council Richard Dellapenna. Prayer was led by Reverend Boniface Igba of Auberle. The following Members of Council were present: RC-1 PRESENT: JAMIE BREWSTER-FILOTEI, TIMOTHY BROWN, LUETHEL NESBIT, RICHARD DELLAPENNA, JIM BARRY, KEITH SOLES, FAWN WALKER- MONTGOMERY. Also present were Mayor Michael Cherepko, City Administrator Matthew Gergely, City Solicitor J. Jason Elash and members of the Administration. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: MOTION: Mr. Soles moved, seconded by Ms. Brewster-Filotei, “to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 7, 2016.” RC-2 YEAS: BREWSTER-FILOTEI, BROWN, NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, BARRY, SOLES, WALKER-MONTGOMERY (7) NAYS: NONE (0) COMMUNICATIONS: Received both the Fire and Police Department Reports for the month of December 2016. MAYOR’S REPORT: Mayor Cherepko said thank you Mr. President. I am going to be very brief today. We have some Proclamations to give out and then a couple of other things. I do first off just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! We here in the City are extremely excited about a lot of things I think we have in store for us this year. Although we continue to have the obstacles and challenges that lie ahead of us [1] that we fight through each and every day we have a lot of good things that I think are going to come about this year. Some things I am not at liberty to discuss but I really believe the next couple of months there will be some good announcements coming. First, and we are allowed to discuss I’m sure, I don’t know if you have been up to Olympia lately and saw the building where the Ames was but they are doing a lot of work up there. They are pretty much complete. We believe they were targeted to open up in March 2017 but we believe it is going to be a lot sooner than that. Matt and I just stopped up there today and the building for the most part, as far as that end of the Ollie’s coming in, looks to be done. There are some other good things and we truly believe 2017 is going to an exciting one, an exciting year for the City. With us today, I am going to need a Motion from Council for an individual that has worked for the City for quite some time and last year was a year that we moved her to a working Foreman. What that means is that you are still in the Union, you are an employee but you take on some of the Administrative duties and Tasha has been an absolute tremendous asset to this Administration in her very short time of last year and I know with the upcoming and with her being full-time Administration now, it takes a lot of courage to be willing to leave the Union and to take on a leadership role here in the City as Finance Director. To really watch a lot of things, the finance end of things that Matt and I watch each and every day, but for someone to just focus on that. To make sure that when something is off we are on top of it right of way, we don’t find out about it a week later or whatever it may be because we are so busy with so much that goes on in the City. Back in the Delta Report they actually mentioned that it was probably a good idea to bring in a Finance Director, but there is no question, Tasha, I could see what you already brought to this team and the year to come is a very exciting one and we want to welcome you to the Administration with the blessing of Council hopefully here but first off at this time I am going to ask Council for a Motion to approve Tasha Phelps as Director of Finance for the City of McKeesport. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Ms. Brewster-Filotei “to approve Tasha Phelps as Director of Finance for the City of McKeesport.” [2] RC-3 YEAS: BREWSTER-FILOTEI, BROWN, NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, BARRY, SOLES, WALKER-MONTGOMERY (7) NAYS: NONE (0) Mayor Cherepko said, Tasha, you want to, not to embarrass you, but stand up and so everyone can put a face. Tasha made a brief comment and said thank you to everyone. Mayor Cherepko said you may have to get sworn in and we may have to do that at the office. Mayor Cherepko then said I do have Proclamations this evening. As we do on a quarterly basis, it goes in with our Message Committee, and from our Message Committee today we have, I see Jennifer Vertullo out there, Angela, and I think Carol Downes is here as well. These are 3 individuals that have been part of the Message Committee from the beginning. When you talk about promoting the message of Respect, Love, Dignity and Hope, as we say all too often, it’s not just an example for youth. It’s not just to show the youth that this isn’t something you hear about at school but it’s a way of life and that’s why we have so many groups and organizations throughout the community that truly try to live that and try to exemplify what those messages mean. It’s also for the adults, for us to be good examples to our youth, for those that try to live a life in regards to respect, love, dignity and hope, and we’ve had different people designated from the beginning of all ages. Today we have a large group as one of them as well and I just want to commend them for their efforts. These are individuals that truly do what they do because they just want to help make McKeesport a better place and that’s all four of these awardees, and they most certainly do not do it for the recognition. I could tell you first hand and I say it all too often but the one thing I do get to see as Mayor, one of the positive things that I truly get to see that people don’t get to see first-hand is just how many wonderful people we have that truly believe in the City; have pride in the City; who work to make McKeesport a better place to live; and I don’t ever like to miss an opportunity to just say thank you for your efforts. I can’t tell you how often it becomes encouraging to me because no matter how positive you stay in this job we have our days when we are down and this job beats you up sometimes but when you see these volunteers out there just hustling and doing what they can to make things better it means a lot to me. So, [3] to all of you, whether you are an awardee tonight or for all those out here in the audience that volunteer in so many different ways I just want to say thank you both personally and as Mayor of this City. Our first award is going to go to an individual that lives in Haler Heights and came with the idea over the last several months now of just helping, you know the love thy neighbor type thing. Whether it’s sidewalks that need cleaned, grass that needs cut with the elderly, whatever it may be. She truly has taken a leadership role and she communicates with Jennifer in my office and it seems no matter what comes in we turn in to her and she is there to help accomplish what the task may be at hand, and that’s Sandi George. So, I do want to read this and have Sandi come up for the Proclamation: WHEREAS, the McKeesport Message Committee uplifts the values of Respect, Dignity, Hope and Love through community programming and other efforts; and WHEREAS, Sandi George has established the Love Thy Neighborhood Initiative to help fellow McKeesporters, specifically those who are elderly, disabled, or need assistance for other reasons, with seasonal work around their homes; and WHEREAS, Sandi, who has worked as a team of one, while building her volunteer network kept herself busy throughout the summer and winter of 2016 maintaining yards to be free of overgrowth, snow and ice across McKeesport’s neighborhoods. NOW, THEREFORE, as Mayor of the City of McKeesport, I do hereby honor Sandi George as the Living the Message awardee for Love. Our next awardee when we talk about Dignity, is truly an individual that has been an advocate for the homeless and underprivileged people, not just here in the City but for communities outside the City as well and that’s Althea Warman who I call “Ciss”, but I am going to read this one off for Althea. WHEREAS, the McKeesport Message Committee uplifts the values of Respect, Dignity, Hope and Love through community programming and other efforts; and WHEREAS, Althea Tish Warman has been a long-time advocate for the homeless and underprivileged in McKeesport and neighboring communities; and WHEREAS, Althea, a retired cook and restaurant worker, has dedicated her life to cooking hot meals for homeless people in the McKeesport community, first the Kiesell Kitchen and now in her service at Judah Ministries. [4]  NOW, THEREFORE, as Mayor of the City of McKeesport, I do hereby honor Althea “Ciss” Warman as Living the Message awardee for Dignity. Our next awardee is for Hope. Without question no stranger to the City of McKeesport. Just recently retired as President of McKeesport NAACP Branch that I he ran for I think 7 or 8 years. Someone who served on the McKeesport School District and served on other Boards, has been there to help this City in whatever way he can and has been someone that truly served as a mentor for me personally as Mayor of the City of McKeesport. Someone that I could always turn to for advice and that award is going to Mr. Ocie Paige. So, let me read it off for the awardee of Hope. WHEREAS, the McKeesport Message Committee uplifts the values of Respect, Dignity, Hope and Love through community programming and other efforts; and WHEREAS, Ocie Paige served as President of the NAACP McKeesport Unit from 2009 through 2016, always striving to be a kind and diplomatic leader working toward unity and hope for future generations of the McKeesport community; and WHEREAS, Ocie with the partnership and guidance of his wife, Alease, has revived the NAACP McKeesport Unit in his term as President through Annual Breakfasts, Community Events, Scholarship Programs and Award Dinners. NOW, THEREFORE, as Mayor of the City of McKeesport, I do hereby honor Ocie Paige as Living the Message awardee for Hope. I think that speaks volumes with the first three awardees when you talk about people that don’t do this for recognition. They were all asked if they wanted to say a few words and they are just so humble that they just go along with business and they are just there for the City and I think it speaks volumes. The next group I’m sure will have a spokesperson. We have a large group of them wearing purple. With us today, when you talk about the McKeesport Lions Club and we do I got to acknowledge the District Governor Rich Keller is here as well for the Lions. You know, here in the City of McKeesport it doesn’t matter what event you go to at some point or another you are going to see purple. And not just at the obvious ones like the Concerts in the Park and things like that, the Patriotism Parade that they really started, but all of these things. Many of them are involved on the Rec Board with all the various activities and when you talk about volunteerism and really working for a better McKeesport I think they truly as well exemplify just what that means. I will read the Proclamation for that group and I don’t know [5] how you are going to take that picture, but we’ll figure that out in a minute. When you talk about Respect, the McKeesport Lions Club. WHEREAS, the McKeesport Message Committee uplifts the values of Respect, Dignity, Hope and Love through community programming and other efforts; and WHEREAS, the McKeesport Lions Club is known throughout this community for its Summer Concert Series at Renziehausen Park and that series has closed with the Patriotism Parade and fireworks display for the past three years; and WHEREAS, the McKeesport Lions Club through this event and many others has shown an unparalleled respect for the U. S. Armed Forces along with McKeesport’s First Responders who dedicate their lives to public service and the safety of others. NOW, THEREFORE, as Mayor of the City of McKeesport, I do hereby honor the McKeesport Lions Club and its active members as Living the Message awardee for Respect. Well Mr. President, as I told you I would be brief, that concludes my Report. President Dellapenna said thank you Mayor. I just want to make one comment, the group that was represented here, I don’t think there could be a more representative group of the good that goes on in McKeesport on a daily basis than the four awardees today. They are all awesome people who have done a tremendous amount for the City and I just want to tell you that I appreciate everything you do and on behalf of the citizens I think they truly appreciate it too. CITIZENS IN THE AUDIENCE: President Dellapenna called for Citizens in the Audience, Mr. Regis Mellinger, to please come up and keep in mind you have three minutes. Regis Mellinger, 1612 Packer, McKeesport, PA 15132. Hello again. So, real estate is the big topic of the night it seems like. I believe nicer street names can raise the property value by millions of dollars overall. The first big example that I believe, just imagine anybody here could be an entrepreneur. You all want to start a business somehow wherever you want to start your business, on Main Street, right? And I was looking around downtown McKeesport really doesn’t have a Main Street but I looked on it and we do. Main Street is a little blip right up over Renziehausen Park. Now on that Industry Road, right by the Monongahela River, if you are thinking of opening a business, say a restaurant, [6] maybe a Yoga Studio, I don’t know anything you want. Industry has a kind of connotation, it may be dirty, it may be noisy and polluted. So, I think we are selling ourselves very short by having Industry Road right here where all these kinds of empty buildings are but there’s some business there that would be great. That would be great and that would be the future Main Street of McKeesport. More valuable for as far as, anything you really want to open up. Let’s say once you have a business you want to buy a home here in McKeesport. Now we have a couple opportunities, like Eden Park Boulevard, that’s a beautiful name for a street but then it connects to Hartman Street. What’s Hartman Street? I don’t know. Probably somebody who was great back in the day but if we were to continue that into Eden Park Drive we could raise the value of all the homes because it signifies there’s a Park nearby. We have one road, Versailles Boulevard, Versailles Avenue, there are four great schools along the way. Penn State University, the high school campus, Propel and Twin Rivers. Say you want to open up a bookstore or a coffee shop you name it, apartments for some students and professors. That would be wonderfully named as Campus Way. Campus Way the whole way down. Take O’Neil Boulevard and Versailles Boulevard and make them Campus Way and I believe by doing that you can raise property value and therefor property taxes just the same. Bowman Street is a wonderful place to watch the sun set and you could raise the property value of Bowman Street just by renaming it Sunset Boulevard or anything like that. I did some research on it. There are only a couple web sites. Sunset compared to similar homes. Homes on Sunset Street are average on higher by 16%. Now if we take all the homes there and extra businesses, maybe an extra lounge or restaurant, you can raise the property value by name alone. Even if you want to retire, you might want to retire and go to Sunset Drive which is one of the closest drives to the Walmart up nearby. Let’s imagine, we have a lot of rough-cut people here in McKeesport, maybe some criminals. Now let’s imagine that we rename a few of the streets just to simple flowers. Pick the meanest street you can think of. My mother’s favorite flower is lilac. We are going to take that street and rename it Lilac Drive. Maybe you’d just be walking down the street about to get revenge against somebody for whatever. (President Dellapenna said 30 seconds left). Ok. So, you might see something and you might be reminded of a pleasant memory. I think renaming streets in a positive way could reduce crime, could raise property value. [7] It may sound kind of out-of-the-box but it’s one way I think we could raise a lot of the property values in McKeesport by simple street names. President Dellapenna said thank you sir. NEW BUSINESS: President Dellapenna asked Secretary James for New Business. RESOLUTION NO. 2017-001 – BILL #50 – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AUTHORIZING THE PROPER CITY OFFICIALS TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH MR. JOHN FOR THE 2017 PORTABLE RESTROOM RENTAL PROGRAM. MOTION: Mr. Soles moved, seconded by Ms. Nesbit “to approve Bill #50.” RC-4 YEAS: BREWSTER-FILOTEI, BROWN, NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, BARRY, SOLES, WALKER-MONTGOMERY (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2017-002– BILL #51 – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, SETTING FORTH THE PAYDAYS FOR THE YEAR 2017. MOTION: Ms. Walker-Montgomery moved, seconded by Mr. Brown “to approve Bill #51.” RC-5 YEAS: BREWSTER-FILOTEI, BROWN, NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, BARRY, SOLES, WALKER-MONTGOMERY (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2017-003 – BILL #52 – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, ESTABLISHING REGULAR MEETINGS OF CITY COUNCIL FOR 2017 AND JANUARY 2018. MOTION: Ms. Nesbit moved, seconded by Ms. Brewster-Filotei “to approve Bill #52.” RC-6 YEAS: BREWSTER-FILOTEI, BROWN, NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, BARRY, SOLES, WALKER-MONTGOMERY (7) [8]  NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2017-004 – BILL #53 – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, DESIGNATING URBAN DESIGN VENTURES TO PROVIDE CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM. MOTION: Ms. Walker-Montgomery moved, seconded by Mr. Soles “to approve Bill #53.” RC-7 YEAS: BREWSTER-FILOTEI, BROWN, NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, BARRY, SOLES, WALKER-MONTGOMERY (7) NAYS: NONE (0) President Dellapenna said we need a Motion to Amend the Agenda to Add Bill #54. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Ms. Brewster-Filotei “to Amend the Agenda to Add Bill #54.” RC-8 YEAS: BREWSTER-FILOTEI, BROWN, NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, BARRY, SOLES, WALKER-MONTGOMERY (7) NAYS: NONE (0) ORDINANCE NO. 2017-001 – BILL #54 – AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, INTRODUCED BY MS. WALKER-MONTGOMERY AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A TAX AND REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE, SERIES 2017, WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE FOREGOING AND ATTACHED CERTIFICATE OF TRANSMITTAL, APPROVING THE FORM OF NOTE, AUTHORIZING DESIGNATED OFFICERS TO EXECUTE AND DELIVER THE NOTE, AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE FILING OF PROCEEDINGS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDING FOR THE PAYMENT AND SECURITY OF THE NOTE, MAKING CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX COVENANTS IN RESPECT TO THE NOTE, ACCEPTING A PROPOSAL OF FIRST COMMONWEALTH BANK FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE NOTE, AND REPEALING INCONSISTENT ORDINANCES. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Ms. Nesbit “to approve Bill #54.” [9] RC-9 YEAS: BREWSTER-FILOTEI, BROWN, NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, BARRY, SOLES, WALKER-MONTGOMERY (7) NAYS: NONE (0) ADJOURNMENT: President of Council Dellapenna said I would like to thank everyone for coming and congratulate everyone who received awards. Please have a happy, safe New Year! The meeting then adjourned at 7:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Annette James City Clerk and Clerk of Council APPROVED: Richard Dellapenna President of Council das [10]