City Council

CITY OF MCKEESPORT REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY 7:00 P.M. JUNE 3, 2020 The regular meeting of Council was called to order on the above- stated date at the above-stated time after the Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence and a remembrance for Council Vice President Jamie Brewster-Filotei by President of Council Richard Dellapenna. The following Members of Council were present: RC-1 PRESENT: JIM BARRY, RICHARD DELLAPENNA, BRIAN EVANS, LUETHEL NESBIT, KEITH SOLES ABSENT: TIMOTHY BROWN The meeting was then turned over to Mayor Cherepko who stated that as our Moment of Silence went, we are very well aware that we lost a person that loved this City like you can’t even possibly imagine. We lost somebody who gave her heart and soul into just trying to make McKeesport a better place to live. As a Councilperson, as a teacher, the amount of lives and number of lives that she had the opportunity to impact in such positive ways it’s truly immeasurable. Jamie was, just bled red and blue. I know we all love our City and I’d have to think that I love my City just as much as anyone else and I can tell you what she’s probably one person that may have loved it more than me. She’s truly going to be missed by everyone in the City. More than just the way she served was the person that she was. I’ve met a lot of people in my life and I will honestly say that she is without question one of the best persons I’ve ever met in my life. When you strive to be like somebody, Jamie would be, look no further. You can strive to be like her. I know for one I will be very satisfied if I end up some day half of the person that she was. We most certainly are going to miss her. I know some of the family is here, T.J. is here, I think I saw Kenny here, not sure if Nina was and Grandma and the rest of them. But to T.J., Nina and that’s one of the [1] reasons Mr. Brown is not here either, there’s things going on at the High School tonight, I want to take this opportunity to present, I don’t know T.J. you want to do it on behalf of the family, this is Jamie’s name plate. Believe it or not I did a little better than I did earlier. I had the privilege of speaking at the funeral and it was even harder. I got more out today I think I could tell you that much. It becomes the hard part of the job is finding a replacement. So, when my mind started turning and chatting with some Council Members, with this particular situation I found it very appropriate to really look no further than someone extremely close to Jamie, her sister, Jill, is an educator in this School District; has a tremendous amount of pride in the School District and in the City; I have the opportunity to sit with her on the McKeesport Community Fund Board where that’s part of Pure Penn and the money and the Grants that are given out she’s very active with that; and her opinion is always very much valued by everyone and I know Lu sits on that Board as well. But, when I went to talk to some of the Council I think it was pretty obvious that we have an opportunity to appoint such a wonderful young lady so close to her sister and someone that can kind of take this opportunity to try to fulfill her legacy and I will tell you, when I went up there to talk to Jill and Jeff, it’s very emotional for them but there’s no question, Jill, that you are going to be a tremendous asset to this City as well. You already are with the things you do as an educator and serving on that Board as well as you do in the other things that you participate in and there’s no question and I think I speak for all of Council as well that you are going to be a tremendous asset as a Council person here in the City of McKeesport. So, with that being said, I would like to ask Mr. President if you can ask someone for a Motion to Appoint Jill Lape to fulfill the remainder of the term of Jamie Brewster-Filotei. MOTION: Mr. Soles moved, seconded by Mr. Barry, “to appoint Jill Lape to fulfill the remainder of the term on Council of Jamie Brewster-Filotei.” [2] RC-2 YEAS: BARRY, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, NESBIT, SOLES (5) NAYS: NONE (0) Mayor Cherepko said at this time we have the Honorable Judge Eugene Riazzi with us to swear in our new Council person. I, Jill Lape, do solemnly swear that I will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth and that I will discharge the duties of my office as McKeesport City Council person with fidelity, so help me God. At this time Council person Jill Lape took her seat at the Council table and everyone congratulated her. Mayor Cherepko said Mr. President, if I may, the second part was as we are all very well aware, Jamie was our Vice President of Council, a role which she held to the highest standard as well. You know I talk all the time about how blessed I am with the Council we have, just selfless people that continue to just want what is best for the City. We come to these meetings, we conduct ourselves with respect, dignity, and a lot of times your nay-sayers sit out there and say here they are, this one is this, this one is that, they don’t argue, they don’t talk, we talk constantly. They care, they call me with questions, they call me with situations, we handle things, it’s one of those things where we are a family and you don’t air your dirty laundry. Just to show, this is an example of what I mean, I don’t always get to share all the selflessness but we had a Vice Presidency open on this Council, talked to Council people, started chatting about different opportunities, check with the other ones see if they want it listen it doesn’t matter to me, doesn’t matter whoever, this or that, I mean everyone of you, and it’s just like that’s what, whatever you want, it’s never about me, what title I can hold, it’s that I truly respect and admire each and everyone of you. So, we decided on the opportunity to look at one of the, I call her kind of the mother of Council, and she’s definitely someone that gives me motherly advice all the time, and I look forward and enjoy our conversations and [3] learn so much. Once again, I asked Lu would you be interested in being Vice President of Council? Lu said check with everyone else first you know it’s make sure there’s been people there longer than me, there’s people that did this, just every single one of you and it speaks volumes. I never get to really share what I mean about being so selfless but this example truly exemplifies what I mean when I say that. So, with that Lu and I had a great conversation and when I called Council they said yea, absolutely Lu is perfect, Lu’s perfect, so with that being said Mr. President if you would like to ask for a Motion, if that’s what you guys so choose to do. MOTION: Mr. Evans moved, seconded by Mr. Barry, “to appoint Luethel Nesbit as Vice President of Council.” RC-3 YEAS: BARRY, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, LAPE, NESBIT, SOLES (6) NAYS: NONE (0) Mayor Cherepko said just to let the record show, Tim Brown who is not here, not that the vote will count, but he was absolutely 110% behind it. They had a little senior parade thing at the High School and Tim is Assistant Principal and had to be out there but he was on board as well. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mr. Soles, “to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 6, 2020.” RC-4 YEAS: BARRY, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, LAPE, NESBIT, SOLES (6) NAYS: NONE (0) COMMUNICATIONS: Ms. Vertullo reported that everyone should have received the monthly Fire Report. [4] MAYOR’S REPORT: President Dellapenna asked for the Mayor’s Report. Mayor Cherepko said Mr. President, I will be extremely brief. I talked for 15 minutes prior to this. So, I have no report tonight. President Dellapenna said thank you Mayor. CITIZENS IN THE AUDIENCE: President Dellapenna asked if anybody signed up and Ms. Vertullo said there are no Citizens in the Audience. NEW BUSINESS: RESOLUTION NO. 2020-029 – BILL #35 (INTRODUCED BY MR. EVANS) – A Resolution Designating James Garvin to Provide Engineering Services for all City of McKeesport Projects. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mr. Soles “to approve Bill #35.” President Dellapenna asked for any questions or comments and Mayor Cherepko said as I said earlier Jim has been our Engineer now for about 8 years and he has done a tremendous job. RC-5 YEAS: BARRY, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, LAPE, NESBIT, SOLES (6) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2020-030 – BILL #36 (INTRODUCED BY MR. SOLES) – A Resolution Designating Urban Design Ventures to Provide Consulting Services for the Community Development Block Grant Program. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mr. Evans “to approve Bill #36.” President Dellapenna asked for any questions or comments and Mayor Cherepko said they’ve been our Consulting Services now since [5] we had issues with HUD prior to early in the administration and they do a great job. RC-6 YEAS: BARRY, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, LAPE, NESBIT, SOLES (6) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2020-031 – BILL #37 (INTRODUCED BY MRS. NESBIT) – A Resolution Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Execute All Documents Necessary to Apply for an Active Allegheny Grant in the Amount of $81,000.00 Through the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County. MOTION: Mr. Evans moved, seconded by Mr. Soles “to approve Bill #37.” President Dellapenna asked for any questions or comments and Mayor Cherepko said we talked about that $81,000, yea that’s just the planning phase of trying to connect the Grandview Area to our Trails in the park. RC-7 YEAS: BARRY, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, LAPE, NESBIT, SOLES (6) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2020-032 – BILL #38 (INTRODUCED BY MR. BARRY) – A Resolution Awarding the Bid for the Demolition of the Former St. Stephen’s Church to Lutterman Excavating, and Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Execute All Documents Necessary to Enter Into an Agreement with Lutterman Excavating for an Amount Not to Exceed $77,900.00. MOTION: Mrs. Nesbit moved, seconded by Mr. Barry “to approve Bill #38.” President Dellapenna asked for any questions or comments and Mayor Cherepko said this church is owned by the SAVE organization, the non-profit that runs the kid programming of wrestling on Park [6] Street. Senator Brewster was very successful in getting this money to help with the demolition of that to clean up that area. A lot of times when you have non-profits like that, when we get CITF money they go through us, if you remember a few months ago you approved one for, well you approved this one but we had to go out to bid, but for the Heritage Center, we did it for the Heritage Center, some of the others, so, we are very grateful for Senator Brewster and his commitment to the City of McKeesport. President Dellapenna said thank you Mayor. RC-8 YEAS: BARRY, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, LAPE, NESBIT, SOLES (6) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2020-033 – BILL #39 (INTRODUCED BY MR. EVANS) – A Resolution Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Execute All Documents Necessary to Apply for and Accept Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding through the U.S. Department of Justice and Office of Justice Programs. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mrs. Nesbit “to approve Bill #39.” President Dellapenna asked for any questions or comments and Mayor Cherepko said this Grant opportunity will be for the DOJ, Department of Justice, for our Police Department for a lot of the Coronavirus issues we have going on, this is a $119,600 Grant, give or take a couple bucks. For the most part it will help us with the issues such as overtime, we hired a few part-time police that we can probably allocate some of this money to which indirectly helps us with overtime because we live in a world now that when people are sick or people have a fever we don’t want them here. So, it’s not one of those things that people toughen up and try to come to work sick because in this day and age you have to be careful of that if you have a temperature and thing, so this is a Grant that we’re pretty much, from all indications we will get. [7] RC-9 YEAS: BARRY, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, LAPE, NESBIT, SOLES (6) NAYS: NONE (0) ADJOURNMENT: President Dellapenna said that concludes the Council meeting for Wednesday, June 3, 2020. Thank you for coming. The meeting then adjourned at 7:18 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Annette James City Clerk and Clerk of Council APPROVED: Richard Dellapenna President of Council /das [8]