City Council

CITY OF MCKEESPORT REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY 7:00 P.M. MAY 5, 2021 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 a Moment of Silence in memory of Bradley Soles and Frank Maglicco by President Dellapenna. President Dellapenna called for roll call by Secretary James. The following Members of Council were present: RC-1 PRESENT: LUETHEL NESBIT, RICHARD DELLAPENNA, BRIAN EVANS, JIM BARRY, KEITH SOLES, TIMOTHY BROWN, JILL LAPE APPROVAL OF MINUTES: President Dellapenna asked for a Motion to Approve the Minutes of the regular meeting of April 7, 2021. MOTION: Mr. Brown moved, seconded by Mrs. Nesbit, “to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 7, 2021.” RC-2 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) COMMUNICATIONS: Secretary James reported that we received both the Fire and Police Reports for the month of April 2021. MAYOR’S REPORT: President Dellapenna asked for the Mayor’s Report. Mayor Cherepko said thank you Mr. President. I had the opportunity during the Work Session to speak a little bit so, with that being said I have no further Report. [1] President Dellapenna said thank you Mayor. CITIZENS IN THE AUDIENCE: President Dellapenna then called for Citizens in the Audience and put through the following callers whom he instructed to state their name, address and the question or comment and to keep in mind they have 3 minutes: 1. Janina Riley, 1403 Yester Square, McKeesport, PA 15132. Comment is regarding to the police presence on the date of December 20, 2020. My main comment is as a community when have 9 Police Departments been effective in getting one person? I feel that the citizens of McKeesport were not at threat and were not affected so, why were the citizen of McKeesport being under attack? I have seen many things in my life and I have never seen 10 Police Departments be dispatched for Amber Alerts, for Missing Child, for Missing Senior, the people who are part of the community that are actually in danger, but we release 10 Police Departments for one man who was not a threat to the public but to the Police Department. I am looking for some accountability and maybe some sort of peace with the community because at this point we are wasting money on over-policing and not with our community. We are not spending the right money on our children, on our community and it’s a problem. That’s the end of my comment. President Dellapenna said thank you Ms. Riley. 2. Rich Lord, Public Source, 1936 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. I am calling in my professional capacity as a reporter with Public Source in Pittsburgh. Thank you for giving me a minute or two today. Of course, I would have preferred to come to your meeting face-to-face but recognize we are not there yet and I do appreciate this opportunity. As I mentioned I am a reporter with PublicSource.org. We are a non-profit, on-line only news service based in Pittsburgh and we are [2]  aiming to do some reporting in McKeesport in the coming months. We are working on a series called “Tenant Series” about the rental housing market in the COVID and hopefully post-COVID Era. We have published several stories in this “Tenant Series” and we plan to zoom in on McKeesport in the coming weeks because your City we believe has a very significant rental market that seems to face challenges and opportunities. I know the City of McKeesport has tried to meet some of the challenges and I would like to learn more so I am going to be reaching out to, or trying to reach out to many of you in the coming weeks for your perspectives. I will just close by offering you by contact information. I am at Rich@publicsource.org by email, again that’s Rich@publicsource.org or my phone number is 412-515-0057 and I look forward to learning about all of your efforts in the service of McKeesport, especially in relation to the rental housing market in the coming weeks and I thank you very much. President Dellapenna said thank you Mr. Lord. President Dellapenna said ok that concludes the Citizens in the Audience and asked Secretary James to proceed with New Business. NEW BUSINESS: RESOLUTION NO. 2021-13 - Bill #24 - Introduced by Tim Brown – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Approving a Reverse Subdivision Request from Michael & Nicole Cherepko, 711 East Street, McKeesport, PA 15132, to Combine Lot & Blocks 461-E-143 and 461-E-155. The Combined Parcel will Become 461-E-143. The Property Exists in a R-2 Zoning District. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mrs. Nesbit “to approve Bill #24.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. [3] RC-3 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2021-014 - Bill #25 –Introduced by Jim Barry – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Approving a Reverse Subdivision Request from Michael & Nicole Cherepko, 711 East Street, McKeesport, PA 15132, to Combine Lot & Blocks 461-A-256 and 461-A-258. The Combined Parcel will Become 461-A-256. The Property Exists in a R-2 Zoning District. MOTION: Mr. Evans moved, seconded by Mrs. Lape “to approve Bill #25.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-4 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2021-015 - Bill #26 –Introduced by Jill Lape – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Approving a Conditional Use Request from Ekeyma Ebony Levy, 902 South Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15221, to Operate a Coffee/Tea Shop Located at 322 5th Avenue (Lot & Block 380-E-10), McKeesport, PA 15132. The Property Exists in a C-2 Zoning District. MOTION: Mrs. Nesbit moved, seconded by Mr. Barry “to approve Bill #26.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-5 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) [4] RESOLUTION NO. 2021-016 - Bill #27– Introduced by Brian Evans – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Approving and Authorizing the Filing of the Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Action Plan for Funding Known as B-21-MC-42-0106 Under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-383) As Amended. MOTION: Mr. Brown moved, seconded by Mrs. Lape “to approve Bill #27.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-6 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2021-017 - Bill #28– Introduced by Luethel Nesbit – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Request Funding Through the Allegheny County Economic Development Department for Act 152 Funds for the McKeesport Rising: Cultural and Educational Sector Enhancement Project. MOTION: Mr. Evans moved, seconded by Mr. Soles “to approve Bill #28.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-7 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) [5] RESOLUTION NO. 2021-018 - Bill #29 – Introduced by Tim Brown – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Authorizing the Demolition of Certain Deteriorated Properties in the City of McKeesport, Pursuant to Ordinance #2253, Series 1962, Section 5 for the McKeesport Rising: Cultural and Educational Sector Enhancement Project. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mrs. Nesbit “to approve Bill #29.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-8 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2021-019 - Bill #30 – Introduced by Jim Barry – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Enter into an Agreement with Environmental Planning & Design, LLC, in the Amount of Eighty Thousand Five Hundred ($80,500) Dollars for a Twelve (12) Month Study of Public Access to McKeesport Walking and Bicycle Trails. MOTION: Mr. Brown moved, seconded by Mr. Barry “to approve Bill #30.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-9 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) President Dellapenna asked for a Motion to Amend the Agenda to Add Bill 31. [6] MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mrs. Nesbit “to amend the Agenda to add Bill #31.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-10 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) ORDINANCE NO. 21-012 - Bill #31– Introduced by Keith Soles – An Ordinance of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Execute all Documents Necessary to Grant an Easement to Peoples Natural Gas Company for the Construction of a New Regulator Station on Wainwright Avenue in Haler Heights. MOTION: Mr. Evans moved, seconded by Mrs. Lape “to approve Bill #31.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and Councilman Barry said I do have a question on this. There is a current station on the opposite side coming down the hill, correct? Mayor Cherepko said yes, they had to upgrade. Councilman Barry asked is there no way they can use the property they already have, they already occupy, or does this have to be a new structure? Mayor Cherepko said no. Solicitor Elash said I think it had to be a little bigger to handle the capacity. Mayor Cherepko said the other one was too close to the road. This will be off the road more, a safety issue. President Dellapenna asked for any other questions or comments and asked, is there nowhere else where that could go? [7] Mayor Cherepko said no, because I asked the same thing. I said do you have to put that up there and they said this is the only option. The other place that they started the first time was going to be even closer to the roadway. So, this is supposed to be back a little bit. RC-11 YEAS: NESBIT, DELLAPENNA, EVANS, BARRY, SOLES, BROWN, LAPE (7) NAYS: NONE (0) ADJOURNMENT: President Dellapenna said that concludes the Council meeting for Wednesday, May 5, 2021. Thank you all. The meeting then adjourned at 7:21 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Annette James City Clerk and Clerk of Council APPROVED: Richard Dellapenna President of Council /das [8]