City Council

CITY OF MCKEESPORT REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY 7:00 P.M. MAY 4, 2022 The regular meeting of Council was called to order on the above- stated date at the above-stated time after the Pledge of Allegiance by President Dellapenna and a Moment of Silence. Prayer was led by Rev. Dr. Moni McIntyre from St. Stephens. The following Members of Council were present: RC-1 PRESENT: LUETHEL NESBIT, BRIAN EVANS, KEITH SOLES, JILL LAPE, JIM BARRY, RICHARD DELLAPENNA, TIMOTHY BROWN APPROVAL OF MINUTES: President Dellapenna asked for a Motion to Approve the Minutes of the regular meeting of April 6, 2022. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mr. Evans, “to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 6, 2022.” RC-2 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) NAYS: NONE (0) COMMUNICATIONS: Secretary James reported that we received the Fire and Police Reports for the month of April 2022. MAYOR’S REPORT: President Dellapenna asked for the Mayor’s Report. Mayor Cherepko said thank you Mr. President. I will be brief, seriously, just a few housecleaning things. [1] I think LuEthel did announce it but the NAACP Pancake Breakfast is tomorrow morning, oh Saturday morning, from 8 to noon out at the Main Pavilion, Renzie Park, if you have a chance to stop out and get some good pancakes and socialize a little bit. Hopefully, get out and support our McKeesport Chapter of NAACP. A few, last week, thought it was quite an honor to see Mayor Lou Washowich, former Mayor, inducted into the Hall of Fame, McKeesport Area School District Hall of Fame. If you guys remember I think, maybe not Jill but the rest of you were up here when we had the opportunity at the City to name the street after Lou that he was so deserving as well. But it’s nice to see the School District get him into the Hall of Fame and I want to congratulate his family as well and his wife and it’s nice to see many of the family at the event as well. So, I do commend the School District for acknowledging him and entering him into the Hall of Fame, it’s quite an accomplishment and very well deserving of. Allegheny Clean Ways and UPMC on Friday, May 6th, they will be in the City again. They are going to be trying something new to the City, in addition to all the cleanups they do, there’s 5 homes on Flagler Street in which we do plan on tearing down, they are on the Grant so it may take sometime maybe a year or two. So, I think what they plan on doing is coming in and boarding up those homes and they paint them. They paint them and clean up everything and instead of just looking like even though the house will still need torn down it really presents itself to be a much more appealing look than dilapidated houses. So, we are anxious to see what that looks like. They will have 200 volunteers coming in. So, it says a lot and we are very grateful for that. So, we do thank Allegheny Clean Ways and their partnership with UPMC for that as well. The Memorial Day Service will start at 10:00 a.m. over here at the Memorial Park. We then go down to the LaRosa Club for those that would like to attend that’s usually around 11-11:15 a.m., about 11 [2] o’clock. So, anything that would like to attend that event as well. It’s always nice, we see our police and fire there. Speaking of our Fire today is International Firefighters Day. You may have seen on Facebook as well. Of course we are very blessed here in the City of McKeesport to have a paid Fire Department. Chief Tomasic is here with us tonight. But, to see our men instead of sitting around with their feet up, and to honor them they are doing what they do, they are out there partnership with Red Cross and getting smoke alarms into homes, especially into the home on Baker, that caught on fire when it was struck by lightning last evening. So, fortunately no one was hurt and they did an incredible job with the fire. The storm, itself, was a pretty bad storm that came through. I know Steve Kondrosky is here with us and his men were out all night as well, firemen were running with them, Police were out there, but to see the men, Public Works, really getting all the trees out of the road clear them up, flooding issues, and everything, so Steve I commend you as well and your men they did an incredible job last night. Power wise, it was out of our hands. Actually it was very strange because for the most part we got the power turned on rather quickly and then after the second storm that’s when a couple reports of sparkling transformers came in. So, when the transformers went out that is when we lost power and some were without power all the way into this morning. I believe everyone at this time is restored, I am not sure, but we get those types of storms and we take it for granted sometimes that we have our first responders, we have our Public Works Department, and everyone else out there trying to clear things up and make sure everyone is safe and I just want to commend each and every one of them for their efforts. The Jerome Street Bridge is back to one way. Once again, it’s a short- term inconvenience for a long-term reward. So, unfortunately for about two months we will be dealing with this. Hopefully the weather cooperates and they can be in and out of there in two [3] months and we won’t have to worry about it again until they end up starting the Duquesne-McKeesport Bridge which isn’t really scheduled. They are going to close it a couple weekends right now but for the most part it won’t be anything until later down the road. You may look around and see our demolition projects and the paving, lots of paving going on. We will be coming to Council next month with roughly another 120 homes which will put us up over 250, a vast majority of those homes are focused on the lower wards. I mean like probably 80-90% of them, and some of the stragglers we may have missed prior to that. So, at that point the squeaky wheel gets the grease but I don’t think we will have any complaint that won’t be addressed in addition to the strategy that goes behind it. It’s not just something we just randomly pick homes. There is a strategy and it’s not easy. It’s very hard to weigh everything and really make sure you are getting your biggest bang for your buck. Other than that, we will be in May’s meeting next month. Obviously with this Bond deal and the finances, I appreciate Tasha and Matt Gergely and everything they are doing on the finance end of things and Tommy on his end as well. This is the kind of year as well where Tommy puts on his other hat and he gets outside into the parks and we really want to continue to make sure our parks are up to par and improvements are being made and it’s always good to know when he is out there we still have Matt and Tasha on the finance end of things that can try to hold some things down. So, everyone is doing an incredible job. To Council, your support I can’t say enough. You know you read in the paper or hear on the news what the Councils, and the Mayors, and the fighting and things that go on, and I have said this probably a million times but if you don’t think when we come in here we don’t air our “dirty laundry” so to say, and we have very productive Council meetings, it doesn’t matter if we disagree we never embarrass one another we never, no dog and pony shows, that goes a long way. I can’t tell you how many times I have developers, [4] whoever it is business owners that say listen we want to come down there it seems like, we feel like we are wanted there, it seems like everyone wants us, we can get along and that goes a long way. I’d be remiss if I didn’t comment to the public that you know people think because we come up here and there’s no fighting and things that everything is just, we agree on it, and we don’t, you know, and when we don’t if someone votes no and they move on, there’s no dog and pony shows and no in-fighting. But the one thing I can say about our Council Members is I am blessed as Mayor to have a Council that truly just has the best interest of the City at heart. It goes a long way. Sometimes we might want to take different paths to get there and that’s great, that’s good because we need different ideas and things but truth be told a lot of Council and Commissioners in different areas they are always dealing with people with ulterior motives and their own political agendas and things like that and I for one don’t take it for granted that whether we agree or not all the time is irrelevant. The fact that I have seven Council people that truly are here for the best interest of the City and I just don’t want you to ever think that I take that for granted. Other than, we will be back for June to talk about our events and Concerts in the Parks and everything revving up and our paving has started, we will be doing in-house paving as well. I know when some of these roads get milled people get frustrated just be patient. Sometimes maybe there will be a road milled for a couple weeks before it gets paved but we are getting an incredible rate with the milling. They are quick and they are efficient and sometimes the paving just can’t keep up but once again short-term inconvenience for a very long-term reward. That concludes my report Mr. President. President Dellapenna said thank you Mayor. [5] CITIZENS IN THE AUDIENCE: President Dellapenna next called for Citizens in the Audience and Secretary James that we did not have anyone sign up. President Dellapenna then asked for New Business from Secretary James. NEW BUSINESS: RESOLUTION NO. 2022-019 – Bill #26 - Introduced by Brian Evans – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Adopting the 2022 Edition of the Emergency Operations Plan in Relation to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Services Code. MOTION: Mrs. Nesbit moved, seconded by Mrs. Lape “to approve Bill #26.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-3 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2022-020 - Bill #27 –Introduced by Jill Lape – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Enter Into a Document Management Agreement with Ford Office Technologies for a Period of Sixty (60) Months. MOTION: Mr. Soles moved, seconded by Mr. Brown “to approve Bill #27.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. [6] RC-4 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2022-021 – Bill #28 –Introduced by Jim Barry – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Awarding the Bid for the 2022 Renzie Park Improvements Project to Kucich Construction, Inc., and Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Execute all Documents Necessary to Enter Into an Agreement with Kucich Construction, Inc. for an Amount Not to Exceed $175,000.00 for the 2022 Renzie Park Improvements Project. MOTION: Mr. Evans moved, seconded by Mrs. Lape “to approve Bill #28.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-5 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) RESOLUTION NO. 2022-022 - Bill #29 –Introduced by Timothy Brown – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Authorizing the Proper City Officials to Enter Into an Agreement with Ace Pyro, LLC for the Purpose of Providing the Fireworks Displays at Renziehausen Park for July 4th (Independence Day), August 9th (International Village), September 5th (Labor Day) and TBA (Patriot’s Day). MOTION: Mrs. Lape moved, seconded by Mrs. Nesbit “to approve Bill #29.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. [7] RC-6 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2022-023 - Bill #30 –Introduced by Keith Soles – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Approving a Reverse Subdivision Request from Ray and Diane McAraw to Combine Lot & Blocks 555-H-024 and 555-H-018. The Combined Parcel will Become Lot & Block 555-H-024, 400 Long Road, McKeesport. The Property Exists in a C-3 Zoning District. MOTION: Mr. Brown moved, seconded by Mr. Barry “to approve Bill #30.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-7 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2022-024 - Bill #31 –Introduced by Timothy Brown – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Approving a Conditional Use Request from Nicholas Kasyn d/b/a Kasyn Cycle Worx to Operate a Motorcycle Repair Shop at 528 Eden Park Boulevard, McKeesport, PA 15132 (Lot & Block 464- S-191). The Property Exists in a C-3 Zoning District. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mr. Evans “to approve Bill #31.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-8 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) [8]  NAYS: NONE (0) ORDINANCE NO. 22-008 - Bill #32 –Introduced by Jim Barry – An Ordinance of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Authorizing the Incurring of Non-Electoral Debt by the City of McKeesport, County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for the Purpose of Financing the Costs of a Refunding Project; Finding a Sale by Negotiation to be in the Best Interest of the City; Accepting a proposal for the Purchase of the Bonds; Authorizing the Incurring of Non-Electoral Debt by the Issuance of the City of McKeesport, General Obligation Bonds, Series of 2022, Directing the Filing of the Necessary Documents with the Department of Community and Economic Development; Appointing a Paying Agent, Registrar, Sinking Fund Depository and Escrow Agent; Describing the Bonds, Including Method of Payment, Manner of Exchange and Transfer, and Manner of Execution and Authentication; Pledging the Full Faith, Credit and Taxing Power of the City for Payment of the Bonds; Providing for Redemption of the Bonds; Establishing a Sinking Fund; Appropriating the Money Received from the Sale of the Bonds; Setting Forth the Maturities of the Bonds; Providing a Project Cost and Realistic Useful Life; Ratifying the Advertisement of a Legal Notice and Authorizing Publication of a Notice of Enactment; Appointing Bond Counsel; Authorizing Appropriate Officers to Take All Necessary Action in Connection with the Issuance of the Bonds; Authorizing the Payment of all Expenses Incurred; Approving the Issuance of an Official Statement; Specifying Allowable Investments; Setting Forth Authorization of Officers; Establishing the Form of the Bonds; Creating a Clearing Account; Establishing Compliance with SEC Rule 15c2-12; Covenanting a Continuing Disclosure Undertaking; Authorizing Purchase of Municipal Bond Insurance; Setting Forth Severability Provisions; Repealing All Inconsistent Ordinances; and Setting Forth an Effective Date. [9] MOTION: Mrs. Nesbit moved, seconded by Mr. Evans “to approve Bill #32.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments. Mayor Cherepko said I know I commented on this already so I am not going to go into detail just this is a very critical piece to our future and I do want to thank John McShane and the team for being able to pull this off because it was not easy on their end. So, thanks, John. That’s it Mr. President. President Dellapenna said thank you Mayor and thank you Mr. McShane. RC-9 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) NAYS: NONE (0) RESOLUTION NO. 2022-025 – Bill #33 –Introduced by Jill Lape – 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 in the Amount of $250,000. MOTION: Mr. Barry moved, seconded by Mrs. Nesbit “to approve Bill #33.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-10 YEAS: NESBIT, EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, BARRY, DELLAPENNA, BROWN (7) NAYS: NONE (0) [10] RESOLUTION NO. 2022-026 – Bill #34 –Introduced by Brian Evans – A Resolution of the City of McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Establishing the Mayor’s Non-Profit Relief Fund to Provide Grants to Non-Profit Organizations with Small Operating Budgets Servicing the City of McKeesport to Help Them Recover and Resume Providing their Essential Services to the Residents of the City After the Devastating Socio-Economic Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic. MOTION: Mrs. Lape moved, seconded by Mr. Brown “to approve Bill #34.” President Dellapenna asked for questions or comments and there were none. RC-11 YEAS: EVANS, SOLES, LAPE, DELLAPENNA (4) ABSTAIN: NESBIT, BARRY, BROWN (3) – Solicitor Elash explained I think you are abstaining because you are on the Boards of non-profit entities that may make an application to which was answered in the affirmative. NAYS: NONE (0) ADJOURNMENT: President Dellapenna said that concludes the Council meeting for Wednesday, May 4th. I would like to thank everybody for coming. Have a good night. [11] The meeting then adjourned at 7:26 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Annette James City Clerk and Clerk of Council APPROVED: Richard Dellapenna President of Council /das [12]