City Council

CITY OF MCKEESPORT WORKSHOP MEETING WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8, 2025 6:30 PM WORK SESSION The Work Session portion of the Council Meeting was called to order on the above-stated date by President Richard J. Dellapenna. City Clerk Annette James read the following proposed Bills: BILL #1 – INTRODUCED BY MR. SOLES – RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA - SETTING FORTH THE PAYDAYS FOR THE YEAR 2025. President Dellapenna asked if any Council members have questions on Bill #1. They did not. BILL #2 – INTRODUCED BY MR. BARRY – RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA - APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE PROPER CITY OFFICERS TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF BUILDING INSPECTION UNDERWRITERS TO PERFORM BUILDING INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT SERVICES IN THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED ONE (1) YEAR. Mayor Cherepko said BIU has been McKeesport’s third-party provider for building inspection, zoning, and occupancy services for several years. This is a one-year extension of the current agreement. President Dellapenna asked if any Council members have questions on Bill #2. They did not. BILL #3 – INTRODUCED BY MR. BARRY – RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA - PROMOTING SAFER HIGHWAYS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA. Mayor Cherepko stated this is a partnership with the South Hills task force for roving DUI checkpoints and things like that. President Dellapenna asked if any Council members have questions on Bill #51. They did not. COUNCIL REPORTS Ms. Nesbit reminded the public that the LIHEAP program is available to help with heating assistance in cold weather. She advised anyone in need of assistance to call 412-562-0330. Mr. Barry gave kudos to Director Jeff DiPerna and the Public Works Department for their work during recent snowfall. Their work was efficient and they made it to many of the side streets early. Ms. Webb echoed Mr. Barry’s remarks, specifically commenting on residents’ praise from the Christy Park neighborhood. She reported on the Carnegie Library of McKeesport’s upcoming events. The community dinner there is moved to January 14 at 4 p.m., due to the inclement weather on January 7. Also on January 14th at 10:30 a.m. will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Allegheny Health Network Mobile Clinic. Breakfasts will be hosted on the first and third Mondays at 9 a.m. and lunches on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. This service is transitioning from the former Intersection food pantry to the library, as the Intersection will be taken over by a new organization. Additional programs at the library include kids kitchen, kids fitness, and more. St. Paul AME will have their food pantry on January 11 and 25. Their women’s group is the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30. President Dellapenna thanked Annette James for providing him information on the City’s history. January 15th will be the 230th anniversary of the founding of the City of McKeesport and the 134th anniversary of the City being incorporated. MAYOR’S REPORT Mayor Cherepko congratulated City Clerk Annette James on the 15th anniversary of her employment with the City of McKeesport. The Mayor said he appreciated Council’s remarks regarding the Street (Public Works) Department. “They’re on top of things, and they did a really good job. It’s not perfect, but I was really impressed. We got a lot of positive feedback, which in today’s day and age you don’t ever get. You just get the negative. I didn’t really get any of that. We may have been notified that we missed something here or there, but we got on it right away and fixed it. Also, please understand that I talked two or three years ago about patience, especially because we have new employees with a lot of turnover in that department. Some people might say that was your excuse three years ago, but keep in mind, the last two winters, they didn’t get much practice. When it comes to actually plowing the streets, they still are fairly new at it. I will tell you, speaking of Christy Park, I went out and plowed a couple of years ago, and Jeff put me on that route ... probably so I’d never come out again. You don’t think about it when you’re driving up and down a road with no snow, but when you get to the 400 block of all those streets from 27th and 28th all the way to Lexington ... you don’t realize how steep they are and how you can come down there like a sled. It was an extremely scary experience and a learning experience as well.” Mayor Cherepko reflected on the increase in Municipal Service Fees, “which we explained was a necessity with a 100 percent increase in garbage costs, and we ate that cost for two years and we were looking to get just a 33 percent increase back. I don’t want to belittle that number and say ‘just’ because I realize every penny is important, especially in a City with people who are on fixed incomes. That was a decision that was not made lightly by this Council or this administration, but ... the right choice is not always the popular choice. With that being said, I want to apologize because we should have notified our residents with a letter ahead of time. Typically, it happens pretty quickly, but we should have been prepared. By talking to Council on an individual basis, I knew we’d be OK with (the increase), but when we passed that, the bills were supposed to go out the next day. We send those postcard bills, but it’s no excuse. I should have anticipated it, but it was a Catch 22. If you were to vote no, then we would have mailed something we didn’t need. I do want to apologize for not notifying the public in a different way. As long as I am here, any future increases will be sent out to each and every one of our residences ahead of time.” Mayor Cherepko announced there will be a brief executive session to discuss personnel matters between the work session and voting meeting. Lastly, Mayor Cherepko thanked the McKeesport community for keeping state Rep. Matthew R. Gergely in their prayers. “He is an incredible public servant and an incredible human being, husband, father, friend ... and everything else you can imagine. Under the given circumstances, I can tell you there is progress. If you don’t believe in the power of prayer, I can tell you it’s working. Please continue to have Representative Gergely, or as we know him Matt ... just keep him and his family in your prayers. We wish him a speedy recovery, but it may take some time. We are hoping for a full recovery, and I believe that can happen. The family is very appreciative of the overwhelming amount of messages and comments and all of the well-wishes overall. Everyone who contacts me and talks to me, I can promise you, I pass them over as well. And I pass them over to Matt directly, and I hope that he can hear us.” ADJOURNMENT President Dellapenna said the Work Session portion of the meeting is adjourned at 6:42 p.m. He asked that Council be excused for an Executive Session. Respectfully submitted, Annette James City Clerk & Clerk of Council APPROVED: Richard Dellapenna President of Council