Council Prioritizes Fire House Roof Replacement

Kittanning Borough Council unanimously voted to utilize portions of their 2008 Community Development Block Grant funds toward a metal roof replacement for Kittanning Hose Company #4. Council also agreed to use excess funds toward improvements along the Armstrong Trail.

by Jonathan Weaver

Kittanning Borough voted last night to allocate State grant proceeds toward potentially-two different projects.

Borough council members thought up various possible projects last night during their monthly council meeting in an attempt to utilize remaining Community Development Block Grant funding from the 2008 Fiscal Year.

Armstrong County Community Development Division Director Jennifer Bellas told Council members how much money is remaining.

“We need a project that’s going to fit $37,218 without much overflow because the Borough doesn’t have any other funds to match,” Bellas said.

Even though Council had until March 5 to determine the projects, Bellas said they had to act fast since money has to be used within five years of issuance.

“I need to get special permission from the State to approve anything we even acknowledge,” Bellas said. “Then we have to be complete by 2013 so I can get project close-outs.”

Ultimately, Council unanimously decided to prioritize the money toward a new metal roof for Kittanning Hose Company #4’s fire station on Orr Avenue. Extra money will go toward unfinished sections along the Armstrong Trail.

During a public CDBG needs hearing before the public meeting, Armstrong County Community Development Division Director Jennifer Bellas said 2012 funds will be dedicated toward the Market Street Downtown Revitilization Project. The amount Kittanning Borough will receive has not yet been determined by the State, but the Borough's nearly $98,000 allotment is expected to be cut by up to 12 percent.

Bellas said the new roof would cover the entire structure and be complete with overhangs, new gutters and siding where needed, and replacement of rotten wood.  Estimates for the roof came to $12,700, but there was concern whether State prevailing wage amounts were calculated into that since the project would have to be bid.

Borough Council President Chris Schiano said the roof replacement was his first priority.

Council committed to using the remaining estimated-$20,000 toward the Armstrong Trail after hearing from Allegheny Valley Land Trust Executive Director Ron Steffey.

Steffey – who said he hopes for the trail to run to East Brady in Clarion County in the next few years – said he also had Armstrong County and Kittanning Borough’s interest in-mind.

“Our revenues are down, and the only way to get them up is to get more visitors here and make this a destination for people,” Steffey said. “I’m looking at the benefits of how we can get more people to come to Kittanning – I think there’s a lot of things we can do by taking care of some of these problems.

“Anything would be an improvement to shorten the missing links,” Steffey said.

He cited the recent success of the Kit-Han-Ne Village in the old H.M. Pollock Co. at the corner of South Grant Avenue and Jacob Street and hopes to add on that.

Bellas cautioned that grant funding must be enough to satisfy engineering and design contracts, not only design work.

Steffey will also apply for grants through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to help with unfinished areas – including one along Chestnut and North Grant Avenue.  Council also questioned if he could apply for funding through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure and Investment Authority (PENNVEST), to which Borough Engineer Mike Malak of Senate Engineering recommended borough officials utilize the loans for multiple projects.

Reportedly, volunteer labor has also been provided for the trail and could also be utilized during the next few years

Bellas said the roof replacement might not use all the money, but she wanted to make sure Council didn’t need to potentially-stress about two project contracts.

“My recommendation (was) to pick one project to put the money toward and bid it out. If there’s anything extra after that, then we can modify,” Bellas said. “I don’t want to allocate toward two projects and not have enough money for one.”

Council prioritized the roof replacement while also considering curb cuts and Community Park playground equipment.

Projects did not have to be decided on by Council until March 5. Last night, Bellas hoped to have a second public hearing on the allocations before the Borough Council’s April 2 meeting.

During a public hearing before the regular meeting to discuss the 2012 CDBG funding, Bellas said all proceeds will go toward the local revitalization project on Market Street. She was not sure how much money Kittanning Borough would receive, however.

“We got an e-mail from the State, where it’s looking at at-least a 12 percent cut – there were more entitlements based on the 2010 census data, so we’re looking at a 12-or-even higher (percent) decrease,” Bellas said. “At a 12-percent decrease, you’re looking at a total of $86,089.”

The Borough was previously thought to be receiving nearly $98,000.

Grant funding from the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years were also given toward that project.

Bellas expects final funding amounts to be available at the end of the month.

No local residents came to object to the dedication.

In other news, Council unanimously elected Michael Rosenberger of the 1^st Ward to fill the vacant spot previously held by Cindy Housley. Housley resigned her seat at the beginning of 2012.  

The entire meeting can be heard today at 1PM on WTYM Radio 1380.

Council President Chris Schiano reviews a map of portions of the Armstrong Trail while Allegheny Valley Land Trust Executive Director Ron Steffey appeals to Council members for part of their "left-over" 2008 CDBG funding. Council voted to replace Hose Company #4's roof first, then divert remaining money to the trail.

Kittanning Advertises Sale of Fire Truck

Kittanning Hose Company #1's ladder truck is extended to the second floor apartment roof during a fire on August 7, 2011 on North McKean Street in downtown Kittanning. (KP file photo)

The financially-strapped Borough of Kittanning made good on its plan to list Hose Company #1’s fire truck for sale last week.

Kittanning Borough Council originally voted to sell the truck at an August 1, 2011 public meeting despite pleas from members of the fire department to give them time to raise funds to make some money to help with the payment.

Meanwhile, fire fighters held street fairs, raffles, and other fundraisers that could be used to make some of the payment on the truck. A final amount of the proceeds raised was not available at the time of publication today.

KFD1 spokesman Jerry Shuster said last August that he wasn’t worried about the possibility that Council will sell the ladder truck out from in under the Hose Company.

”It is not going to be easy to sell that truck and generate from the proceeds of the sale what the value of the truck is and how much they owe on the truck. They have to pay it all off. Simply by paying it all off doesn’t make a lot of sense either if they generate a sale because we already have a significant amount of money in equity in the truck itself. So they have to get that back too. They can’t pull the cover over the eyes of the taxpayers saying we owe $450,000 and we got $455,000. But we already have $250,000 in it. They need to get that back too or that really doesn’t make sense. The borough can’t take a loss! That seems to be to be approaching malfeasance of office if they do that.”

The truck has been used at various events including Light-Up Kittanning Night and was recently used on August 7 to fight an apartment building fire on North McKean Street – just one week after Council voted to sell it.