Kittanning Council Rejects Fire Truck Offers

All eight members of Kittanning Borough Council were in attendance last night to listen to Shuster's offer on behalf of Hose Company #1. But, Council voted to reject the offer and re-advertise for bids of at least $450,000 - the remaining debt outstanding.

by Jonathan Weaver

A last-minute offer from Kittanning Hose Company #1 wasn’t enough to save the ladder truck from eventually leaving Kittanning Borough.

The 2007 Smeal Aerial will continue to be out-for-bid after Kittanning Borough council members rejected the fire department’s last offer during their monthly meeting last night to keep the apparatus.

Hose Company #1 Representative Jerry Shuster made one last offer - which included paying off the balance of a PEMA grant ($124,000) and $100,000 to alleviate additonal debt - to Kittanning Borough council last night. The offer was rejected, but firefighters will be able to use the appartus until it is ultimately sold.

Representative Gerald Shuster said the department ‘regretfully’ withdrew their offer to assume the entire debt – more than $450,000 – as proposed in February, after meeting with legal and financial advisors.

“To legally bind the Company for nearly a half million dollars for the next 20 years at a time of such economic uncertainty is not a fiscally-sound decision,” Shuster said.

Instead, Shuster and the fire department offered half that amount, through a plan to pay off an outstanding Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) grant – about $124,000 – and give the Borough $100,000 to reduce debt.

Hose Company #1 Fire Chief Gene Stephens said the $100,000 is available due to savings incurred by refinancing the South Jefferson Street firehouse. He said the deal would have allowed for five years of truck payments and predicted firefighters would have been able to use the truck for the next 20 years.

“We told (Council) months ago we were financially-strapped because we had other bills, but now everything is bought and paid for,” Stephens said.

But, Council pointed out other financial assets, such as roads, Borough police and garbage collection, that they said need to be addressed.

Kittanning Borough Councilman Dick Reedy attacked Shuster, saying the fire company had made remarks about him on the issue.

It took 4^th Ward Councilman Richard Reedy about 10 seconds to consider and motion to reject the offer, which surprised Shuster.

“I’m surprised he reacted so quickly. I think something this important should be given considerably-more time to evaluate,” Shuster said. “Nothing would have prevented this to wait and take action after the opening of the bids.”

Council received two bids for the truck, both under the $450,000 needed to eclipse the loan. New England Fire Equipment and Apparatus Corporation of New Haven, Conn. bid $300,000, while Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus, LLC. of Union Grove, Ala. bid $401,600.

Due to the lower bids, Council voted 7-1 to re-advertise the truck for a minimum-$450,000. 1^st Ward Councilwoman Lisa McCanna predicted bid amounts will not raise.

3^rd Ward Councilman Ange Turco made the dissenting vote.

Shuster said Borough Council already put close to $300,000 into the truck and will see nothing from their investment if it is sold.

“Whatever money they get out of it, they sell that truck, it’s out of here. With our proposal, at least there was some tangible asset,” Shuster said.

McCanna agreed.

“If this truck’s gone, we’re not going to have it,” McCanna said. “I want (Council) to sit and think what this fire truck means to this community – that’s the intangible value we’re talking about.

“We’re not going to get ($450,000). People that want to buy a fire truck want to get it at a bargain,” McCanna added. “We’ve taken a loss all these years anyhow. Let’s take less of a loss and make it less painful for everyone.”

Council President Chris Sciano said he and Solicitor Chase McClister have had trouble receiving a tax anticipation loan due to the fire truck and that his vote was ‘strictly business.’

“I don’t want any more loans! I want to get rid of that truck!,” Sciano said.

3^rd Ward Councilwoman Kim Fox was saddened by her vote, but said it had to be done.

“I don’t want to see the truck go – it breaks my heart – but we have to live with the taxpayers, and we have to look at the shape of the town, and we have to look at the streets. We are in such poor financial shape,” Fox said. “We have to correct the wrongs from the past and get this town back-on-track. It saddens me that that’s the sacrifice that’s probably going to get made.”

Hose Company #1 firefighters will be able to continue to use the truck for fire calls until it is sold.

However, Stephens predicted the fire company would purchase another piece of equipment before the end of 2012.

“We achieved the goals we set in the past – all of them,” Stephens said. “We’ve been in existence since 1880 and we’re still going to be in here in 2080 – I guarantee you that.”

Additionally, garbage collection normally scheduled for this Friday, April 6 will be pushed back to Thursday, April 5. Garbage collection Thursday will also be moved to tomorrow, Wednesday, April 4.

The meeting will be rebroadcast today at 1PM on WTYM AM 1380 radio.

Excessive, Unmarked Garbage Irks Former Councilman

Former Councilman Tom Close brought nearly 20 photos like these to the latest Kittanning Borough Council meeting - photos that show residents violating the local garbage ordinance that require secure lids and up to three marked cans. No excess bags are permitted for trash pickup.

by Jonathan Weaver
Tom Close is a model Kittanning Borough resident when it comes to his trash collection.

The North Avenue man used two initialed garbage cans last week, all secured with a lid.However, the former councilman pointed out Monday evening that his neighbors throughout the borough aren’t as proper.

In his latest discussion with Borough Council officials at their regular monthly meeting, Close brought nearly 20 photographs of fellow residents who do not follow the Borough ordinance.

Close said the fee structure isn’t fair to all residents and proposed a solution: allow residents three cans and charge $2.50 for any excess bags to be marked with a sticker.

“Every one of them are all violations according to the ordinance – every one of them,” Close said. “It’s supposed to be in a can with a lid.”

Close said the fee structure isn’t fair to all residents and proposed a solution: allow residents three cans and charge $2.50 for any excess bags to be marked with a sticker.

Borough residents are allowed up to three cans of garbage, all marked with their initials. He recommended Council consider hiring a Borough Manager to enforce the ordinance more.

Third Ward Councilwoman Kim Fox agreed that there is a problem; both with the enforcement and cost.

3rd Ward Councilwoman Kim Fox said a $5 garbage tax hike made to balance the 2012 budget makes the garbage fee too expensive, the most expensive in the tri-county area.

“I agree that we have to start making them in cans with lids. My concern is that we maybe need to look at how many cans we allow people to have because if three aren’t enough…, Fox said.

“I am in classes with Allegheny County, Butler County, Westmoreland County…we are the highest garbage of any municipality around. What do you want from people? There are senior citizens; people can not afford it any longer,” Fox added. “$53 a month is outrageous for three cans!”

Close said the former sticker collection, of where residents bought $2.50 stickers per bag, would have eliminated a $5 garbage hike to balance the 2012 budget. He estimated the number of bags residents dispose of would exceed $5.

Fox recommended telling landlords about the problem, but Close said that idea would not help.

Borough Police Chief Ed Cassesse defended his officers from the lack of enforcement allegation.

“We were never notified of any of that stuff – (Street Supervisor) Jim (Mechling) had a list (and) we cited those people under the Borough ordinance,” Cassesse said. “If we don’t know about it, we can’t cite them.”

1^st Ward Councilwoman Lisa McCanna asked how there can be so much.

“How can a family of four have more than three cans of garbage? I can’t understand that, unless you had a New Years Eve party,” McCanna said.

Fox said she when she has a party, she had to store a bag in her garage until the next week.

Close admitted some of his own tenants have had issues abiding by the ordinance.

“It’s not gonna happen anymore,” Close said.

4th Ward Councilman Andy Peters – who sat in as Council President since Chris Schiano was absent – said Council would further investigate the issue.

In other news, Armstrong County Community Development Division Director Jennifer Bellas announced the Borough has received their Community Development Block Grant allocation of $80,273 – more than $17,000 than what they were originally estimated to receive by the State.

Nearly 85 percent of that allocation will go toward the Borough’s $340,000 contribution to the Market Street revitalization project. The yearly allocation is to help offset a $1 million grant.

Bellas said Council will also have to allocate some of their allotment in 2013, but not as much.

“With your 2012 commitment, you will only have $41,541 to allocate out of next year’s pot,” Bellas said

Council also unanimously approved, 6-0, to hire a part-time street crew official. In addition to Schiano, 1^st Ward Councilman Michael Rosenberger was also absent from the meeting.

Council also agreed to waive a Riverfront Park fee to allow the Armstrong School District to use facilities for their prom’s Grand March this May.