More federal money is on the way to the City of Bradford to
assist with the Impact Bradford Streetscape project.
“A million dollars has been added to the $750,000 we requested
through the Impact Bradford project,” explained Sara Andrews,
executive director of the Office of Economic and Community
Development, at Tuesday’s meeting of Bradford City Council.
The funds come through a federal aid reimbursement agreement for
transportation enhancements, and include work on Boylston and
Kennedy streets.
The work will entail the installation of street lights, tree
plantings and street furniture. Also included would be safety
improvements through traffic calming, loading and unloading zones
and handicap accessible ramps.
Debbie Huston of the OECD has met with the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation about the progress of the streetscape
program, Andrews said. The OECD is looking to put it out for bid
late this year or early next.
Referring to the work on Boylston Street, she said, “We plan to
continue that out to the Elm Street Project with our own
money.”
That would involve crossing the East Washington Street bridge
with the area improvements, Andrews explained.
Also at the meeting, council approved an amendment to the
engineering contract for the Elm Street Project. According to the
resolution passed, city officials requested a cost proposal from
Czop/Specter Inc. to provide engineering design services for the
construction of new curbing and sidewalk on the east side and
curbing on the west side of North Bennett Street from School to
State streets.
The additional work will increase the cost by $11,960 to $71,055
and is funded through the city’s Community Development Block Grant
program.
Council also approved entering into leases for space in Old City
Hall with two tenants – Ursula Marrero for third floor office space
and city solicitor Mark Hollenbeck for second floor office
space.
“Second through fourth floors are completely leased,” Andrews
told council. She added that the OECD is meeting with prospective
tenants for space on the building’s first floor.
In other matters, council rescinded resolutions passed at the
last meeting that called for awarding a bid for two new refuse
packers to McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing and for allowing
Hollenbeck to secure financing for leasing two new garbage
packers.
McNeilus did not meet all bid requirements, and upon further
review, neither did the other bid submitted. Therefore, the refuse
packers will be bid again.
Council also approved a certificate of appropriateness to Dianne
Thompson, owner of The Corner Bar at 40-42 Mechanic St., for
repairs and renovations to the building.
Mayor Michele Corignani interjected, looking at Councilman Tom
Riel, and asked, “Does that mean we’re done with the sign
issue?”
Riel, Thompson and businessman Fred Pysher were litigants who
challenged the constitutionality of the city’s ordinances governing
the historic district and signs. Early on in the litigation, the
ordinances were amended. A federal judge ruled that the amended
ordinances were constitutional; that ruling was recently upheld on
appeal.
Before Tuesday, Riel, Thompson and Pysher had not said whether
they would seek another appeal in the matter.
Riel said at the meeting that the litigation was over.
“The sign issue is finally put to bed for the City of Bradford,”
Corignani said.
