A family addressed city council Tuesday evening about the lack of proper signage behind School Street Elementary School, especially the lack of a stop sign where North Center Street crosses Pleasant Street.
Bonnie LaPosa, who addressed council on behalf of her husband and children, who were also in attendance, told council members that there are 14 children who live and play on that specific block of Pleasant Street — and about eight children who visit often to play outside.
However, the constant flow of children in that neighborhood is not what finally pushed the LaPosa family to come before a council meeting to request more signage in that area of the city.
“Me and my husband have lived on Pleasant Street for 19 years now … and for the safety of our children we need to get (a stop sign) there and, in honor and memory of Elijah Milhalko’s life, let’s turn this recent tragedy into something better,” said LaPosa, adding this is what spurred her family to action.
Milhalko, 17, died June 7 at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, N.Y., after he was struck by an Area Transportation Authority bus at the intersection of Pleasant and North Center streets.
Public Works and Parks Director Chip Comilla stated that more signage is definitely needed in that area, and plans are in the works to get them made and placed.
“The ‘Children at Play’ signs and ‘School Zone’ signs are much easier to obtain and put in place,” Comilla explained. “The stop sign, however, is a different story. In order to have a new stop sign placed a traffic study must be completed by outside officials. I will definitely begin the process to apply for a traffic study to be completed.”
Sgt. Jason Daugherty, who was in attendance in place of Chief Mike Ward, added to the conversation that “many accidents” have taken place at that intersection during the years he has worked for the city police department.
Councilman Tim Pecora asked Comilla to move forward with the study while expressing the hope that the new signage Comilla will be posting will help with the flow of traffic in that area.
Before regular council business was discussed, City Administrator Chris Lucco opened bidding for the Bolivar Run channel project.
The first bid came from Duffy LLC of Smethport at an estimated cost of $122,421, with an alternative of $12,000 and a 10% bid bond. The second bid was from L.C. Witford of Wellsville, N.Y. in the amount of $226,245, with an alternative of $10,500 and a 10% bid bond. The last bid opened was from Cummins Construction of Bradford in the amount of $195,760, with an alternative of $5,750 and a 10% bid bond.
Lucco said the bids would be examined and the contract would likely be awarded during the next council meeting.
An amendment of Ordinance 3231, which provides for zoning regulations, was passed by council. Now the ordinance defines that “a [rear] yard extending between the required side yard lines align a line parallel to the rear lot line, the minimum horizontal distance required by this chapter. For fencing installations, the defined rear yard shall extend from the rear lot line to the rear wall of the principal structure.”
In addition, Subsection E under Fences now reads, “a fence may be erected in the defined rear yard, provided the maximum height of the fence shall not exceed 6 feet.”
Jumping into new business before council, Cummins Construction was unanimously awarded the contract for the Callahan Park Recreation Improvements Phase 1 project, for an amount not to exceed $855,189. Funds paying for this contract are from the city’s Community Development Block Grant program; grants from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Department of Community & Economic Development; the Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program; private donations; and contributions from the city.
A Facade Improvement Grant in the amount of $4,887.90 was approved by council to Just Riding Along at 48 Mechanic St. to assist with the revitalization of the city’s downtown business district. The grant will allow for the installation of new windows.
Council approved a Certificate of Appropriateness to Verizon, the owner of 30 E. Corydon St., for permission to add louvers to the window located on the second floor and matching brick added to the 4th window on the second floor. The certificate, issued by the building inspector and reviewed and approved by the Bradford Architectural Board of Review, will permit Rycon Construction to perform the work.
Council also unanimously appointed Larry Visbisky to the Bradford City Zoning Hearing Board to fill an unexpired, vacant term.
Council also approved two separate special event waivers for summer festivities. The first to be approved was the Festa Italiana, to be held on Festival Way, between Main Street and East Corydon Street, on Aug. 10-12. The second waiver approved was to JJ’s Saloon for the Kids & Cancer Dice Run, to be held between 372 and 440 E. Main St. on July 22. Each waiver outlines the conditions that alcoholic beverages must be in plastic containers and no glass bottles or cans shall be permitted outside a licensed establishment.
In other business:
At the conclusion of the meeting Councilman Terry Lopus inquired how everyone liked the new meeting time of 6 p.m. (opposed to the old time of 7 p.m.) to which he received positive replies.
“This first 6 p.m. meeting has been nice,” said Lopus. “I imagine it will be especially nice for the summer.”
The schedule for upcoming meetings can be located on the city’s website — www.bradfordpa.com — along with agendas and minutes from past meetings. For those without access to the internet, residents can also contact City Hall by calling (814) 362-3884 for more information.
The next regular meeting will convene at 6 p.m. June 27.
In other news, a short Board of Health meeting was held Tuesday at 5 p.m. The board voted to rescind its previous order on the demolition of the Old McCourt Label building on West Washington Street — contingent on the successful sale of the property to a group that has shown interest in rehabilitating the building.
