The disability retirement benefits for a former Bradford City worker were terminated at a brief meeting of the Pension Board prior to city council Tuesday evening.
At the meeting, the board, made up of Mayor Tom Riel, Councilman Tim Pecora and Bob Douglas, unanimously voted to end the benefits for Donald Nies.
Solicitor Mark Hollenbeck explained after the meeting that Nies had been employed by the city’s refuse department until 2011.
However, the solicitor advised The Era to file a Right To Know request for more information.
It appears that Nies had been off work from the city on a disability-related issue. However, city officials learned that Nies was working as police chief for Otto Township.
In April, Hollenbeck said, the city held a hearing to terminate Nies’s benefits, and publicly voted on the decision from that hearing at Tuesday’s meeting.
Nies was not present at the meeting.
At the council meeting, two residents of Charlotte Avenue addressed council about vermin coming from a rental property at 15 Charlotte Ave. where there had been a fire earlier this year.
“It is owned by Harry Solarek and it is infested with roaches,” John Neubert said, explaining the bugs are crawling all over his house now. “You walk down the street, they are flying around there and on telephone poles and stuff.”
He asked what he could do about it. City administrator Chris Lucco said that on that evening’s agenda two measures were being voted on to allow city council to act faster on nuisance properties.
“We will take care of 15 Charlotte Ave.,” Lucco said, but added that Neubert’s remedy in the situation may be to contact an attorney.
Jeff Mutzabaugh said that property backs up to his, and the fire damaged his house, too. However, he’s not been able to get insurance information from Solarek, and the damage to his house hasn’t been fixed. And it’s more than just roaches, he said, adding there’s a hoarding situation inside the house and there are mice and fleas, too.
“The guy who sprayed it said it’s the worst he’s seen in 10 years,” Mutzabaugh said.
Lucco advised him to file a Right To Know request for a copy of the fire report, which would have the insurance information for 15 Charlotte Ave.
Pete Mooney addressed council about a blighted property at 114 South Ave., next door to his house. There are no people living there, but a family of raccoons watches out the windows. He asked council to get the property on the demolition list as soon as possible.
“Typically there’s an informal meeting for what properties are prioritized,” Lucco responded. “I will promise you it will be part of the discussion.”
He added that funding is usually available for only about 8 to 10 demolitions a year, and many properties are in poor condition.
Council voted on and approved two measures allowed by a law change in Third Class City Code. The change removed some parts of the law requiring nuisance properties to be voted on by the Board of Health, and instead, the mayor or his designee can determine a public nuisance and abatement.
“This will allow the city to act quicker on nuisances,” Lucco explained.
Also at the meeting, council approved a change order to add $48,663 in additional work to the Callahan Park project. The change is for completing the sidewalk installation on the Bon Air Avenue side of the park, installing new columns with a park sign at the Bon Air entrance, installing additional fencing to move the fence closer to the sidewalk area, removing the sidewalk vault near the pool and forming the new sidewalk/vault top.
The contract total, with Bob Cummins Construction Co., is now at $914,903.50.
The next council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 12.
