Uniontown Redevelopment Authority acts on banking ranking
At its monthly meeting Wednesday, the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority rescinded a resolution from last month’s meeting to consolidate its banking into United Bank, voting to use First National Bank for its banking services instead.
Rafail advised that the board rescind last month’s resolution because the board’s review committee did not rank all candidates to take over the authority’s banking. The board then voted to accept First National’s proposal to provide banking and related services.
The authority currently uses PNC for credit cards, First Niagara for checking accounts and United Bank for CDs and money market accounts, Rafail has said at previous meetings.
Rafail said that when the review committee ranked each candidate for banking services, First National Bank finished first, with PNC coming in second and United Bank placing third. According to Rafail, the authority will transfer monies over to First National and then close its First Niagara account. Assistant secretary treasurer Antoinette Hodge said First National has provided a positive banking relationship with the city in the past as well.
The board agreed to consolidate its banking into United Bank last month against Rafail’s wishes, as chairman Harry Fike and treasurer John Ptak endorsed United Bank. Rafail had informed the board that he was still in the process of reviewing the bids and planning negotiations with banking candidates.
Both Fike and Ptak were absent from Wednesday’s meeting.
In other business, the board voted to advertise for a community development consultant to assist in helping the authority obtain and implement community development funding starting Jan. 1. All consultants must submit their proposals to the authority by Nov. 17 at 4 p.m.
In August, the board extended its current contract with Mullin and Lonergan Associates in Pittsburgh through the end of the calendar year.
Later, Rafail reported that the East End United Community Center on Coolspring Street is hosting a car show and pumpkin drop on Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as a holiday party on Dec. 18 from 6 to 10 p.m.
Rafail also informed the board that Main Street program manager Rebecca Hilton will give a Pennsylvania Downtown Center representative a tour of the Elm Street area Thursday to help assess the impact of the Elm Street grant which closed earlier this year. Hilton and the representative will also meet with members of the Elm Street community, Rafail said.
The Pennsylvania Downtown Center is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated community revitalization.
In unrelated business, the authority approved purchasing the property of 51 Murray Avenue at a cost of $4,000, though $5,000 will come out of the East End Revitalization Grant to cover additional costs. Rafail added that the East End Revitalization Grant, which was set to expire this month, has been extended through the end of 2016, with $60,000 still remaining to be spent on home demolition and rehabilitation.
Rafail again noted that he plans to apply for 2015 Community Development Block Grant funding by the Oct. 31 deadline, with $75,090 set to go toward street reconstruction, $75,000 for a fire truck payment and $75,000 for home rehabilitation. He also reported that 2014 Community Development Block Grant funding had been just recently released.