MH/MR gets OK to purchase land
The Fayette County Redevelopment Authority Tuesday approved a proposal from the Fayette County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Agency to purchase 4.73 acres of land in Phase I of the Fayette County Business Park to construct a new building. The agency will pay $76,000 for the property along Route 40, which only includes two acres that are considered “buildable.” Authority executive director Raymond C. Polaski said the property, called Parcel 6 in the 277-acre Business Park, is located at what is now the end of Waylon Smith Drive.
MH/MR director Lisa Ferris Kusniar said since she started in 1995, the annual budget of the organization has grown from $18 million with 20 employees to $38 million with 67 employees. She said plans are to create three additional jobs and they plan to continue to expand. Currently, the agency occupies a second floor of the Health Center building, the eighth floor of the National City Bank building and a portion of the section floor of the National City Bank building.
She said they have 16,000 square feet of space now and the proposal is to build a 24,000-square-foot building on the site. “I think it’s a great location,” Ferris-Kusniar said.
Architect Michael S. Molnar said the building will be built by the county. He said the building will include two floors and a partial basement and between 80 and 82 parking spaces. He said it will have a sloping metal roof and an arched glass canopy over the front entrance.
The building will be primarily for executive offices and support staff.
Molnar said the entire budget for the project is $3 million, which includes the purchase of land, site development, engineering and architectural services. He said the building will be good quality with air conditioning and an efficient electrical system. Molnar said he will use the “green building system” as much as possible with recycled materials such as carpeting, linoleum and acoustic tile.
Earlier, Ferris-Kusniar said plans were to provide a $750,000 down payment which includes $350,000 in state funding that had to be expended by June 30. She said since the fiscal year ended on June 30, the entire financial package is needed for the project by mid September.
The authority also reviewed drawings for a 10,550-square-foot building that is being constructed at the Business Park for the Fayette County Career Link. Cliff Learnard of C&B Enterprises provided the plans, which include 75 perking spaces.
He said the building will have a brick veneer similar to the McMillen Engineering building on the site now. Earlier, Learnard agreed to purchase 1.99 acres of land in the amount of $58,140.
Authority chairman Kenneth M. Finney Jr. said the Career Link office currently has 17 agencies in its network and plans to bring in more.
The authority voted to approve submission of the 2002-03 weatherization grant application in the amount of $568,143. Plans are to weatherize 143 homes with the annual grant. Polaski reported that the single audit report for the year ending Dec. 31, 2000, was received and it contained no findings. “We’re in good condition financially,” he said.
During his report, Polaski said the authority has received two $500,000 grants. The first grant, for water line installation in Stewart Township will mean 40,000 linear feet of water line and water to 65 households. Polaski said additional money was received as a result of the grant, making the total funding amount $2.5 million.
The second grant will be used to rehabilitate 56 homes. An additional $350,000 was received, making the total amount $850,000.
The authority voted to hire Patrick Bliss of Uniontown as an installer for the weatherization division at an annual salary of $17,544.
At the annual meeting, the board voted to retain the same slate of officers as last year. The officers are as follows: Kenneth M. Finney Jr., chairman; Ross F. DiMarco, vice chairman/assistant secretary; Charles Cieszynski Jr., treasurer; James S. Woleslagle, assistant treasurer; Paul Bortz Jr., secretary.
In agenda items, the authority voted to award several contracts. Ritenour & Sons Construction Company Inc. of Connellsville was awarded two separate contracts, one for a storm sewer project in the Chestnut Street area of South Connellsville in the amount of $43,929.80 and one for a water system extension in the Mill Run Road area of Springfield Township in the amount of $126,486.75.
A.C. Moyer Company Inc. of Lemont Furnace was awarded the contract for road improvements on East Church and High Streets in Georges Township in the amount of $37,543. Victor Paving & Construction Inc. of Monongahela was awarded a contract not to exceed $25,000 for road improvements along various streets in Brownsville Borough.
The authority voted to authorize Polaski to execute memorandums of agreements with Threshold Housing Development Inc. and Fayette County Community Action Agency to designate the authority to perform certain administrative services for the organizations Home Investment Partnerships Program Grant. The authority will receive a fee for the services.
The authority approved a certificate of completion for Terry E. and Denise E. McMillen for improvements to property in the Business Park.