Long officially named authority director
The executive director of the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority was unanimously granted permanent status Tuesday by the authority’s board of directors. William C. Long was also given a $1,000 raise to his salary. The action came at the conclusion of Long’s six-month probationary period.
Long, 50, was hired last December at an annual salary of $36,000. He was granted a cost of living increase earlier this year.
The vote was held at the conclusion of a 50-minute executive session. Voting in favor were authority chairman Alvin Mundel and members John Oris and Brian Ludy. Muriel Lantz and John Shull Sr. were absent.
Long replaced longtime executive director Stephanie King, who retired after 28 years with the authority. He was selected from 11 applicants for the position. He had previously served as the senior housing planner for the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development and is a former executive director
In other agenda items, the board voted to purchase a $1 million liability insurance policy for the authority that also covered the officers and board members. The $1,750 policy, purchased from Sprowls Agency, will cover the period of July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003. Long said the cost is a $50 increase over last year’s policy.
In approving the policy, Mundel suggested that $1 million might not be enough coverage. He said that if someone, such as a doctor, falls into an open hole and is injured, $1 million might not be enough coverage. Solicitor Nick Timperio said $1 million is the amount that the authority has always had, but $2 million may be better in today’s world.
Timperio said a $2 million policy likely wouldn’t cost twice as much, and may be only a 30 to 40 percent increase. The board then agreed to have Long check to see the cost increase for a $2 million policy, and increase the coverage if the cost isn’t more than a 40 percent increase.
The board voted to reallocate unused 1997 Community Development Block Grant money to code enforcement and housing rehabilitation.
The money, $52,000, was slated for use by the East End Community Center for property allocation and wasn’t utilized.
Long said code enforcement officer Myron Nypaver has asked for a plotter and the remaining money will be used to rehabilitate homes of low to moderate income homeowners.
Long said there are a number of properties that are ready to go and could be completed by the end of August.
The authority gave Long authorization to make an amendment to the foreclosure policy that will allow him to make payment arrangements other than collecting the entire sum at once.
The policy was adopted in January 2000 and doesn’t give leeway to people who can’t pay all the money they owe at once. Mundel said there should be leeway. “It does seem kind of harsh,” Timperio said.
The board will vote on the revision at a later date.
Long informed the board that Shull’s term expires next month. Shull has not attended the last few meetings due to health reasons and the board decided to send him a plant.
Long said it is up to Mayor Jim Sileo to decide what to do with Shull’s seat on the board.
The authority granted Long retroactive approval to attend a PAHRA spring conference last Monday at a cost of $80 plus lunch and mileage at Seven Springs.
A motion was approved to give Long permission to attend a Tourism Summit on Monday at Nemacolin Woodlands for the cost of mileage.