May 8, 2002 By Amy Karpinsky 4 min read

Amid grumbling about an increase in rates, the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority Tuesday approved a three-year contract for consulting services with the same firm that had the prior contract with the authority. The authority voted to enter into an agreement with the firm of Mullin and Lonergan of Pittsburgh, which was the only firm that submitted a proposal.

The authority previously had a three-year contract with the firm. The new contract, which includes the years 2002, 2003 and 2004, includes rate increases each year. It includes a top rate of $100 per hour for 2002; $105 per hour for 2003 and $110 per hour for 2004. Rates for professional and production staff are also increased over the past three-year contract.

In a letter written by Walter Haglund, vice president of the firm, it states that the rates of compensation in the last contract were five years old and were the same rates used in the Uniontown contracts since 1998. The previous hourly rate was $95 per hour.

Last month, the authority had received a proposal from the firm that included even higher rates, but after a discussion, the firm agreed to lower rates.

When the authority members questioned approving the contract, Bill Long, executive director of the authority, said the firm is the only one that applied and there are items that need completion, such as environmental issues and a budget analysis for Morgantown Street.

“In other words, there’s nobody else who can do this,” chairman Alvin Mundel said. Board member John Oris then asked if it was a rate increase the authority can live with and solicitor Nick Timperio pointed out that the rates have remained the same for five years.

A stipulation is also included in the contract that the amount the authority spends will not exceed $40,000 during the life of the contract. The previous ceiling amount was $30,000.

Board member Brian Ludy said the contract is for services rendered, and the authority has the option not to use the firm.

The authority voted to approve another contract for services, this time without an increase in rates. The authority voted to enter into an agreement with Fayette Engineering for engineering services dealing with the allocation of the 2002 Community Development Block Grant entitlement funds. Long said the contract includes a stipulation that the projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2003, and the total amount of the contract will not exceed $30,000.

Long said the projects that will be undertaken with the 2002 CDBG allocation will include Penn Street storm and sanitary sewer separation, design work and possibly the demolition of dilapidated structures.

When Oris asked if the rates are comparable to other firms, Russ Mechling of Fayette Engineering said that the rates are lower than those of other firms. The hourly rate for a professional engineer under the contract is $60 per hour. Timperio confirmed Mechling’s statement, saying the rate is lower than some of the firm’s that he deals with via sewage and water authorities.

Long said for the past few years, a portion of CDBG entitlement money has been allocated for the Morgantown Street improvement project. He said the project, which will include storm and sanitary sewer line separation, utility and road upgrades, will likely begin next year.

In other items, Long suggested that the authority include language in its housing rehabilitation program that stipulates homeowners who have stopped paying on a low-interest loan are not forgiven their grant amount during the time they are not paying on the loan.

“It doesn’t make sense to forgive a grant if they are defaulting of a loan,” Long said. Timperio said he would add the language to the contract.

The authority members agreed to look at a proposal of salaries, benefits and sick days for authority employees and discuss it at next month’s meeting.

The authority voted to pay $50 for each person wishing to attend the annual Fay Penn Economic Council dinner on May 15 at Nemacolin Woodlands.

A motion was approved to allow Long to begin negotiations with the law firm of Davis & Davis for legal services for the years 2002 and 2003.