Uniontown council approves funding, opens bids
Uniontown City Council approved financing and awarded bids for the huge sewer separation project. Council approved ordinances for two bonds totaling $6.3 million, ordinances for two interim financing loans totaling $1.5 million and awarded two storm sewer contracts totaling $1.37 million.
All four ordinances and both contracts, which are part of the city’s agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection to separate sanitary and storm lines, were unanimously approved Wednesday.
One ordinance authorizes a $4,671,000 bond to install new sanitary lines and another is for a $1,664,000 bond to install new storm lines.
Solicitor Daniel Webster said the bonds will be issued through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST), but the closing is scheduled for December or January.
To allow work to begin before then, the city accepted two loans from PNC Bank so the contractors can begin getting paid before council closes on the PENNVEST funds. The city agreed to borrow $1 million for the sanitary line project and $500,000 for the storm line phase.
Webster said the bank loans will be repaid from the PENNVEST money.
City engineer Dave Meredith said part of the sanitary line work will start within a month. A pre-construction meeting about the project is scheduled for Friday.
Last month, council accepted a $3.3 million bid from Tedesco and Son Inc. of Pittsburgh to install the new sanitary lines.
Wednesday, council accepted an $862,739.53 bid from Pompei and Sons Inc. of Bentleyville and a $511,059 bid from Liokareas Construction Co. of Somerset to install the new storm lines.
Meredith said Pompei is working on a part of the sewer separation project on Penn Street, which is being funded by Community Development Block Grant money through the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority.
The Penn Street work is expected to be completed by December and Pompei expressed interest in moving directly to the PENNVEST-funded part of the storm line project, Meredith said.
In unrelated business, Downtown Business District Authority Chairman Mark Rafail and assistant fire chief/code enforcement officer Myron Nypaver urged council to consider extending the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program, which expires at the end of the year.
Last enacted for three years on Jan. 5, 1998, LERTA provides tax exemptions for new construction and improvements in deteriorated areas of the city.
Nypaver said Laurel Business Institute, Neubauer’s Flowers and other businesses have used the tax breaks for expansions.
Turning to another topic, Councilman Gary Crozier asked Redevelopment Authority Executive Director William Long about the authority’s residential demolition program.
Long said Nypaver prioritizes the list of houses and the demolition process can begin after he issues condemnation notices.
Nypaver said the authority advertises and awards contracts for the work. He said the city’s engineer determines if a house is structurally sound.
Crozier asked Long if he could set some money aside for emergency demolitions?
Long said emergency demolitions can be approved if a structure is hazardous.
Police Chief Kyle Sneddon told council about the plans for tonight’s “Night Out.” He said the Fayette County Crime Victim’s Center and Fayette County Crime Stoppers planned the event in which police officers from city and other municipalities in the county and residents will walk along Gallatin Avenue in a “show of unity.”
“People are going to show they’re not afraid,” Sneddon said. “We want as many people there as possible.”
Residents are also being asked to turn on their outdoor lights tonight, he said.