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1 SCRANTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING
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5 HELD:
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7 Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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9 LOCATION:
10 Council Chambers
11 Scranton City Hall
12 340 North Washington Avenue
13 Scranton, Pennsylvania
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CATHENE S. NARDOZZI, RPR - OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER
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2 CITY OF SCRANTON COUNCIL:
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MR. ROBERT MCGOFF, PRESIDENT
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6 MS. JUDY GATELLI, VICE-PRESIDENT
(Not present.)
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MS. JANET E. EVANS
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9 MS. SHERRY FANUCCI
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MR. WILLIAM COURTRIGHT
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12 MS. KAY GARVEY, CITY CLERK
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MR. NEIL COOLICAN, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
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15 MR. AMIL MINORA, SOLICITOR
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1 (Pledge of Allegiance recited and moment of reflection
2 observed.)
3 MR. MCGOFF: Roll call, please?
4 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans.
5 MS. EVANS: Here.
6 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. Ms.
7 Fanucci.
8 MS. FANUCCI: Here.
9 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright.
10 MR. COURTRIGHT: Here.
11 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.
12 MR. MCGOFF: Here. Let the record
13 reflect that Mrs. Gatelli notified council
14 that she would not be here today due to
15 illness. Dispense with the reading of the
16 minutes.
17 MS. GARVEY: THIRD ORDER. 3-A. 2008
18 COMBINED AUDIT REPORT FOR THE SCRANTON
19 LACKAWANNA HEALTH AND WELFARE AUTHORITY.
20 MR. MCGOFF: Are there any comments?
21 If not, received and filed.
22 MS. GARVEY: 3-B. AGENDA FOR THE
23 NON-UNIFORM MUNICIPAL PENSION MEETING HELD
24 ON JUNE 24, 2009.
25 MR. MCGOFF: Are there any comments?
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1 If not, received and filed.
2 MS. GARVEY: 3-C. MINUTES OF THE
3 NON-UNIFORM MUNICIPAL PENSION MEETING HELD
4 ON MAY 27, 2009.
5 MR. MCGOFF: Are there any comments?
6 If not, received and filed.
7 MS. GARVEY: 3-D. MINUTES OF THE
8 COMPOSITE PENSION BOARD MEETING HELD ON MAY
9 27, 2009.
10 MR. MCGOFF: Are there any comments?
11 If not, received and filed.
12 MS. GARVEY: 3-E. MINUTES OF THE
13 FIREMEN'S PENSION COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON
14 MAY 27, 2009.
15 MR. MCGOFF: Are there any comments?
16 If not, received and filed.
17 MS. GARVEY: 3-F. MINUTES OF THE
18 SCRANTON POLICE PENSION COMMISSION MEETING
19 HELD ON MAY 27, 2009.
20 MR. MCGOFF: Are there any comments?
21 If not, received and filed.
22 MS. GARVEY: That's it for Third
23 Order.
24 MS. EVANS: Yes. Please remember in
25 your prayers all those who have died in the
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1 last week, particularly, Joseph O'Shea, Sr.,
2 World War II veteran and Minooka resident
3 and his sons, Joe, Kevin and Brian,
4 daughter, Peggy, and all other family
5 members and friends he leaves behind.
6 Also, Joseph Zalenski passed away
7 last week. His daughter, Audrey, is my
8 colleague and works in the library at
9 Scranton High School. Please remember
10 Mr. Zelenski in your prayers and his family
11 and friends who so dearly miss him.
12 The annual Fourth of July
13 celebration will be conducted this Saturday
14 at Nay Aug Park beginning at 10:30 a.m.
15 Many thanks to Mr. Frank Tyson who organizes
16 this enjoyable patriotic event each year;
17 and, finally, I'd like to wish everyone a
18 very safe and happy Fourth of July.
19 MR. MCGOFF: Anyone else? Thank you.
20 Citizens' participation. Andy Sbaraglia.
21 MR. SBARAGLIA: Andy Sbaraglia,
22 citizen of Scranton. Fellow Scrantonians, I
23 got before me the campaign spending for the
24 mayoral race. I mean, Mr. DiBileo spent
25 about $100,000 for it. The mayor spent
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1 $569,000 to get on the two petitions
2 Republic and Democrat, and most of his
3 funding didn't come within the city, it came
4 from outside of the city, and what does that
5 tell you? People like what's going on in
6 the city but they don't want to live and pay
7 the taxes of the city residents, and this
8 has been going on.
9 I mean, never in my life did
10 somebody spend that much money for a primary
11 for an office that even if he is elected to
12 would pay him $200,000 over the four-year
13 contract, but the money that poured into
14 this city tells you a story and if you all
15 looked at the mayor's campaign contributors
16 you would see the story because many of his
17 contributors have worked either for the
18 city, had contracts with the city, but they
19 don't live in the city and that tells you
20 something else, too.
21 It tells you that the elections in
22 Scranton is manipulated by outsiders. They
23 are pouring money into it and I resent that.
24 I resent money coming from outside of an
25 area to influence an election. This is not
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1 very good. The only person -- people that
2 really did it any good was Tamini. I don't
3 want to see Scranton become a new Tamini. I
4 believe that the people in Scranton should
5 endorse the candidates they think are good
6 for the city and not get outside -- from
7 Philadelphia, Harrisburg, all across the
8 state, money poured into this campaign and
9 they expect something for it. They don't do
10 it because they like Mr. Doherty, they
11 expect something for their buck and that's
12 the sad state of affairs. They are going to
13 get the buck and we are going to get the
14 debt. If the people of Scranton don't
15 realize that then I don't know, there is no
16 hope for them.
17 Okay, let's get to my -- I like the
18 agenda, I really enjoy the agenda items, but
19 this really this insurance, it's for the
20 slide with Knowles Associates, LLC, they are
21 not going to be the insurance carrier, I
22 guess they are going Nautilus Insurance
23 Company and there is a little article in
24 here about Nautilus Insurance Company. The
25 insurance carrier with whom we have quoted
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1 and have rescinded in this proposal of
2 insurance is not admitted to transact
3 business in the State of Pennsylvania. The
4 insurance carrier is subject to a limited
5 regulation by the Pennsylvania State
6 Department of Insurance. In the event that
7 the insurance carrier becomes insolvent or
8 any of all loss occurring on the policy will
9 not be covered by the Pennsylvania Insurance
10 Guarantee Association and will be the sole
11 responsibility of the policyholder, Knowles
12 Associates.
13 Knowles Associates, the people that
14 are dealing with, there is no financial
15 responsibility for insolvency or nonpayment
16 of claims by any insurance carrier.
17 Now, how could we look at that and
18 say that's -- we are going to be protected?
19 That little note tells you we are not going
20 to be protected. Knowles is going to walk
21 away with an insurance fee. I guess he is
22 going to get an insurance like a broker's
23 fee for transferring this policy to someone
24 else. It's not a good idea. Not that I
25 believe that we shouldn't have insurance on
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1 the slide, we do need it, but let's make
2 sure that this city is fully covered with
3 all liability and we don't end up with
4 another tent problem up there at Nay Aug. I
5 thank you.
6 MR. MCGOFF: Ozzie Quinn.
7 MR. QUINN: Good morning. Ozzie
8 Quinn, Taxpayers' Association. I want to
9 thank everyone who voted down the KOZ. I
10 really want to thank the school board for
11 what they did, but especially Mrs. Evans who
12 was always right again looking out for the
13 public. Thank you. You know, we are
14 $170 million in debt principle, school board
15 is 120 and the county commissioners are two
16 twenty-four point two million, that's over a
17 half a billion dollars and our population
18 right now according to the Census Bureau
19 which I got off Fact Finder $72,485.
20 25 percent of the properties are nonprofits.
21 Now, the Doherty administration
22 better get off their butts and get out there
23 and try to get something in lieu of taxes
24 because we are never going to meet this
25 here. The worst thing about it there has
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1 been so much money and our neighborhoods are
2 a wreck. When you drive through them and
3 you see the crumbling infrastructure, the
4 sidewalks, the curbs, the houses, people
5 can't afford to upkeep them or whatnot, it
6 really makes you alarmed, you know.
7 Now, I want to just talk a little
8 bit about the Doherty finances, too. In the
9 primaries he spent that $569,430,00.91. Do
10 you know what, 56 percent of that came from
11 contributors outside of the City of
12 Scranton. Is that unbelievable? Now, why
13 would you do that? Look at 5-D introducing
14 a contract with Knowles Associates for
15 insurance. He lives in Clarks Summit. He
16 contributed $2,750 to Mr. Doherty's primary.
17 How much is the contract for? That's why
18 they are contributing. We are fools. We
19 are fools here in the city. The taxpayers
20 are just being run over.
21 You know, I hate to expound on our
22 debt and what's going on, but it's just
23 useless unless you listen. Mr. McGoff,
24 unless you listen. Thank you very much.
25 MR. MCGOFF: Marie Schumacher.
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1 MS. SCHUMACHER: Good morning. Marie
2 Schumacher, resident and member of the
3 Taxpayers' Association. I'd like to start
4 out today again with an old subject, the
5 agreement between the City of Scranton and
6 BRT Ice, LP. I had a Right-to-Know since
7 it's been months that Mr. Minora was
8 supposedly finding out what the city's
9 obligation was and we have not had a report,
10 I wrote a Right-to-Know and asked for a copy
11 of the agreement that's in effect and for
12 any prerequisite or prerequisites which have
13 not yet occurred and the estimated date any
14 open or unfulfilled prerequisite would be
15 satisfied. I received a copy of the
16 agreement, however, my request for the
17 prerequisites and the prerequisites that are
18 not fulfilled was denied because the City of
19 Scranton does not have any documents
20 responsive to this request.
21 Now, I would love to know how the
22 city administers contracts if they don't
23 keep track of what their open obligations
24 are and what dates they have to be fulfilled
25 and whether they are open or closed? I
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1 mean, that's simple contract administration,
2 even I could do that, I did it for eight
3 years and to me that's just who knows this.
4 The developer doesn't know, he stood at this
5 very podium and said, "Yeah, the city owes
6 me something, but I don't know what it is."
7 I have asked council, supposedly
8 there is an investigation going on here, and
9 the Right-to-Know and legal departments,
10 supposedly all the departments why solicited
11 for a response, but there is none.
12 Something is very, very wrong with
13 administration in this city.
14 Beyond that, I'd like to know about
15 our 2009 doughnut budget, the one with the
16 big hole in the middle. Last week you
17 voted, unfortunately, to transfer $50,000
18 from Genesis Wildlife Center to another
19 account, you know, obviously you have the
20 right to do that, but with a big hole is
21 there anybody up there who can tell me the
22 size of the hole? It appears we are going
23 to be significantly under the $5.5 million
24 due from the Single Tax Office, what is that
25 amount and what is council's plan to fill
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1 that? Are we going to raise taxes? I don't
2 think bonds are even affordable this day and
3 age, so I would really like to know what we
4 taxpayers are facing between now and the end
5 of the year when the bills come due.
6 And I would also like or request
7 that you start looking at our wage tax and
8 ways to find money to reduce that wage tax.
9 That is biggest single difference between us
10 and all of the municipalities around which
11 have a grand total of 1 percent and we have
12 3.4 percent. I sat and listened to all of
13 things are purported to bring business in.
14 Whenever we bring forth taxes, the subject
15 of taxes and the wage tax and the property
16 taxes from this podium we go, oh, no, that's
17 not it. It's, you know, they love our
18 downtown, they love our parks, they love our
19 school system, but yet when it came down to
20 nix it for KOZ's then all of a sudden taxes
21 became very important. Now, it can't be
22 both ways, so I think by your votes of the
23 majority last week you showed that taxes,
24 indeed, are important and I think if we are
25 going to become competitive we need to get
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1 that wage tax down and hold the reigns in on
2 property taxes, so I hope you are also
3 looking at that.
4 I hope you are also contacting our
5 local legislators on signing on to be
6 cosponsors of the reintroduction of
7 Freeman's Bill for relief from the burden --
8 for relief for municipalities with a burden
9 of 25 percent -- well, actually, his bill is
10 15 percent nontaxable properties he
11 considers a burden, and that's what his bill
12 addressed. We are almost, maybe with a
13 recent University proposals or purchases we
14 are probably over double that, so I think we
15 need relief there.
16 And, finally, if I may, because I
17 believe it's important because OECD issued a
18 solicitation for space for the next three
19 years and they gave a one-week turn around.
20 The proposals had to be in in one week which
21 I think is, I mean, that's not exactly
22 something that wasn't known. I think that's
23 too short of response time, and I would like
24 to be assured during motions that the city
25 is responding to that solicitation. Thank
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1 you. Thank you for your indulgence.
2 MR. MCGOFF: Ron Ellman.
3 MR. ELLMAN: Ronnie Ellman, member of
4 the Taxpayers' Association. I'd like to
5 thank the school board, too, for considering
6 the people of the city for once, probably
7 the first time since Todd O'Malley's group
8 infested the city with KOZ's. I can imagine
9 how much pressure the school board must have
10 had on them. The KOZ's, right here is an
11 example, there is two ads for houses for
12 sale, one is $200,000, big tax free. Right
13 there is $180,000 no taxes. That's what KOZ
14 has come to mean, the people that are paying
15 taxes, Austin Burke seems like it's a crime
16 for his bunch of people who have to pay
17 taxes. I can imagine that Mr. Burke had a
18 bunch of pressure on him. When you have a
19 $30 million project there is money passed
20 all around to push it. I don't know if we
21 relieved him of some his retirement fund or
22 something, but he is still pursuing it with
23 a $50,000 -- I don't know, to me it's
24 nothing but a bribe to keep this in front of
25 the public. It's over with.
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1 And I forgot what day it was, Friday
2 or Saturday I was listening to the news and
3 some big company located outside of Detroit
4 and they were bragging they brought
5 $150 million to the tax rolls in that city.
6 If Austin Burke wasn't a complacent dinosaur
7 he would be out doing things like this,
8 getting businesses that want to stay here.
9 At the school board meeting something said
10 schools are important and streets and other
11 things, it's not just tax free. We don't
12 offer any of those things anymore. All we
13 hear about is letting the -- what gets me so
14 mad this man is pursuing this to no end and
15 he doesn't live in town. He doesn't care
16 one iota about the city. You know, they
17 ought to just fire him years ago and hire a
18 girl from Labor Ready for $8 an hour would
19 have done a better job.
20 And I got to change the subject, I'd
21 like to know why Mr. Baker if he is still on
22 the payroll after a year and a half of sick
23 leave or something. I hadn't seen nothing
24 in the paper about it and a couple of months
25 ago I thought I read that they were going to
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1 work on the Olive Street apartments or are
2 they just waiting for them to deteriorate so
3 they can give them to the Lackawanna College
4 or something. And speaking of Lackawanna
5 College, right there festering under
6 everybody's nose is another University of
7 Scranton situation where they will be taking
8 over the whole area, all of those houses
9 will be off. Mr. Phillips said at the
10 school board meeting, I believe he said, the
11 University since '92 has, I don't know any
12 other word, they have cheated the city out
13 of $26 million worth of school taxes since
14 1992.
15 You cannot allow the University --
16 Lackawanna College to start the same thing.
17 They have already taken over a three-story
18 apartment building. It's a -- you know,
19 they want to -- I know the mayor wanted to
20 take over the Midtown apartments, scatter
21 those people like he did Olive Street with
22 all of these promises. These promises don't
23 go through just like the KOZ promises don't
24 go through.
25 And nobody knows why Mr. Baker is
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1 still on the parole if he is? I mean, I
2 just wondered. I saw he is taking sick
3 leave and it's been a year and a half for
4 crying out loud. Who has a year and a half
5 of sick leave?
6 MS. FANUCCI: We really have no
7 jurisdiction, but I honestly believe he is
8 still on the payroll. He is still on the
9 payroll from what I heard, but we really
10 can't control that board, unfortunately. We
11 have nothing to do with what they do there
12 or --
13 MR. ELLMAN: Yeah, but how about
14 sick leave and vacation time are you
15 supposed to have? He worked ten years.
16 MS. FANUCCI: It's the housing
17 authority though, so you would have to speak
18 to them on that.
19 MR. ELLMAN: All right. Thank you
20 very much.
21 MR. MCGOFF: Jean Suetta.
22 MS. SUETTA: Good morning, Jean
23 Suetta, Scranton. All right, has anybody
24 driven down Albright Avenue lately over by
25 the Lace Works? You see the jungle over
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1 there? We got lions and tigers and bears.
2 MR. MCGOFF: Oh my.
3 MS. SUETTA: I seen two deer. I
4 seen two deer in there. Yeah. I mean, it's
5 overgrown. I sit on my front porch now and
6 I look across the street, Greenridge Street
7 and I got a jungle over there, right? The
8 other side of the bank next to the bank on
9 Greenridge Street, the new bank they put up,
10 there is an empty lot and then there is a
11 jungle and I sit on my porch and I look at
12 the jungle. Now, if that was my yard what I
13 got find? Yes? No?
14 MS. FANUCCI: Yes, you would.
15 MS. SUETTA: Yes.
16 MS. FANUCCI: Not you, Jean, because
17 we --
18 MS. SUETTA: No, that's why I'm so
19 sore because I weed and weed and weed. How
20 about Rinaldi getting the other part up on
21 Nay Aug Avenue, that's part of the gas
22 company, those two buildings there are
23 maintained by the gas company, and they
24 haven't been touched here either. There is
25 two little sheds up there.
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1 MS. FANUCCI: Jean, why don't you
2 tell Neil exactly where the properties are
3 and then we can send a letter for you, how's
4 that? I don't want to give you and Neil
5 time alone, but I'm just saying.
6 MS. SUETTA: And this here for
7 consideration putting a light up on Linden
8 Street and Eighth Avenue, do you know what
9 like Linden Street is in the winter and you
10 are going to put a light up there? You will
11 have more accidents than anything.
12 MS. FANUCCI: They did a whole study.
13 We were actually concerned about that in the
14 beginning ourselves and we stopped it.
15 MR. COURTRIGHT: I tried to stop it,
16 Jean.
17 MS. FANUCCI: We did.
18 MR. COURTRIGHT: But that's what
19 PennDOT is saying in the study is the best
20 thing, and I'm going to ask them at the very
21 least to put a sign up at the top notifying
22 the people that there is going to be a light
23 when they are approaching. I asked for stop
24 signs, their study says stop signs won't do
25 it. There's a stop sign coming out of the
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1 development.
2 MS. FANUCCI: And they said stop
3 signs would be actually make it worse
4 because every car would then have to stop.
5 I mean, that doesn't make sense, too, it
6 you're at the hill, but still we tried. We
7 were under the same impression, too, but --
8 MS. SUETTA: All right. On the Ross
9 Avenue going into Marion now they put a
10 curve where they eliminated Nay Aug, we are
11 down in lower Greenridge, Ross Avenue they
12 put a bend in to go right onto Marion
13 Street, could I get a slow down sign or
14 something there because they are spending
15 around that like crazy. Neil, everything to
16 Neil. Are we going to leave the room? But,
17 that's it.
18 And this is stupid to put this
19 light there, and who is going to be --
20 MR. COURTRIGHT: I wasn't for it
21 either, Jean, but I got overridden there.
22 MS. SUETTA: I mean, people are going
23 to get killed coming down that hill, they
24 are going to slide all over, "Oh, I got a
25 red light. They are going to slide through
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1 it and hit the bridge."
2 That's it. So what about the Lace
3 Works? Rinaldi owns it.
4 MR. COURTRIGHT: Cordaro.
5 MS. FANUCCI: No, I think it's
6 Cordaro.
7 MS. SUETTA: Cordaro, yeah.
8 MS. FANUCCI: Mr. Cordaro owns it and
9 we can probably send a letter to him and see
10 if we can't get him -- -
11 MS. SUETTA: And that jungle across
12 the street from me.
13 MS. EVANS: I'll take care of it.
14 MS. SUETTA: Right next to -- here's
15 -- he is going to hit the bell.
16 MS. FANUCCI: Janet is going to go
17 down after the meeting with her.
18 MS. SUETTA: Here's the bank, here's
19 the lot they cleared to make the gas, and
20 then there is the jungle, so because I sit
21 on the porch and I look at a jungle.
22 MS. EVANS: Jeannie, we'll get an
23 inspector to go down to the area and speak
24 to the property owner and make sure that the
25 overgrown lot is taken care of.
23
1 MS. SUETTA: All right. Coming
2 down -- now, today I come down Washington
3 Avenue, the 1500 block there is a beautiful
4 home sitting up there, it looks like it's
5 condemned, and that's property is all
6 overgrown.
7 MS. EVANS: The 1500 of?
8 MS. SUETTA: Washington.
9 MS. FANUCCI: Where the wall is --
10 MS. SUETTA: Yeah.
11 MS. FANUCCI: Yeah, I have seen that.
12 MS. SUETTA: And it's all overgrown
13 there and that's a beautiful neighborhood --
14 MS. EVANS: The corner of Washington
15 and Greenridge. No?
16 MS. SUETTA: No, Marian. Right
17 before you make the curve. Thank you.
18 MR. MCGOFF: David Dobrzyn.
19 MR. DOBRZYN: Good morning, Council,
20 Dave Dobrzyn, resident of Scranton. I'd
21 like to talk about two things that aren't
22 really on the agenda, but as long as we are
23 talking about traffic lights, the light at
24 Wyoming and Lackawanna and the light at
25 Washington and Lackawanna there have been
24
1 people killed there in accidents, and that I
2 noticed by crossing there and I do patronize
3 our mall by the way quite a bit, is that
4 drivers have a green during the walk light
5 and it's okay for them to turn, and it's a
6 big problem. Two people that I know of or
7 believe were killed on that corner within
8 the last year or two, so if at all possible
9 get some kind of schedule where people at
10 least have a little bit of time to start
11 walking before it turns green for everybody
12 else. It's a big problem, I have seen it,
13 and I have had dodge out of the way of cars
14 on my way to the mall and Buona Pizza, my
15 favorite pizza shop, and I'm not sure up by
16 Molly Branigan's I would have to look and
17 see at that corner, Adams and Lackawanna
18 whether the lights are the same, but they
19 are busy corners and it's really hard to
20 stay out of the way of traffic.
21 And I was up at Nay Aug the other
22 day for our fireworks display and I noticed
23 that there is tagging going on. The one
24 main office building was just painted last
25 year and I looked over and right on the
25
1 front of it it's all tagged up, and if at
2 all possible, and it probably wouldn't be
3 good to say it, that's it's definitely
4 happening, but we should have an unmarked
5 police patrol through there, and see if
6 could catch somebody some day because also
7 the concession stand was -- some signs were
8 torn down and stuff and so forth, so it
9 would be -- a lot of effort has been spent,
10 a lot of volunteer work on Schimelfenig
11 Pavilion and before they get to it, it would
12 be nice to make sure that they get caught.
13 That's all I really have other than
14 those people that were applying for KOZ last
15 week with houses, I think they were possibly
16 mislead by the developer, so if I were them
17 I would be talking to my attorney right
18 about now. They may have been sold those
19 lots based on it's a shoo-in and so forth
20 and, you know, a lot of these lots get sold
21 or business get sold as, yes, it's going to
22 be and then a developer gets to jack up the
23 price, too. That's what that's all about,
24 so I really felt sorry for them. I
25 understand the school board is up against
26
1 it, they can't keep giving tax breaks to
2 everybody and so forth, but I would consider
3 if they are watching this I would have a
4 discussion with my attorney. Have a good
5 day.
6 MR. MCGOFF: Other speakers.
7 MS. FRANUS: Fay Franus. All I have
8 to say tonight is -- today rather, I would
9 really like to congratulate the Scranton
10 School Board for representing the people
11 that elected them. It wasn't easy for them,
12 I'm sure with all of the phone calls they
13 received, and I really have to hand it to
14 them. They did an excellent job, they come
15 under a lot of pressure even from the people
16 and from the people that wanted the KOZ so I
17 really have to say bravo for them, except
18 Bob Lesh, of course. He along with Judy
19 Gatelli, Mr. McGoff and Sherry voted for
20 them, which is not for the people, but the
21 Scranton School Board came through and it's
22 very, very refreshing and I think everybody
23 in the city is thankful to them and they
24 deserve a round of applause. Thank you.
25 MR. MCCLOE: Good morning. My name
27
1 is Brett McCloe, citizen of Scranton,
2 taxpayer. First off, once again, I would
3 like to thank the Scranton School Board for
4 showing the citizens of this city that
5 sometimes government bodies practice good
6 neighbor policies and understand the
7 economic difficulties of the many.
8 I also want to clarify and add some
9 insight into statements made during a moment
10 when I had a very short fuse or possibly no
11 fuse at all. I have always had a sore spot
12 for the treatment of employees no matter
13 where you work, what position you have or
14 who you work for. I have always had a
15 problem with the mentality that reduces
16 hardworking employees down to the status of
17 a name tag. A employee's role in business
18 and in the economy is vital and can't be
19 done without.
20 A question was asked if I owned a
21 business. A simple yes or no question that
22 had many connotations and gave you a peek
23 into the faulty mindset of a failing
24 ideology. The connotation was that an
25 employee can't possibly know what it takes
28
1 to run or own a business. This type of
2 linear thinking is so pervasive and warped
3 that it has contributed to the collapse of
4 our local and national economy. The fact
5 is, it is the employee who drives this
6 dichotomy from the street sweeper to the
7 brain surgeon, from grocery clerk to
8 astronaut. It is the employee who fosters
9 innovation every time on every level without
10 fail. Unless you are self-employed it is
11 the employee who puts the face to the vision
12 of the owner's business and it is the
13 employee who provides the muscle to make it
14 go.
15 So, you see, if every business owner
16 in this city were to magically disappear the
17 doors will city open for commerce the very
18 next day. A job is a job. Another linear
19 statement that reduces the importance of the
20 employee down to the status of a box of
21 donuts, easily consumed and cheaper by the
22 dozen. Even if you are in a supervisory or
23 a management position you are still a
24 doughnut only yours is covered with powered
25 sugar and filled with corporate jelly.
29
1 These two statements along with
2 their connotations have eroded one of the
3 most important foundations of 500 years of
4 institutionalized capitalism. A fair day's
5 pay for a fair day's work. Fair meaning
6 equitable and just, not medium or so-so.
7 It's not hard to see the results of the
8 abandonment of a fair day's pay for a fair
9 day's work.
10 The average employee nationally and
11 locally is finding it ever more difficult to
12 consume. This lack of ability to consume
13 causes loss of revenue to businesses which
14 causes cutbacks in worker hours and pay
15 raises. A viscous economic cycle that once
16 again causes the lack of ability to consume.
17 I'm afraid, yet confident, that the solution
18 at least on the local level lies in the
19 hands of the average employee. We can no
20 longer take our jobs and our paychecks for
21 granted. We, as employees, need to engage
22 with business owners whenever possible and
23 wherever appropriate, not to confront them,
24 but to ask questions about cost
25 effectiveness, various business taxes and
30
1 management of waste and implementations of
2 policy, but most importantly to provide the
3 owner and management with the employee's
4 insight based on the answers to those
5 questions.
6 I think the combined work force of
7 this city understands that due to the
8 massive downturn in the economy that raises
9 will be far and few between, so as one
10 employee, as one citizen, as one taxpayer
11 and as someone who cares about the economic
12 future of the City of Scranton I urge
13 business owners to take a closer look at the
14 effects of an oppressive local taxations on
15 not only just your own businesses, but look
16 at how the taxation affects the private
17 lives of your employees as well as your
18 consumers and the morale of the two of your
19 greatest marketing tools. Ask yourself,
20 does your vote on election day help or hurt
21 the private lives of the very people you
22 need for your business to thrive and exist.
23 Thank you.
24 MR. MCGOFF: Anyone else?
25 MR. TYSON: Good morning, Council my
31
1 name is Francis Tyson, resident of Scranton,
2 the second largest city in Pennsylvania in
3 the area, lead only by Philadelphia, who is
4 first; Scranton comes second; and Pittsburgh
5 is third, so it's a good place to live in
6 Scranton. I cordially invite all of the
7 council members and your real memorialists
8 to be with us on the Fourth of July up at
9 Nay Aug Park at the swim complex it's a
10 yearly link that we do every year for the
11 citizens of Scranton and the surrounding
12 areas. It's just good citizenship and a way
13 to teach our youngsters good citizenship and
14 patriotism.
15 The participants we ask them to
16 arrive about 10:15 and the viewing people
17 for the ceremony itself get there about
18 10:30 who have some musical notes by the
19 Ringal band and play some very patriotic
20 music and the ceremony itself starts at
21 11:00, and we hope that we can get as many
22 people there as possible and try to build up
23 every year. Our guest speaker is Major
24 General Mauger. General Mauger is a great
25 guy and real hero.
32
1 In addition, we are going to pass
2 out miniature American flags to all of the
3 youngsters and we are going to have a nice
4 cool beverage for them after the ceremony,
5 so if you can make it we would certainly
6 like to have you all. Thank you. Any
7 questions?
8 MS. EVANS: Mr. Tyson, I'd just like
9 to thank you for organizing this wonderful
10 event annually. You do a fantastic job.
11 MR. TYSON: I'm just the guy that
12 gives the direction. Everybody else does
13 all the work. Thank you.
14 MR. MCGOFF: Thank you. Anyone else?
15 Mrs. Evans?
16 MS. EVANS: Good morning. First, I'd
17 like to add my thanks to those of countless
18 Scrantonians to the Scranton School Board
19 for their fiscally responsible votes against
20 KOZ extensions.
21 Several weeks ago, I sent a letter
22 to Lackawanna College respectfully
23 requesting a contribution in lieu of taxes
24 for it's use of Nay Aug Park's Genesis
25 Wildlife Center as an environmental center.
33
1 Council received a response from Lackawanna
2 College last week, and I am highly
3 disappointed and concerned to report that
4 Mr. Raymond Angeli, president of Lackawanna,
5 refused to allocate any payments in lieu of
6 taxes to the City of Scranton for free
7 swimming for children at Nay Aug Park.
8 In his letter, Mr. Angeli states:
9 "We set out to anchor the northern boundary
10 of the city's downtown. We now have eight
11 buildings, six of them in downtown Scranton.
12 These buildings alone have lead to well over
13 $45 million in construction monies in the
14 city during the past dozen or so years."
15 That is a significant statistic and
16 the construction trades certainly have
17 enjoyed temporary employment for which I am
18 very pleased. However, overall, such
19 spending has benefited the college not the
20 taxpayers of Scranton. Since the early
21 1990's Lackawanna has grown from one
22 building to eight and, of course, these
23 eight properties are off the tax rolls.
24 He further cites in-kind
25 contributions such as building space
34
1 allotted to the Commonwealth Medical School,
2 meeting space for community and service
3 groups such as the St. Patrick's Day Parade
4 Committee. Lackawanna County student
5 service projects performed with other area
6 nonprofits, as is done at all high schools,
7 colleges and universities, and advice to
8 local government and agencies on environment
9 issues and grant writing.
10 I believe that local governments
11 employ grant writers and environmental
12 issues easily can be researched by employees
13 as well. Mr. Angeli goes on to say that
14 payments would have to be passed along to
15 our students in the form of higher tuition.
16 We cannot in good conscious allow that to
17 happen. We believe that the in-kind
18 contributions that Lackawanna College makes
19 on a day-to-day basis to the City of
20 Scranton are invaluable and help make
21 Scranton a stronger and finer place to live.
22 Mr. Angeli, such day-to-day
23 contributions are insufficient to a 17-year
24 distressed city that has amassed over
25 $273 million in long-term debt. I cannot in
35
1 good conscious allow Lackawanna College to
2 continue to financially overburden the
3 taxpayers by failing to financially
4 contribute to it's host city. The City of
5 Scranton and the Scranton School District
6 need and deserve cash payments.
7 Mr. Angeli further cites a base of
8 grants, donations, and college funds to
9 underwrite construction for the
10 environmental center will being pursued.
11 Perhaps Mr. Angeli has forgotten that any
12 government grants the college has received
13 or will receive for the renovation and/or
14 construction of any of it's facilities was
15 given not by a politician, but by the
16 taxpayers.
17 In addition, the blue collar
18 residents of Scranton largely contribute a
19 student population to this blue collar
20 institution as Mr. Angeli himself describes
21 it.
22 Further, police officers in a paid
23 fire department respond to it's numerous and
24 regular safety calls. The streets
25 surrounding the colleges buildings are
36
1 heavily traveled by it's population, but
2 financially maintained by taxpayers.
3 In addition, during the first half
4 of this decade hundreds of houses of dollars
5 were allocated to Lackawanna Junior College
6 for the redevelopment of the Scranton Lace
7 Works property. To this moment, we do not
8 know what occurred with those funds and
9 today the city seems braced to gift
10 Lackawanna College with the former Nay Aug
11 zoo.
12 The City of Scranton unequivocally
13 is a good and generous urban partner.
14 Undoubtedly, all nonprofits who have
15 devoured 25 percent of taxable city property
16 have claimed hardship in any economy
17 throughout the last few decades and paint a
18 powerful picture of their mission and
19 in-kind contributions.
20 At the same time, some like
21 Lackawanna College are listed in the
22 business directory of the Greater Scranton
23 Chamber of Commerce. Nonprofits, like
24 thousands of other businesses, are members
25 of the Chamber of Commerce. It's an odd
37
1 relationship. Unfortunately, the city
2 quietly accepted too many explanations and
3 excuses from large nonprofits. The city can
4 no longer afford to do so and at some point
5 in the future this city will have to
6 negotiate fair payments in lieu of taxes
7 from the nonprofits just as other host
8 cities in Pennsylvania and numerous other
9 states have engaged their colleges and
10 Universities and received annual payments to
11 help them survive or provide a plan to lift
12 distressed status. This road must be
13 traveled to ensure a sound financial future
14 for Scranton.
15 Next, council received an audit
16 status report from Rossi & Company last
17 week. There are 13 items for which the city
18 must provide necessary information and three
19 items for which the tax office is
20 responsible as of June 23. The auditors are
21 asking for all responses by Monday, July 6,
22 because they intend to provide the audit
23 report to council prior to it's recess at
24 the end of July.
25 I am extremely pleased by the
38
1 diligent work of Rossi & Sons and I wish to
2 see the administration and tax office comply
3 with the deadline. Therefore, I move that
4 council send a letter to Stu Renda, Linda
5 Aebli, OECD director, Jeff Brazil and
6 Mrs. Vitali-Flynn, tax collector, to request
7 that all complete information requested by
8 Sean J. Grazi is sent to the auditor by
9 July 6, 2009, in order that Scranton City
10 Council will receive the 2008 audit report
11 before it recesses on July 28, 2009.
12 MS. FANUCCI: I'll second that.
13 MR. MCGOFF: On the question? All
14 those in favor signify by saying aye.
15 MS. EVANS: Aye.
16 MS. FANUCCI: Aye.
17 MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.
18 MR. MCGOFF: Aye. Opposed? The
19 ayes have it and so moved.
20 MS. EVANS: Thank you. Now, as was
21 mentioned earlier, the Office of Economic of
22 Community Development is seeking bids to
23 lease office space. Bid openings will be
24 conducted on Thursday, July 2, at 10 a.m. in
25 council chambers. OECD requires a
39
1 three-year lease with a three-year renewal
2 option. OECD should obtain a price that
3 significantly reduces it's current lease
4 costs or consider returning to city hall.
5 At the same time, the juvenile
6 division of the Scranton Police Department
7 was relocated to the first floor of the
8 Adam's apartment building. This building
9 houses primarily senior citizens who will
10 now come in contact with juvenile offenders.
11 It is an inappropriate environment when
12 senior citizens may in any way incur a
13 threat to their welfare and safety. Perhaps
14 costs may have been a factor in this
15 decision. If that is the case, then OECD
16 must certainly seek similar cost effective
17 arrangements.
18 And finally some requests: A letter
19 to OECD requesting a report on CDBG
20 allocations made to Lackawanna College from
21 2003 through June 2009.
22 Who is responsible for the sidewalk
23 dropoffs before Buona Pizza and after the
24 building housing Coney Island? City
25 residents have complained that these
40
1 sidewalks when traveling from the new
2 development to the older anchor businesses
3 on each end of the block create a
4 significant safety hazard. Also, whose
5 responsibility is the insurance in the event
6 of a fall by a pedestrian.
7 Next, I think you have this one,
8 Neil, send an inspector to Greenridge
9 Street, the area next to the newly
10 constructed bank. It is highly overgrown
11 and contact the responsible party; and
12 finally, remove gravity tagging on the
13 office building in Nay Aug Park, and that's
14 it.
15 MR. MCGOFF: Mrs. Fanucci?
16 MS. FANUCCI: I want to speak in
17 response to Mr. McCloe's comments today. I
18 100 percent agree, Brett, it was pretty much
19 what I was trying to get to last week. My
20 question was posed to you because I wanted
21 everyone to know what it is that you were
22 saying. You are someone who works, you are
23 a worker, as am I and most of the people up
24 here, most of us are not in management
25 positions, and that you are benefiting now
41
1 and I believe that you did work in a KOZ
2 benefiting business. One of the businesses
3 that you do work for was someone who started
4 without -- with tax breaks and that's what I
5 was trying to get to.
6 I was trying to get to the point
7 that this is what it was about. It's not
8 about the big developer. It's not about the
9 person putting the money into the project.
10 It's about creating opportunity for the
11 people who are out there who need these
12 jobs. So I understand when the question was
13 posed to you that it seemed to be that it
14 was a question of a bad connotation, but it
15 certainly wasn't. Speaking as the
16 hairdresser, as I have been dubbed by most
17 of the wonderful people on a website, I
18 think I understand that is what I am, that
19 is where I came from, and that is where I am
20 now, so that is what I was trying to get to.
21 I was trying to get to it's not about the
22 wealthy developer it was about the people.
23 So, in turn, I disagree
24 wholeheartedly with what the school board
25 has done. I believe that that was the most
42
1 politically outright worst decision that
2 they have made since they have been there
3 outside of a them not putting out any bids
4 for any projects that they do or giving out
5 jobs without any, you know, recourse and I'm
6 going to tell you why.
7 I also believe that Mr. Phillips who
8 gave a very sad, speech which really had
9 nothing to do, it showed he was missing the
10 mark on what was really going on, it was a
11 payback for a friend, a business
12 acquaintance right down the street who don't
13 want competition for my friend. I mean, he
14 might as well have said that. I think that
15 would have been a better way to go about it.
16 He also works, it's my belief he
17 also works in place that was created that
18 was a LERTA project. It's okay for him to
19 support his family with a project that came
20 out to be a nontaxable project, it was a
21 LERTA project. It's okay for him to go to
22 work every day and support his family, but
23 yet denied 1,000 citizens of that right.
24 That to me is not something to be
25 celebrated. That to me is a very sad and
43
1 lack of understanding for what is going on
2 in this economy.
3 I know that it seems like my
4 decisions were based on whatever you want to
5 put the spin on it because you always do,
6 but I am telling you it was about
7 opportunity, and I'll tell you in a very
8 personal level I would like the opportunity
9 myself. You know, I'm a single mom. I
10 would like that opportunity. I'm just like
11 everyone else out there. I'm struggling on
12 a daily basis and wouldn't I love to be able
13 to grow and have something else, so that's
14 what it was about.
15 So I'm not as celebrating as
16 everyone else is thinking that the school
17 board made a right decision. It's very hard
18 tore me to understand how one project was
19 very okay to happen, but the one that was
20 creating the most jobs was not. That makes
21 no sense to me at all. What they did was
22 they took away our competitive edge to
23 everyone else and that's the problem. Like
24 it or not, there are millions of people out
25 there all over the country working in these
44
1 jobs that are created from these projects,
2 so I found it a very sad day and a very
3 telling day and Scranton politics at it's
4 absolutely worse.
5 Accountability is not there. I have
6 not seen anything in the paper about it.
7 They did not investigate or say -- I'll tell
8 you right now if was here we would have been
9 splashed all over the paper, but for some
10 reason it's okay, it's okay to deny us, the
11 citizens and the taxpayers, opportunity
12 while you're raising our taxes and while you
13 are doing no bid contracts and while you are
14 giving jobs away like they are, you know,
15 candy. That's okay there, for some reason
16 here we are all accountable.
17 So, actually, it was are very sad
18 day for the people of Scranton not to be
19 rejoyed and everyone out there who is
20 unemployed and looking for opportunity and
21 hoping to God that they can put shoes on
22 their kids feet in the next few weeks when
23 school comes know that the people who are
24 educating your children or making the
25 decisions to educate your children are the
45
1 ones who made the most noneducated decision
2 that has ever and been made in this city.
3 They didn't attend anything. They didn't
4 educate themselves on it, they stuck their
5 heals in and they did it and it's very sad
6 day for all of us.
7 I also want to speak on the fact
8 that we -- the double-edged comment that was
9 made about, you know, we can't say we are
10 doing well and the people want to be in this
11 city and also say that we need tax breaks.
12 That is -- it's not true. Yes, we love our
13 city. Yes, we are doing well, and I hope
14 that businesses come in every day, but on
15 the big projects we will miss the mark now,
16 we are done. If you think that people are
17 going to move here with the medical school
18 instead of going right to Jessup or all of
19 our surrounding areas who found it very easy
20 and very willfully wanting these people here
21 it's just -- it's just sad. It can't be
22 both ways, so actually being the fact that
23 this is what I see every day and I sit in
24 these negotiations and I watch this happen I
25 have to say it was very sad, and that is all
46
1 I have. Thank you.
2 MR. MCGOFF: Mr. Courtright.
3 MR. COURTRIGHT: I'm going to say
4 that I'm happy that the school district
5 voted. The county commissioners voted the
6 way they did, we all voted here, and the
7 school board had to vote, so we all stood up
8 and were counted, you know, so I guess the
9 people will judge us for the way we vote,
10 but I was glad that all three bodies voted.
11 If it did not come out the way that some
12 people wanted to then it didn't come out the
13 way some people wanted to. I guess the only
14 real way we all know is if, in fact, we try
15 to run again, you know. If people think we
16 did a good job they'll vote for us, if not,
17 because I always looked at it this way, we
18 have to vote for all of the people, not just
19 for the people that voted for us, so I try
20 to anyway take into consideration all of
21 them and when I do my voting, but I'm happy
22 that the school district voted so they stood
23 up be counted, we all stood up and will be
24 counted now we will be judged for what we
25 did and I'll leave it at that with that.
47
1 Kay, I want to ask you if by some
2 possibility you can ask Mr. Swanson to give
3 us a report before we break you in August on
4 the Crisp Avenue bridge because it was
5 supposed to start to be constructed in
6 August we were told, so if we can just get
7 an update. I've asked about that on more
8 than one occasion.
9 Now, I have one resident in a
10 problem development asking me if we were to
11 get a petition to fix the road if that would
12 work and I told them I didn't know. If you
13 are watching I'll try to see about if we can
14 go about getting the road fixed in another
15 manner. If not and you think the petition
16 is the right way, I will help you get the
17 signatures on the petition. I have asked
18 several times from the DPW to go up there
19 and fix that road. It has been patched, but
20 patching just isn't going to do it. I have
21 seen twice now someone go off the road to
22 try to avoid a person coming up the hill and
23 I just hope we get it rectified before
24 someone gets hurt.
25 The road dedication for the Keyser
48
1 Avenue development, Mary Alice Burke who was
2 always -- has been for lack of a better word
3 a watchdog for the Keyser Valley area and
4 the rest of this city contacted me last
5 night and she had asked me if I had thought
6 that all of the conditions were met, and as
7 far as I knew at that time they were. I
8 checked again this morning. She was going
9 to talk to some of the people involved back
10 there, I'm not going to state their names,
11 to see if they had any concerns. If they
12 did she was going to contact me this
13 morning. I haven't been contacted by her so
14 I think it's pretty safe to assume what
15 Mr. Swanson had told us and my contact with
16 Mary Alice Burke that everybody for the most
17 part, I don't know if every single thing,
18 but everything for the most part is
19 corrected that we had concerns about. Some
20 of them I know for a fact are corrected
21 because I went and looked myself, but I
22 think Mary Alice is pretty sharp, she keeps
23 a close look on everything and she was
24 contacting the people that actually lived
25 there and so I haven't heard back from them
49
1 so my best judgment would say it's okay to
2 go ahead and dedicate those roads.
3 And one last thing, we had a letter
4 and I left it in the office today, I wish I
5 would have brought it with me, Bill
6 McDonald, who is president of the zoning
7 board, he sent us a letter thanking for
8 being appointed to the board and what he
9 thought the board was and the new members
10 coming into the board and I thought this was
11 a man that he had class. That, you know,
12 whether or not he wanted to be reappointed
13 to the board or not, I don't know, but he
14 wasn't, but he served well. He went out in
15 a classy manner and left politics out of it
16 and I'd just to thank Bill for that letter.
17 I thought that was one of the most sincere,
18 nicest letters I remember have seen since I
19 have been on this council.
20 MS. EVANS: Mr. Courtright, I have to
21 echo that. I was very impressed by his
22 letter and I was very impressed by his
23 service to the community and I thank him
24 very much for the years he devoted without
25 pay to our city and it's people.
50
1 MR. COURTRIGHT: You know, the people
2 that are on the boards whether we appoint
3 them or the mayor appoints them they don't
4 get paid, you know, they give of their own
5 time and I know they get pressure to vote
6 one way or the other because I get calls
7 asking some of them asking them to vote one
8 way or the other, and I think for the most
9 part they all do what they think is right.
10 I know Bill McDonald, and again, I just
11 thank him for that letter and thank him for
12 his service, and that's all I have. Thank
13 you.
14 MR. MCGOFF: I would like to
15 reiterate what Mr. Courtright said about the
16 process of the KOZ extensions. From the
17 beginning I felt that they needed to be
18 addressed. I am happy that they went
19 through the entire process, that each of the
20 taxing bodies did confront them and make a
21 decision.
22 I will say that I was obviously
23 unhappy with the decision of the school
24 board, but philosophical differences are
25 often interpreted as personal differences
51
1 and in this case that obviously was not the
2 case. People felt differently about the
3 KOZ's and the extensions, we voted as such,
4 we discussed it, and as far as I'm concerned
5 at this point in time the decision has been
6 made and it's finished. We don't have to be
7 happy with the results, but we do have to
8 live with it and we do have to, you know,
9 move on and hopefully that's what we are
10 going to do.
11 We received a letter from Lomma
12 Enterprises concerning the railroad cars
13 that were down off of South Washington
14 Avenue. I know it was reported that they
15 were moved. The letter from Lomma indicates
16 that they were moved temporarily and brought
17 back, so we will attempt to determine why
18 they were placed back on, you know, in that
19 area and hopefully rectify the situation in
20 a more permanent manner.
21 As was indicated in this letter,
22 they are an eyesore, they may prevent anyone
23 from actually buying the property that is
24 available in this area because they do
25 provide or they are such an eyesore and, as
52
1 I said, we will attempt to look into this
2 further as to why they were placed back in
3 this area.
4 MS. EVANS: Mr. McGoff, could I
5 suggest that we contact Congressman
6 Kanjorski's office once again? He seemed to
7 be the one who really got the ball moving on
8 this issue after years of battling with the
9 railroad and all of the individuals and red
10 tape involved and he did indicate in his
11 last letter, actually in each of his letters
12 to us that he would be very happy to assist
13 us again in the future, and I think we do
14 need his assistance with this matter yet
15 again.
16 MR. MCGOFF: I will -- I know
17 Mrs. Gatelli was involved in the contacting
18 various people, I will speak to her, and I
19 will also speak to -- I'll get to
20 Representative Kanjorski. I will also talk
21 to Representative Smith since his business
22 is also in that general area I'm sure he
23 would be interested in doing something, but
24 yes, we will. I will look into that, and
25 that's all. Fifth order.
53
1 MS. GARVEY: 5-B. FOR INTRODUCTION -
2 A RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND
3 OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE
4 AND ENTER INTO A PUBLIC ENTITY INSTALLMENT
5 PAYMENT AGREEMENT WITH DELL FINANCIAL
6 SERVICES, L.L.C. TO PURCHASE DATOSPHERE
7 SOFTWARE THROUGH THE STATE SOFTWARE CONTRACT
8 WITH DELL/ASAP CONTRACT NUMBER 581010 WITH
9 ANNUAL PAYMENTS OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD.
10 MR. MCGOFF: At this time I'll
11 entertain a motion that Item 5-B be
12 introduced into it's proper committee.
13 MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved.
14 MS. FANUCCI: Second.
15 MR. MCGOFF: On the question? All
16 in favor signify by saying aye.
17 MS. EVANS: Aye.
18 MS. FANUCCI: Aye.
19 MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.
20 MR. MCGOFF: Aye. Opposed? The
21 ayes have it and so moved.
22 MS. GARVEY: 5-C. FOR INTRODUCTION -
23 A RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND
24 OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE
25 AND ACCEPT A GRANT THROUGH THE PENNSYLVANIA
54
1 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL
2 RESOURCES ("DCNR") IN THE AMOUNT OF
3 $8,510.00; SINCE THE APPLICATION WAS
4 SUCCESSFUL, EXECUTING THE GRANT AGREEMENT
5 (GRANT CONTRACT) WITH LACKAWANNA HERITAGE
6 VALLEY AUTHORITY ("LHVA") AND ACCEPTING AND
7 DISBURSING THE USE OF THE GRANT FUNDS FOR
8 THE PROJECT TO BE NAMED AS "TREEVITALIZE"
9 METROS PROGRAM.
10 MR. MCGOFF: At this time I'll
11 entertain a motion that Item 5-C be
12 introduced into it's proper committee.
13 MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved.
14 MS. FANUCCI: Second.
15 MR. MCGOFF: On the question? All
16 in favor signify by saying aye.
17 MS. EVANS: Aye.
18 MS. FANUCCI: Aye.
19 MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.
20 MR. MCGOFF: Aye. Opposed? The
21 ayes have it and so moved.
22 MS. GARVEY: 5-D. FOR INTRODUCTION -
23 A RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND
24 OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE
25 AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH KNOWLES
55
1 ASSOCIATES L.L.C. FOR INSURANCE WITH
2 NAUTILUS INSURANCE COMPANY FOR CITY
3 INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 12,
4 2009 THROUGH JUNE 12, 2010.
5 MR. MCGOFF: At this time I'll
6 entertain a motion that Item 5-D be
7 introduced into it's proper committee.
8 MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved.
9 MS. FANUCCI: Second.
10 MR. MCGOFF: On the question?
11 MS. EVANS: I do have some concerns
12 about the Nautilus Insurance Company.
13 According to the paperwork council received,
14 they have not been admitted to transact
15 business in Pennsylvania and in the event of
16 insolvency, their insolvency, the
17 policyholder, which is the city, will be
18 responsible for all obligations. I think
19 council might want to look into this further
20 before we actually pass this.
21 MR. MCGOFF: I would say that there
22 were some legitimate questions raised. I
23 would vote for introduction and then
24 consider it in the -- you know, hopefully
25 get our questions -- the questions answered
56
1 prior to final vote.
2 MS. FANUCCI: I agree.
3 MS. EVANS: Well, this is a
4 resolution, correct?
5 MR. MCGOFF: Right.
6 MS. EVANS: So it will enjoy final
7 reading next week.
8 MR. MCGOFF: Yes.
9 MS. EVANS: So we need answers by
10 next week.
11 MR. COURTRIGHT: If not we could
12 hold it.
13 MS. EVANS: Well, before we next week
14 actually.
15 MR. MCGOFF: I would say if the
16 answers aren't received by then, then we
17 could --
18 MS. EVANS: Table it.
19 MR. MCGOFF: -- table it or just vote
20 it down, you know, too.
21 MS. EVANS: On the other hand,
22 though, I know we've got to move rather
23 quickly because it's insurance on the water
24 slide which is operational.
25 MS. FANUCCI: Yeah, let's move it
57
1 through this week and we'll make sure we get
2 our answers by next week.
3 All in favor signify by saying aye.
4 MS. EVANS: Aye.
5 MS. FANUCCI: Aye.
6 MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.
7 MR. MCGOFF: Aye. Opposed? The
8 ayes have it and so moved.
9 MS. GARVEY: SIXTH ORDER. 6-A.
10 READING BY TITLE - FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 73,
11 2009 - AN ORDINANCE - REMOVAL OF PARKING
12 METERS LOCATED IN THE 700 BLOCK OF QUINCY
13 AVENUE, BETWEEN GIBSON AND PINE STREETS, AND
14 IN THE 900 AND 1000 BLOCKS OF PINE STREET
15 BETWEEN MONROE AVENUE AND COSTELLO COURT, AS
16 MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE
17 CORRESPONDENCE AND ON THE DIAGRAM FROM MOSES
18 TAYLOR HOSPITAL ATTACHED HERETO AND
19 THEREAFTER, TO INSTITUTE DAILY PERMIT
20 PARKING FOR MOSES TAYLOR HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES.
21 MR. MCGOFF: You have heard reading
22 by title of Item 6-A, what is your pleasure?
23 MR. COURTRIGHT: I move that Item 6-A
24 pass reading by title.
25 MS. FANUCCI: Second.
58
1 MR. MCGOFF: On the question? All
2 those in favor signify by saying aye.
3 MS. EVANS: Aye.
4 MS. FANUCCI: Aye.
5 MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.
6 MR. MCGOFF: Aye. Opposed? The
7 ayes have it and so moved.
8 MS. GARVEY: SEVENTH ORDER. 7-A. FOR
9 CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC
10 WORKS - FOR ADOPTION - FILE OF COUNCIL NO.
11 72, 2009 - PROVIDING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE AND
12 DEDICATION AS PUBLIC ROADS WILLIAMSBURG
13 LANE, NORFOLK WAY, ROANOKE LANE, ARLINGTON
14 WAY, CHESTERFIELD LANE AND HUNTINGTON WAY,
15 AS WELL AS ALL THE STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEM
16 UNDERLYING SAID STREETS AND RIGHTS- OF-WAY;
17 ALL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED IMPROVEMENTS BEING
18 LOCATED IN THE KEYSER TERRACE SUBDIVISION IN
19 THE CITY OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA; ALSO
20 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE
21 CITY OFFICIALS TO ACCEPT FOR THE SUM OF ONE
22 DOLLAR ($1.00) AND TO RECORD IN THE OFFICIAL
23 RECORDS AT THE OFFICE OF THE RECORDER OF
24 DEEDS FOR LACKAWANNA COUNTY A DEED FOR THE
25 AFORESAID PUBLIC STREETS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
59
1 MR. MCGOFF: What is the
2 recommendation of the Chairperson for the
3 Committee on Public Works?
4 MS. EVANS: As Chair for the
5 Committee on Public Works, I recommend final
6 passage of Item 7-A.
7 MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.
8 MR. MCGOFF: On the question? Roll
9 call, please?
10 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans.
11 MS. EVANS: Yes.
12 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. Ms.
13 Fanucci.
14 MS. FANUCCI: Yes.
15 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright.
16 MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.
17 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.
18 MR. MCGOFF: Yes. I hereby declare
19 Item 7-A legally and lawfully adopted.
20 MS. GARVEY: 7-B. FOR CONSIDERATION
21 BY THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY - FOR
22 ADOPTION - RESOLUTION NO. 112, 2009 -
23 AUTHORIZE THE CITY OF SCRANTON TO MAKE
24 APPLICATION TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF
25 PENNSYLVANIA, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
60
1 FOR A PERMIT TO INSTALL AND OPERATE A
2 TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEST
3 LINDEN STREET (S.R. 3020) AND NORTH EIGHTH
4 AVENUE/MAIN ACCESS AT THE MOUNT PLEASANT
5 CORPORATE CENTER.
6 MR. MCGOFF: What is the
7 recommendation of the Chairperson for the
8 Committee on Public Safety?
9 MR. COURTRIGHT: As Chairperson for
10 the Committee on Public Safety, I recommend
11 final passage of Item 7-B.
12 MS. FANUCCI: Second.
13 MR. MCGOFF: On the question?
14 MS. EVANS: Yes. If we fail to pass
15 this legislation today, would it not prevent
16 PennDOT from installing a light that seems
17 to be so hazardous in the opinion of many
18 residents of the area?
19 MS. FANUCCI: We felt that way, too,
20 but once PennDOT came out said, you know, I
21 mean, that's their job and obviously they
22 know a little bit more about the engineering
23 than we do, so once they came out and said
24 that they believe it's a very sorely needed
25 and mandatory. I mean, I understand our
61
1 views, too, I mean, it doesn't make sense,
2 but I believe that they are more equipped to
3 knowing what the job, you know, the
4 engineering process is.
5 MS. EVANS: I absolutely agree with
6 that. Certainly I'm no engineer --
7 MS. FANUCCI: Yeah.
8 MS. EVANS: -- and they are the
9 individuals with the expertise in this
10 situation which is why, you know, I guess I
11 am just a little troubled. I recall,
12 Mr. Courtright, do you remember the
13 situation in Minooka, Pittson Avenue, Birney
14 Avenue, the two lanes that run in one
15 direction and we note this moment in time
16 cars far exceed the speed limit and it makes
17 it so dangerous for pedestrian crossings and
18 there have been how many accidents because
19 of that, and yet I remember how many times,
20 Mr. Courtright, you and I, even
21 Mr. McTiernan --
22 MR. COURTRIGHT: Mr. Pocius.
23 MS. EVANS: Mr. Pocius --
24 MS. FANUCCI: Everyone.
25 MS. EVANS: Mr. Pocius, Gaynor
62
1 Cawley, we went time after time to the
2 PennDOT offices, sat at a round table
3 discussion of about 25 people begging for a
4 solution to provide safety for that area of
5 Minooka and PennDOT did nothing. You know,
6 evidently thinks it's quite safe. So, you
7 know, every once in awhile you might have to
8 wonder about the some of the decisions of
9 the experts.
10 MR. COURTRIGHT: I think what this
11 comes down to, and I hate to even say this,
12 is the lesser of two evils. They have to
13 allow the people to exit from this
14 development somehow.
15 MS. EVANS: Right.
16 MR. COURTRIGHT: And I had hoped that
17 they would put stop signs. It's the
18 engineer's opinion that stop sings would be
19 even more dangerous because if you are
20 coming say, for instance, coming down the
21 hill and somebody was exiting at the stop
22 sign and they didn't see you because it's a
23 little bit blind when you come over the
24 hill, if they start pulling out, and we are
25 talking wintertime, that's the concern with
63
1 everybody is the wintertime, right? If
2 somebody was pulling out and they didn't see
3 the car coming down the hill and they pulled
4 out now that person is coming over the hill
5 moving at a high rate of speed they are not
6 going to be able to stop, so I'm not happy
7 about the light, but the way they explained
8 it I guess we need some way, they have come
9 out and exit onto Linden Street somehow from
10 that new development which I'm assuming even
11 though it didn't get KOZ is still going to
12 go through, so I couldn't come up with a
13 better solution than that. I'm not happy
14 about it, but they have to be able to exit
15 out of there somehow.
16 MS. EVANS: Then we have to trust
17 them.
18 MR. COURTRIGHT: We have to hope they
19 are right on this one not like Birney
20 Avenue.
21 MS. EVANS: And then once it's
22 installed God forbid there are problems with
23 it, PennDOT I'm not sure would have to make
24 alterations.
25 MR. COURTRIGHT: I'm asking that they
64
1 put signs up warning people that would be
2 coming down that hill that there is going to
3 be a light in the middle of that hill.
4 MR. MCGOFF: Roll call, please.
5 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans.
6 MS. EVANS: Yes.
7 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. Ms.
8 Fanucci.
9 MS. FANUCCI: Yes.
10 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright.
11 MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.
12 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.
13 MR. MCGOFF: Yes. I hereby declare
14 Item 7-B legally and lawfully adopted.
15 MS. GARVEY: 7-C. FOR CONSIDERATION
16 BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION -
17 RESOLUTION NO. 155, 2009 - AUTHORIZING THE
18 MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS
19 TO EXECUTE AND ENTER INTO ON BEHALF OF THE
20 CITY OF SCRANTON A SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES
21 AGREEMENT FOR TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES TO THE
22 BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON WORKBENCH SERVICES
23 ("BNYM") AGREEMENT TO AUTHORIZE ACCESS TO
24 TRANSACTIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE CITY
25 REGARDING SUPPLEMENTAL PENSION PAYMENTS
65
1 CURRENTLY MADE TO DESIGNATED RETIRED POLICE
2 AND FIREFIGHTERS.
3 MR. MCGOFF: As Chair for the
4 Committee on Rules, I recommend final
5 passage of Item 7-C.
6 MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.
7 MR. MCGOFF: On the question? Roll
8 call, please?
9 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans.
10 MS. EVANS: Yes.
11 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. Ms.
12 Fanucci.
13 MS. FANUCCI: Yes.
14 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright.
15 MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.
16 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.
17 MR. MCGOFF: Yes. I hereby declare
18 Item 7-C legally and lawfully adopted.
19 MS. GARVEY: 7-D. FOR CONSIDERATION
20 BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION -
21 RESOLUTION NO. 156, 2009- APPOINTING STEVEN
22 KOCHIS, 531 HICKORY STREET, SCRANTON,
23 PENNSYLVANIA, 18505, AS A MEMBER OF THE
24 BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS FOR THE CITY OF
25 SCRANTON. MR. KOCHIS WILL REPLACE BILL
66
1 MACDONALD, WHOSE TERM EXPIRES ON JULY 15,
2 2009. MR. KOCHIS TERM WILL COMMENCE ON JULY
3 16, 2009 AND EXPIRE ON JULY 16, 2014.
4 MR. MCGOFF: As Chair for the
5 Committee on Rules, I recommend final
6 passage of Item 7-D.
7 MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.
8 MR. MCGOFF: On the question? Roll
9 call, please?
10 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans.
11 MS. EVANS: Yes.
12 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. Ms.
13 Fanucci.
14 MS. FANUCCI: Yes.
15 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright.
16 MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.
17 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.
18 MR. MCGOFF: Yes. I hereby declare
19 Item 7-D legally and lawfully adopted.
20 MS. GARVEY: 7-E. FOR CONSIDERATION
21 BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES - FOR ADOPTION -
22 RESOLUTION NO. 157, 2009 - APPOINTING
23 SUZANNE ANDRES, 323 BIRCH STREET, SCRANTON,
24 PENNSYLVANIA, 18505, AS ALTERNATE NO. 2
25 MEMBER TO THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS FOR
67
1 THE CITY OF SCRANTON. MS. ANDRES WILL FILL
2 THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF STEVEN KOCHIS WHOSE
3 TERM EXPIRES ON JUNE 1, 2010. MS. ANDRES
4 TERM WILL COMMENCE ON JULY 16, 2009
5 AND WILL EXPIRE ON JUNE 1, 2010.
6 MR. MCGOFF: As Chair for the
7 Committee on Rules, I recommend final
8 passage of Item 7-E.
9 MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.
10 MR. MCGOFF: On the question? Roll
11 call, please?
12 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans.
13 MS. EVANS: Yes.
14 MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. Ms.
15 Fanucci.
16 MS. FANUCCI: Yes.
17 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright.
18 MR. COURTRIGHT: Yes.
19 MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff.
20 MR. MCGOFF: Yes. I hereby declare
21 Item 7-E legally and lawfully adopted.
22 MR. COURTRIGHT: Motion to adjourn.
23 MR. MCGOFF: Thank you. Thank you
24 for your participation.
25
68
1 C E R T I F I C A T E
2
3 I hereby certify that the proceedings and
4 evidence are contained fully and accurately in the
5 notes of testimony taken by me at the hearing of the
6 above-captioned matter and that the foregoing is a true
7 and correct transcript of the same to the best of my
8 ability.
9
10
11
CATHENE S. NARDOZZI, RPR
12 OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER
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