Municipalities Move To Form South Valley COG

Six communities are moving forward on formation of a Lower South Valley Council of Governments.

The success of other government councils in Luzerne County has sparked enthusiastic support for a South Valley organization, said Andy Gegaris, city manager in Nanticoke.

“By the fall, I think we will have this together,” Gegaris said.

Communities that have met and remain in contact largely via emails are Nanticoke, Newport Township, Hanover Township, Plymouth Township, Sugar Notch and Ashley. The towns hope that Warrior Run also will join, Gegaris said.

Read more:

http://citizensvoice.com/news/municipalities-move-to-form-south-valley-cog-1.1851925

Pottsville Mayor Describes City’s Challenge To Fix Streets

View of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While giving his first State of the City address Thursday night, Pottsville Mayor James T. Muldowney deviated from his 11-page speech only once.

Before giving the crowd of more than 75 in council chambers an update on streets and public improvements, Muldowney, 56, said: “My wife told me I should ad lib a little bit. So, God bless you, Ron. And you too, Dan.”

He was referring to Councilman Ronald J. Moser, who heads up the city’s streets and public improvements department, and the challenge Moser and city officials, including Superintendent of Streets Daniel E. Kelly, will face as a result of the wicked winter.

“Dan Kelly and the men that work in this department have the skills and determination to help our residents brave the worst of weather,” Muldowney said.

Read more: http://republicanherald.com/news/mayor-describes-city-s-challenge-to-fix-streets-1.1638282

Philadelphia Council Committee Says Yes To A Land Bank

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Philadelphia County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After years of talking the talk about getting a land bank in Philadelphia, where blight scars entire neighborhoods, City Council started Monday to walk the walk.

On a 6-1 vote, Council’s Committee on Public Property and Public Works approved a resolution to establish a land bank. The bill still needs a vote of the full Council.

If it approves, Philadelphia would become the largest city with a land bank. Land banks streamline the process for rescuing blighted property, whether by homeowners who want to turn a vacant lot next door into a garden or developers who hope to buy clusters of houses to make way for a major project.

One expert said Philadelphia was better equipped than some cities with land banks, such as Flint, Mich.; Cleveland; and St. Louis.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20131029_Phila__Council_committee_says_yes_to_a_land_bank.html#86b2DVYsKXDDfbXV.99

Lancaster City Hall Addition Expected To Bring Greater Efficiency To Government

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Architect Bruce Evans’ charge in designing a City Hall addition was to create space that would help Lancaster city employees work more efficiently and be better able to serve the public.

From his own experience, Evans knew the inefficiency and frustration of taking plans to City Hall for review by city building officials, then having to take them to fire inspectors in Southern Market Center, four blocks away. Sometimes, he then would have to return to City Hall.

When the 18,000-square-foot addition to City Hall is complete, the city’s housing, building and fire code inspectors will work together in the same office. Plans can be reviewed simultaneously in shared meeting spaces.

Similarly, on the floor above, planners from the city Economic Development & Neighborhood Revitalization departments will be grouped with Public Works staffers, who oversee the impact of those plans on the city’s public spaces.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/903017_Lancaster-City-Hall-addition-expected-to-bring-greater-efficiency-to-government.html#ixzz2h3fTg310

Project Assures Penn Street A Project Visibly Brighter Future

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Penn Street is slated for $1 million in upgrades this summer that will include new and brighter streetlights from Second to Eighth streets.

It also will include replacing the gap-toothed crosswalks at Penn’s intersections with Second and Third, replacing the bouncy bricks with plastic grids like the crosswalk at Eighth and Penn.

Both projects will get underway at the same time, likely August or September, city Public Works Director Charles M. Jones said.

And he said both are funded by federal highway grants, not local tax money.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=483519

Reading CIty Council Awards $5.35 Million Contract To Rebuild Fritz’s Island

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Reading City Council voted unanimously Monday to award a $5.35 million contract to design the rebuilding of the city’s wastewater treatment plant on Fritz’s Island.

“It’s taken us awhile to get here,” Mayor Vaughn D. Spencer said. “We’re on the way to making some good progress.”

The contract was awarded to York-based RK&K Inc., the winner after the city weeded out six other firms during what Managing Director Carole B. Snyder called an extensive review process.

Public Works Director Charles M. Jones and plant manager Ralph Johnson said the rebuilding project is expected to cost about $101 million.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=471552

Harrisburg Public Works Director Ernie Hoch Quits, Pursues Harassment Complaint Against Mayor Linda Thompson

Recreation of the flag of the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, from common knowledge. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Harrisburg‘s Public Works Director Ernie Hoch filed a harassment claim against Mayor Linda Thompson with the city on March 29. Hoch filed his complaint with Merry-Grace S. Majors, Harrisburg’s Affirmative Action Officer.

He said in the letter: “I am lodging a formal complaint against Mayor Linda Thompson for harassment, threatening my job and causing undue harm to city employees due to her political fight with the controller.”

Hoch resigned this morning to the dismay of various city officials, including City Council President Wanda Williams, who said his resignation will be a blow to the city.

Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/04/harrisburg_public_works_direct_1.html