About $400,000 in renovations will begin soon at the county Children, Youth and Family Services offices along South Jefferson Street in Kittanning
by Jonathan Weaver
Armstrong County Commissioners approved an ordinance last week to incur $500,000 in debt to renovate the local child welfare agency based in Kittanning.
Commissioners will use the money to renovate Children, Youth and Family Services on South Jefferson Street in Kittanning, according to County Financial Advisor Carly Cowan.
Cowan expects the project to cost about $400,000, but that the excess was “a buffer.”
“It’s in need of some pretty-major repairs – like to the heating, HVAC system and outside to the siding and insulation and also to the security on the inside when you first enter,” Cowan said. “Some serious updates.”
Children, Youth and Family Services Administrator Dennis Demanogone hopes to address the heating issue before this winter. He was pleased to hear the commissioners’ dedication to the project.
“We have been having some heating and cooling issues in the older part of our office building for a number of years,” Demangone said. “(Other than) the addition of our building back in 1999, really nothing has been done to the older part of the existing building we moved into.
“There are a number of deficiencies this renovation project will correct.”
Frozen water pipes also left staff members and visitors without water this past winter for “several” days.
“We knew something definitely had to be done,” Demangone said.
Cowan added that Children, Youth and Family Services had ceased paying rent in July after previous debt to purchase the building was paid off. When that rent structure resumes, most of the money will be refunded by the State.
Loans were incurred to make renovations at the building and to pay for a nearby parking facility reserved for employees and walk-ins.
Parking for the County employees is located near Family Counseling Center and other offices.
“Children and Youth has the ability to pay rent, so the County thought it best to put some money in it, knowing that we’ll be able to recoup probably about 80 percent of that money,” Cowan said. “It’s kind-of a no-brainer for the County because it’s County property and we have the ability to recoup a large chunk of that money by way of rent that we’ll charge Children and Youth that we can get reimbursed from the State for.”
That payback was a “key” point for Commissioner Chair David Battaglia.
“I think that’s a key thing anytime we’re looking to take on debt at any level,” Battaglia said. “I know we’ve taken it as far as we can take it.”
If all positions are filled, all 30 staff members work in the Kittanning office.
The former residential health club with four racquetball courts was renovated in 1990 before Armstrong Children, Youth and Family Services moved in in 1991. The office moved from the Armsdale Administration Building in Rayburn Township.
First National Bank provided the lowest quote, at a 2.58 percent interest rate.
Bids will be opened at the County Commissioners public meeting at 9AM September 3
