The front awnings have been removed at the headquarters of Children & Youth Services on South Jefferson Street in Kittanning, showing one of the former uses of the building as the Print Shop of W. C. Heider.
by Jonathan Weaver
While renovations at a local children’s agency office began, County commissioners have acknowledged a financial change.
A $500,000 debt ordinance with First National Bank was approved at the end of August for renovations and improvements to the Children, Youth and Family Services building along South Jefferson Street in Kittanning, but County Planning and Development Executive Director Rich Palilla explained the new ordinance needing acknowledged.
“Earlier this year, (commissioners) passed an ordinance in anticipation of incurring debt with First National Bank – subsequently, we found out they were not able to provide the terms that the County needed, so the decision was made to move to NexTier Bank.
“And, it’s actually a slightly-lower interest rate than we originally anticipated.”
First National Bank previously provided a 2.58-percent interest quote.
NexTier Bank now offers a 2.55-percent interest rate during the next five years.
The change was first approved at the commissioners’ September work session.
Children, Youth and Family Services Administrator Dennis Demanogone previously stated that he hopes to address a heating issue before this winter. Other renovations include to building insulation and security.
“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 left staff members and visitors without water this past winter for “several” days.
After the recommendation by Palilla and RSSC Architecture’s Bruce Pollock, commissioners awarded the project’s General Construction to Fred L. Burns, Inc. of Shippenville, Mechanical and Plumbing Construction to Sentry Mechancial, LLC of Pittsburgh and Electrical Construction to Right Electric, Inc of Butler. September 17.
At the beginning of September, nearly 20 construction crews placed their bids to work on the building – including Enders Plumbing and Heating in Kittanning.
Up to 30 employees work for Children, Youth and Family Services in the Kittanning office – which used to be a residential health club with four racquetball courts.