
Councilman Gerald Shuster motioned for paving West High Street from Water Street to North McKean Street be the recommended usage of this year’s CDBG funds, and a majority of Borough Council members agreed.
by Jonathan Weaver
County Planners are already prepping for Kittanning Borough’s next summer grant project.
At last night’s rescheduled regular meeting, Program Manager Sally Conklin asked council members to decide on those streets they felt needed to be repaired most to see if those areas are qualified for street repairs utilizing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
“The Borough needs to start thinking what projects they would like to start doing income surveys for,” Conklin said. “That way if the income surveys don’t meet the requirements, we can move to the next one to make sure we have a project in time.”
Conklin previously brainstormed blocks of Arch, West High, Montieth, North Avenue and Chestnut Streets.
Councilman Gerald Shuster motioned to repair West High Street from Water Street to North McKean Street following First Ward Councilwoman Betsy Wilt’s recommendation. The motion was passed 6-1, with Andy Peters in opposition and Wilbur Stitt absent.
The back-up block to be paved includes Sampson Street from Dewey Street to Campbell Street, and the third option is Arch Street from McKean Street to North Grant Avenue.
In October, council members applied to use more than $82,000 in CDBG funds to repair Campbell Street. About 20 families are expected to benefit from the grant project.
At that time, County Planning and Development Assistant Director Carmen Johnson said the repairs might not begin until mid-to-late 2016.
“It might not be until next year at this time because the application is actually due in December, and then by the time the State reviews the application and gets us a contract, and there’s no set time frame for that.
“And then we have to do an environmental review and so forth. We usually tell people it might not until a year from now to get started,” Johnson said in October.
The Campbell Street residents who completed the surveys meet the low-to-moderate income requirement.
Borough Council members have approximately 20 other project proposals on their three-year plan –including renovating the Community Park playground, reconstructing several streets, sidewalks or curbs, and constructing a roof to cover the John P. Murtha Amphitheatre.
Since 1984, Kittanning Borough has received more than $3 million in grant funds. Grant funds have been reduced regularly since its incorporation.
In other news concerning road repairs, council members agreed to pay Russell-Standard, of Mars (Pa.) more than $213,000 for work done along Jacob Street in October.
After two of the three core samples failed following Russell Standard’s October paving of Jacob Street, PennDOT recommending withholding any payment to Russell Standard. The payment authorized last night does not include more than $41,000 due to the wearing surface that is expected to be redone this Spring.
Councilman David Croyle was worried Russell Standard may not return to finish the job and more money should be retained, but Solicitor Ty Heller advised against such action.
Engineer Mike Malak said the company also has a performance bond for the work.
During the first two weeks of October, Jacob Street from Grant Avenue to Water Street was re-paved, re-striped, included bicycle shared-lane markings, the installation of ‘road share’ signage, and ADA-compliant curb ramps.
In August 2014, Kittanning Borough Council received a nearly-$220,000 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for pedestrian and paving improvements along Jacob Street.
During Conklin’s monthly report, Shuster also spoke of a suggestion from State Senator Don White’s office about organizing an ad-hoc committee to keep up-to-date with the borough’s Revitalization Project.
“He recommended, while the Revitalization Committee is a good committee, the committee be broadened to take an ad-hoc committee that would be chaired by his office and include a number of people downtown that expressed issues (along South Jefferson Street) and Market Street,” Shuster said.
“(Residents and business owners) aren’t complaining about the project, but they complain from time-to-time about late notice about utility shut-offs or blocked sidewalks. This might establish some sort of procedure before the construction period begins so those people, as well as the rest of the community, would be better-informed as to what’s going on.”
Council members unanimously motioned to follow Senator White’s recommendation after Shuster made the motion.
At the end of regular business, council members held a closed executive session to discuss personnel regarding uniform and non-uniform employees.

Despite improvements to the wearing course forthcoming, council members agreed to pay Russell-Standard for a majority of the work they performed along Jacob Street in October.