1  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  SCRANTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING  HELD:  Tuesday, October 23, 2007  LOCATION: Council Chambers Scranton City Hall 340 North Washington Avenue Scranton, Pennsylvania  CATHENE S. NARDOZZI- COURT REPORTER    2  1  2 CITY OF SCRANTON COUNCIL:  3 4 5  MS. JUDY GATELLI, PRESIDENT  6 MS. JANET E. EVANS  7 8  MS. SHERRY FANUCCI 9 MR. ROBERT MCGOFF  10 11  MR. WILLIAM COURTRIGHT  12 MS. KAY GARVEY, CITY CLERK  13 14  MR. NEIL COOLICAN, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK  15 MR. AMIL MINORA, SOLICITOR  16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25    3  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  (Pledge of Allegiance recited and moment of  reflection observed.)  MS. GATELLI: Roll call, Neil. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Evans. MRS. EVANS: Here.  MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Fanucci. MS. FANUCCI: Here. MR. COOLICAN: Mr. McGoff. MR. MCGOFF: Here.  MR. COOLICAN: Mr. Courtright. MR. COURTRIGHT: Here. MR. COOLICAN: Mrs. Gatelli. MS. GATELLI: Here.  MS. GARVEY: THIRD ORDER. 3-A.  PETITION FOR A STOP SIGN ON LAKE SCRANTON ROAD AT THE ENTRANCE TO LUTHERWOOD.  MS. GATELLI: Are there are comments?  If not, received and filed.  MS. GARVEY: 3-B. CONTROLLER'S REPORT  FOR THE MONTH ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2007.  MS. GATELLI: Are there any comments?  If not, received and filed.  MS. GARVEY: 3-C. MINUTES OF THE  COMPOSITE PENSION BOARD MEETING HELD ON  SEPTEMBER 26, 2007.    4  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Are there any comments?  If not, received and filed.  MS. GARVEY: That's all for third  order.  MS. GATELLI: Before we start  citizens participation, I would like to announce that as you can see all of us our wearing or red ribbons. It is a red ribbon week that's sponsored by the Lackawanna County Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse and the school and the county celebrate this week to alert everyone to the dangers of drugs and alcohol. So, we are all wearing our flyers tonight in support of this cause. Last week someone mentioned, I believe that it was Mrs. Jones, about a property on Pittston Avenue and Harris Street that was overgrown and I wanted to clarify this because she said that the owner was Mr. Brazil, and I wanted to clarify that Mr. Brazil has not owned that property for the last year and a half. I did not want that to be said about someone when indeed it's not true, so I just wanted to clarify  that.    5  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Ialso wanted to thank, and I'm not  allowed to say their names for  confidentiality reasons, but there were several children that were on juvenile probation and their probation officer had them clean up the Billy Barrett playground in Minooka. There was a lot of graffiti on the sliding boards and on the walls, etcetera, and these children do community service, they worked there all day, and they did a wonderful magnificent job at the playground, so anonymously we would like to thank them for their work in that effort.  Also, the Elm Park Church youth  group at the corner of Linden and Jefferson is having a spaghetti dinner on November 3 from 4 to 7. Adults is $6, children are $3, Eric Lushak is the youth advisor and that's all I have. Does anyone else have any announcements? Mr. Courtright?  MR. COURTRIGHT: Just one, I know I  said it before, but I ran into some people this weekend that asked if I would remind you that the 27th of October from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. will be the St. Peter's Lutheran's    6  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Church pancake and sausage breakfast and that's at the corner of Ash and Taylor  Avenue. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Anyone  else?  MR. MCGOFF: Might I? MS. GATELLI: Yes.  MR. MCGOFF: I received an e-mail  last week and I got it to late to mention it for last week's meeting. It's from two students at West Scranton High School who are conducting what they are calling the Turkey Chase Race, a 5-K run and walk to be held at McDade Park on November 4 at 10 a.m. It's to benefit a student at West Scranton. It's a charity event. It's a 5-K race. There is a registration fee of $15 or you can register the day of the race. If there is anyone interested I have some numbers to contact, two students, Katilyn Farrell and Matt Fabri, but I know it's short notice but if there is anybody that's interested in that type of event and hopefully worth raising money, as I said, for a student at West Scranton, I assume a friend of theirs,    7  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  but I have the information and it's I think  also on-line. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Anyone  else?  MS. FANUCCI: I just want to say for  everyone to say a special prayer for my dad who underwent surgery yesterday so please just keep him in your prayers. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: The first speaker is  Andy Sbaraglia.  MR. SBARAGLIA: Andy Sbaraglia,  citizen of Scranton, fellow Scrantonians, under "B" here for introduction, you are taking the money from project No. 05-154, $86,000, and transferring the same money and the same organization. I was just curious, what is 05-154 originally - what was the money originally for? I don't believe you are going to find it there, I looked or I  wouldn't have asked.  MS. GATELLI: I'm not sure it says,  Andy, but sometimes if the money is not used they have to put it in a new account.  MR. SBARAGLIA: I realize that, but  it could have been for : it might have been    8  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  for a critical project, maybe it was better than the other project, who knows.  MS. GATELLI: It may be the same  project and they just haven't used it yet, so they have to put it in a new account.  MR. SBARAGLIA: But there is no way  for you to know and there is no way for me to know exactly what's going on, that's all. That's the only question I had is :  MS. GATELLI: We will find out for  you.  MR. SBARAGLIA: You know what I mean?  Because it's good to know exactly what this money is being transferred for and what was the original intent of the money there.  MS. GATELLI: Well, it has to be  something that's eligible.  MR. SBARAGLIA: Everything in this  world is eligible if you write it, so don't  give me that.  MS. FANUCCI: That's not true.  That's not true.  MS. GATELLI: Not necessarily. HUD  is very fussy.  MS. FANUCCI: That's not true with    9  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  HUD.  MR. SBARAGLIA: No, it's true. If  you know the right people and the right lawyers everything becomes eligible one way  or another.  MS. GATELLI: Well, tell the people  that haven't received the money and they'11 tell you differently. HUD is very strict.  MR. SBARAGLIA: I know why they  didn't get the money.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Quinn.  MR. QUINN: Ozzie Quinn, president  of the local Taxpayers' Association. Yes, I too want to speak on 5-B and 5-C in relation to the fact that this money goes back to 2004-2005, how much more money is in the coffers down at OECD that we don't know about in projects? I'd like you, Mrs. Fanucci, as the chairperson for the OECD to come up with how much money is in reserve down there for projects that are not approved. Why I'm asking this is because I'm a member of the Hill Neighborhood Association and I spoke to Bob Neverosky who was here about a month ago and we were very    10  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  much concerned because when the Connor's administration was leaving I wrote a grant for the Hill, which I'm a member of, and it  was approved.  Subsequently, there was no money.  Then we wrote one, I wrote one again for the Doherty administration for $60,000 and that neighborhood association provides the police up there, provides the DA, it provides the food banks, just everything. There is 1,300 households that belong to that, and also the  fact is that, you know, the only  neighborhood association would actually need a : staff. Now, that $60,000 is laying down there someplace in the building where you are paying rent for which you could be occupying up on the third floor and yet these people up in the Hill Section are not getting that money that was approved.  MS. FANUCCI: Ozzie, it was approved  and I did check into it after the meeting that was here when Mr. Neverosky came. It was : he went through the inspection. When they went down they could not provide that money because the meetings would be held on    11  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  second floor. They will not release the money to them because it is not handicapped accessible so they let them have the money. They didn't comply was the problem, so the money was approved, but they can't give it to them because of the handicapped  accessibility.  MR. QUINN: It is accessible for the  first floor.  MS. FANUCCI: They can't fit the  amount of people in the first floor to  convey the meetings.  MR. QUINN: We had meetings there on  the first floor.  MS. FANUCCI: I understand. As far  as HUD is concerned :  MR. QUINN: You can talk to Bob  Neverosky.  MS. FANUCCI: : there was not enough  room  MR. QUINN: You can twist and turn  how want to :  MS. FANUCCI: Me and HUD are just out  to get you, Ozzie.  MR. QUINN: Yeah, I'd like to look    12  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  into how much money is down there in their  coffers.  MS. GATELLI: Ozzie, just to  interrupt you for a minute, I'm not quite positive, but I think that the money that Bob wanted was to renovate the second floor.  MR. QUINN:  That's correct. Right.  MS. GATELLI: And the point was that  the second floor was not accessible.  MR. QUINN: The fact is it's  accessible to the Scranton police, it's accessible to the D.A.'s office.  MS. GATELLI: Yeah, but they are not  nandicapped.  MR. QUINN: The handicap goes into  the first floor. That's a poor excuse.  MS. GATELLI: Well, that's what we  were told.  MR. QUINN: Well, who told you that?  One of your inspectors?  MS. GATELLI: The people from HUD. MR. QUINN: That's a shame that those  people up there in the Hill with all of work that they do for the people in this community that you can't give them that    13  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  $60,000, I want to find out how much money is left there in the coffers, I'd appreciate  that.  MS. GATELLI: Well, as of today, I  believe it was today, the mayor has  appointed a new OECD director and we will : Iwill call her and find out about Bob's  money and see exactly :  MR. QUINN: I'd appreciate that. MS. GATELLI: -- what it is.  MR. QUINN: I don't want politics get  involved in the neighbornood :  MS. GATELLI: It shouldn't. It  shouldn't. And it certainly wouldn't with another neighborhood leader, and Sherry  lives there, so :-  MS. FANUCCI: I love the Hill. MS. GATELLI: We will set something  up with Linda and see exactly what it is with that money and if it can be released it will be released, okay? Next is Dave Dobson. Not here? No? Anyone else? Mrs.  Evans?  MS. EVANS: Good evening. I ask for  your prayers for Mr. Joseph Reap whose great    14  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  courage, perseverance and optimism daily transformed his disability into  uncompromising abilities and gentility and for his family and friends whom he leaves  behind.  Also, please remember in your  prayers Mr. Frank Shalipco who passed away on Saturday and his family and friends, particularly his daughter, Mary, whose tireless work in her Pinebrook neighborhood surely made her father, Frank, very proud. We did receive a report on the status of the 2006 audit. There has been great progress I would say within the last two weeks. The auditor still requires responses to the FEMA flood protection summer and November 2006 flooding, the Scranton Parking Authorities' 2006 audit report and three confirmation letters from attorneys. However, as I said, there has been great progress within the last two months.  The Pennsylvania Economy League  intends to begin updating their recovery plan in order to reflect the progress made to date and address the current financial    15  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  position of Scranton. Last updated in 2002, the recovery plan and accompanying  distressed city status have been in effect for longer than the total of the combined years of service of all five seated council members. PEL has requested Mrs. Gatelli's participation in their forthcoming efforts, however, I believe that another five-year plan will earn us nothing other than the reputation of Scranton, the city of  perpetual distress.  Now, just as a child reaches the age  of emancipation and perpetuity, sO our city has aged to the point of financial freedom for the betterment of our people. Let the executive and legislative branches of the government take the reigns. They both already bear the responsibility and  consequences rather than another five years of absent oversight, platitudes and false projections city government should seek emancipation. And, Mrs. Gatelli, I do recall a meeting at which you made a public statement suggesting that Pennsylvania Economy League would release us from that    16  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  status.  MS. GATELLI: And I'11 second that  motion again.  MS. EVANS: And sO :  MS. GATELLI: I will not be attending  in case you are wondering.  MS. EVANS: Oh, I was just going to  suggest were you doing so you would deliver  that message to them.  MS. GATELLI: I won't be going so I  can't deliver the message.  MS. EVANS: Okay.  MS. GATELLI: That notice is in the  circular file.  MS. EVANS: Thank you. Channel 61  is in need of funding. Council has a few available options to enable this station to survive. It can vote to amend the 2007 operating budget to include a $13,000 allocation to Channel 61. Other  Pennsylvania municipalities provide such funding in their annual operating budgets for public access television or council could, I should say and/or, council could provide a $25,000 allocation in the    17  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  forthcoming 2008 operating budget. At the same time negotiations for a new cable TV contract will begin in 2008 and funding for Channel 61 should be one of several new requirements in any future agreement, but the present beckons and I have no doubt that the mayor can find $13,000 perhaps in the contingency fund or interest earned on TANS or CD's. Just as a few weeks ago $25,000 was a tawdry amount in the minds of the administration, the same individuals who thought nothing of spending an extra $25,000 per year for any friendly bloated auditoring firm or money spent for the mayor's advertising campaigns, banners and rugs. Further, the administration wisely donates $50,000 annually to the Everhart and to a wildlife center. Surely the people's access to all city and county government meetings should be at least half as worthy as our ZOO in a democracy unless, of course, the mayor prefers a covert operation to a transparent accountable city government.  Therefore, I move that Attorney Minora draft legislation for next week's meeting to    18  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  amend the 2007 operating budget to provide  $13,000 to Channel 61.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second. MS. GATELLI: On the question? MS. EVANS: Yes. I should indicate  that council did meet this evening with representatives of Scranton Today and Channel 61. Without this infusion of $13,000 Channel 61 screen will go black effective almost immediately and this will continue through December 31st at which time hopefully three government bodies: County, city council and the Scranton School District will choose again to fund the station for one additional year.  Ib believe firmly that it would be a  great detriment to the citizens of this municipality to lose the services of this station particularly in light of the fact that we are, of course, a one newspaper town. I do appreciate the comments made and the information provided this evening by Channel 61. I thank all of you for your years of service and voluntarism to this this community. It's priceless. I wish    19  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  that I were able to fund you properly, so that you would be competitive with stations throughout Pennsylvania and other states who can certainly provide more extensive programming, but, then again, they are receiving far more extensive funding.  Im might also add that it is not  unusual for any municipality to provide an allocation in their operating budget to a public access station, sO we are certainly not attempting to set a precedent.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else on the  question?  MR. MCGOFF: Yes. I am prone to vote  in favor of this motion. I think that the continued operation of Channel 61 to the end of the year is important. I think it is, as you said, the most reasonable access that many people have to city, county, and school district operations and it would be a great loss to see it removed from the air and so the $13,000 that was indicated that would be needed to continue the operation until December 31 I think is important and I will  vote, yes.    20  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else?  MS. EVANS: And I just might add for  those of my colleagues who do have the ear of the mayor, I would appreciate your intercession with him to find the proper source of this funding and I, of course, as we discussed this evening, Mrs. Garvey is going to contact the D.A.'s Office and learn exactly what remains in contingency, and I suggested the TAN and gave you the amounts earlier of what is currently available, but, as I said, for those of you who can implore for the survival of Channel 61 at least through December the 31st with the mayor I  would urge you to do so.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else? A1l in  favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and so moved.  MS. - EVANS: I also have citizens'  requests from the last week. A letter to    21  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MAM, residents of Cherry Street and Kurst Court report dim streetlights. They request brighter lights as a safety measure in their neighborhood. The Cherry Street pole number is 56976 and 45349, and there is a number that I have listed as well for the Kurst Street pole or Kurst Court pole I should say. They have previously called the electric company for assistance without success. Please address as soon as possible so that these residents can enjoy security  in their neighborhoods.  A letter to the city tax office:  I'm asking for an update on a $52 EMS tax refund for a particular gentleman, he hasn't received his refund to date. I don't want to give his name on air, however, I did wish to add that council received an announcement regarding the changes in the EMS tax that I would like to share with you this evening. There is a site that you can access by computer WwW.PLCM.org, and click on the local services tax link at the bottom of the home page and you will find exemption and refund forms and frequently asked questions    22  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  to help with implementation and I'm hoping that this will assist residents as the EMS tax swiftly approaches for 2008.  And, finally, a letter to  Mr. Setizinger, residents of the 2400 block of North Main Avenue request an inspection and possible condemnation of 2419 North Main Avenue as soon as possible, and that's it.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  Mrs. Fanucci?  MS. FANUCCI: I only have one thing  to clarify, last week's meeting when I had stepped out to use the ladies' room, someone had indicated that I was wrong in what I was stating about the library. The Scranton Library, what I said and what I'm going to restate is that the library is not closing. It will be a branched, it will still remain open. I did not indicate that south side would not have a library as in the plan, but the plan will keep Scranton Library in the City, so I just wanted to clarify that. I had to watch the replay of the meeting and had saw that that question had come up and I wanted to make sure that I indicated it    23  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  correctly, and that is all I have. Thank  you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Mr. McGoff? MR. MCGOFF: Just one quick  clarification, I received a couple of phone calls about the property that we discussed last week on Cedar and Locust Avenue :- Cedar Avenue and Locust Street, a number of people thought that that property was residents from some of the things that were said in council that there was somebody residing on that property and that their property was being sold away from them. I just wanted to make to clarify that that is not a residence, there is nobody on that site at the present time and sO no one's home is being sold from them, and that's  all. Thank you.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Just two items, I'11  send this out myself, Kay. Across from Carl Servino's Funeral Home on South Main there is a street light and it's dark there because of the fact that the tree has grown over the streetlight, it's blocking out the light, the tree is blocking out the light,    24  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  sO I'11 ask Mr. Brazil if they can get somebody down there to trim that away, and Mrs. Cook brought up last week about Center Street so I have been going back and forth all week long about Center Street. Evidently, those poles and pillars or whatever those things are call them that are in there were supposed to be temporary. They weren't supposed to be permanent, I'm being told that they could be removed. I was under the impression they were going to be removed but they are still there. The court is no longer vacated and cannot be there. There is some people very upset about it, they have been calling all week long so maybe I'11 speak with Mr. Hayes about getting those removed, but you are correct, that's street has not been vacated and I don't know if it's illegal, but it's closed and it shouldn't be, sO I will speak to Mr. Hayes about getting those removed.  If, in fact, they do want to vacate it It think they need to take a good hard look, vacating that entire street, maybe a portion of that would be bad, that entire street is    25  1 2 3 4 0 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  going to reek havoc, I don't believe I'11 talk to Mr. Hayes about it this week. That's all I have. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: When did you last  speak to someone?  MR. COURTRIGHT: Today. Someone  from, I don't want to get them fired, from the bank down there, evidently there were some big shot from the bank in and he is not happy about the fact that I guess they are using the bank's lot to cut through and get out of there and it's just causing big  problems, sO :  MS. GATELLI: I'm only asking because  I spoke with someone this afternoon and that he said the vehicles could get through.  MR. COURTRIGHT: They got both ends  blocked.  MS. GATELLI: I don't know if it's  true, I didn't check myself.  MR. COURTRIGHT: It's a bad  situation. I've been down there several  times.  MS. GATELLI: The intent is not to  close it and from what I was gathering it    26  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  was passable, you know, there was enough room for a fire truck, etcetera, to get  through 24.  MR. COURTRIGHT: They've got it  blocked. You can't get in from Washington Avenue, you can't get in from Adam's Avenue, Id don't know what you call those things. Mrs. Cook, do you know what they are called?  MRS. COOK: Bollards.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Bollards, okay.  You've got them on both ends and you just  simply :  MS. GATELLI: Well, then I was given  the wrong information. I was told it's not  going to be vacated.  MR. COURTRIGHT: So, we'11 check on  it. Thank you for looking into that.  MS. GATELLI: That's exactly what was  on my notes to talk about. And the only other thing is the issue of the streetiignts again. Mrs. Evans brought it up and Mr. Courtright and I know Mr. Courtright sent a letter to Mr. Brazil about a streetlight petition and I gave Neil one tonight to send to Mr. Brazil, but as you recall in the    27  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  summer we did get a notice that streetlights there is no allocation of funds for streetlights, so you can put all of the requests in you want, you are not going to get a streetlight because there are no funds allocated for that. Now that PPL is not involved we are charged for streetlights and it's approximately $800 per streetlight.  So, you know, maybe we ought to look at  that for our budget, also, for 2008 to appropriate a portion of funds for street lighting. It is imperative in the neighborhoods when it is dark and it is a deterrent to crime when your neighborhood is lit up properly, so I think we should investigate that and maybe we can even ask OECD if they can pay for them and then we'11 owe out of the money there is. So, just for the record, no one will be getting them real quick, sO if you put one in and you are expecting one it's not going to happen because there is money, and we will continue as a council to work on that to provide safe streets for our neighborhoods, and that's  all I have.    28  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. EVANS: Mrs. Gatelli, may I? MS. GATELLI: You may.  MS. EVANS: The request I made this  evening was simply for them to check it.  MS. GATELLI: Yes.  MS. EVANS: It may need a new bulb  or :  MS. GATELLI: That would probably not  be much.  MS. EVANS: Right.  MS. GATELLI: So I'17 have Jeff take  care of that.  MS. EVANS: Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: For the new ones I  think we need to put some kind of funding in place because none have been put in.  MS. EVANS: Maybe talk to Mr. Kurz  from MEM.  MS. GATELLI: A17 right.  Mrs. Garvey?  MS. GARVEY: 5-B. FOR INTRODUCTION -  AN ORDINANCE - AMENDING FILE OF COUNCIL NO. 68, 2004 ENTITLED, "AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY    29  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  ACTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE CONSOLIDATED SUBMISSION FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS (AS AMENDED) TO BE FUNDED UNDER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM, HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP (HOME) PROGRAM AND EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT (ESG) PROGRAM", BY TRANSFERRING $86,000, FROM PROJECT NO. 05-154 FRIENDSHIP HOUSE TO PROJECT NO. 05-154.1 FRIENDSHIP HOUSE ENERGY FACILITIES  IMPROVEMENTS.  MS. GATELLI: At this time I'11  entertain a motion that 5-B be introduced.  MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved. MS. FANUCCI: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A11  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF; Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and sO moved.  MS. - GARVEY: 5-C. FOR INTRODUCTION -  AN ORDINANCE - AMENDING FILE OF COUNCIL NO.    30  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  155 OF 2005, ENTITLED, "AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF SCRANTON TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE CONSOLIDATED SUBMISSION FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS (AS AMENDED) TO BE FUNDED UNDER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM, HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP (HOME) PROGRAM AND EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT (ESG) PROGRAM BY TRANSFERRING $40,000.00, FROM PROJECT NO. 00-212 COMPUTERIZED MAPPING CAPACITY BUILDING TO PROJECT NO. 06-229.5 UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.  MS. GATELLI: At this time I'11  entertain a motion that 5-C be introduced.  MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved. MS. FANUCCI: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A11  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The    31  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  ayes have it and so moved.  MS. GARVEY: 5-D. FOR INTRODUCTION -  A - RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO EXECUTE AND ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH CREENHAN-PEDERSEN, INC. FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR DESIGN OF CRISP AVENUE CULVERT REPLACEMENT.  MS. GATELLI: At this time I'11  entertain a motion that 5-D be introduced.  MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved. MS. FANUCCI: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A11  those in favor?  MS. - EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and so moved.  MS. GARVEY: 5-E. FOR INTRODUCTION -  A RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND    32  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ("DCED") FOR ITS URBAN DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM TO RECEIVE A. $5,000.00 GRANT FOR POOL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE  NOVEMBRINO SWIMMING COMPLEX.  MS. GATELLI: At this time I'11  entertain a motion that 5-E be introduced.  MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved. MS. - FANUCCI: Second.  MS. - GATELLI: On the question? A11  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and so moved.  MS. GARVEY: 5-F. FOR INTRODUCTION  A RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY OFFICIALS TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ("DCED") FOR ITS URBAN DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM TO RECEIVE A $10,000.00 GRANT FOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS TO  STURGIS PARK.    33  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: At this time I'17  entertain a motion that 5-F be introduced.  MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved. MS. FANUCCI: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A11  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and so moved.  MS. GARVEY: 5-G. FOR INTRODUCTION -  A - RESOLUTION - APPOINTMENT OF ANTHONY P. TROZZOLILLO, 115 EMILY AVENUE, SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, 18504, TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 5, 2007. MR. TROZZOLILLO WILL BE REPLACING ANDREW E. BUBSER, WHO RESIGNED EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 12, 2007. MR. TROZZOLILLO'S TERM WILL EXPIRE WITH THE TERM OF MAYOR CHRISTOPHER A.  DOHERTY.  MS. GATELLI: At this time I'11  entertain a motion that 5-G be introduced.  MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved.    34  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. FANUCCI: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A17  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS.  GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and so moved.  MS. GARVEY: SIXTH ORDER. NO  BUSINESS AT THIS TIME. SEVENTH ORDER. NO BUSINESS AT THIS TIME. EIGHTH ORDER, CITIZENS PARTICIPATION II - GENERAL CITY  ISSUES.  MS. GATELLI: Douglas.  MR. MILLER: Good evening, council,  Doug Miller, Scranton Junior City Council President. After weeks of reviewing applications from students interested in serving on our council, Junior Council vice president Ian Miller and I have nominated two students who we feel will represent their school and Classmates with great pride and commitment. The nominees to fill the vacancy on our council are Casey Bales, a    35  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Junior from West Scranton High School and Nicole Bierie, a freshman from West Scranton High School. We believe that these two students are the best candidates because of their involvement in the community and their commitment to make our city a better place.  With that said, I ask council president Gatelli to make a motion to formally appoint Casey Bales and Nicole Bierie to the Scranton Junior City Council.  MS. GATELLI: I'11 make a motion to  appoint Casey Bales and Nicole Bierie to the  Junior Council.  MR. COURTRIGHT: Second.  MS. GATELLI: On the question? A11  those in favor?  MS. EVANS: Aye. MS. FANUCCI: Aye. MR. MCGOFF: Aye. MR. COURTRIGHT: Aye.  MS. GATELLI: Aye. Opposed? The  ayes have it and sO moved.  MR. MILLER: congratulations and  welcome.  MS. GATELLI: Why don't each of you    36  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  come up and just introduce yourself and say a few things about yourself, I'm going to  put you on the spot.  MR. BALES: I'm Casey Bales and I'm a  junior at West Scranton. I participate in drama club and German Club at West Scranton High School. I - also take classes at David Natchee School of Dance and I also take  archery lessons.  MS. BIERIE: My name is Nicol Bierie  and I'm a freshman at West Scranton High School and I'm involved in the drama club, the chorus club, the spirit club, the Spanish club, the mock trial club and I'm currently running for secretary of our class. I also traveled with the school on the last retreat and I traveled to Florida.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. We welcome  you.  MR. MILLER: Last week I shared with  council a proposal for Junior Council. This proposal involved creating a contest that encourages residents to take pride in their neighborhoods. We researched this project in the City of Wilkes-Barre's website. We    37  1 - 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  hope council is supportive of this opportunity to improve our neighborhoods. Last week that I stated that we would give council a week to review this plan and that tonight I would ask for council to make a motion to approve this project. So, at this time I ask council to please make a motion to approve this project so that we could begin the planning stages of this project. This project involves restoring pride in our neighborhoods and I believe we are all supportive of any efforts that will help  improve our quality of life.  MS. GATELLI: I don't know about  anyone else, but I really didn't get a chance to discuss it with any of my colleagues or to discuss it with the mayor. I think that he would have to be involved and probably Sandy Mashinski down in Parks and Rec and maybe even in the Architectural Heritage Association because they gave awards for homes that are very well done according to their standards. So, why don't we give it a few weeks, Douglas, and I'17 talk to my colleagues about it and see how    38  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  they feel. I personally think it's a good idea, but I think some bugs have to be worked out and we need the cooperation of everyone else before we can commit to it.  MR. MILLER: Okay. Thank you. MS. GATELLI: Mr. Sbaraglia. MR. SBARAGLIA: Andy Sbaraglia,  citizen of Scranton. Fellow Scrantonians, I read in the paper that Mr. Krushefski is leaving the administration. I would like to know how this affects the audit in any way. We have been waiting for that audit, you were all to blame that the audit was not forthcoming because you didn't act fast enough, now we get a guy that's leaving, leaving at the most critical time of the whole city. You prepared a new budget and this is the man that was supposed to do most of the work on the new budget and he decided to leave. It brings up a lot of questions. Why would a man at the most critical time in the city, a man that's his job to do would leave? And it's hard to say. I don't know why, I was hoping maybe some of you may have an answer on why he should leave other than    39  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  being sick and tired of doing what he has been doing. I guess I would be, too, though maybe that's the reason. I would get sick and tired of putting out that garbage reports after report and having to stand by it and say, "This is how it should be," and, "This is how it will be," and you know darn  well it isn't to be.  That's why every year at the end of  the year you are looking for money. I am just wondering if the TANS money is  available and that's a good question. There is millions of dollars in TANS that has to be paid at the end of this year, could that be one of the reasons why he would leave? I don't want to have to explain to the taxpayers why we haven't got this money available to pay off a lot of things that have to be paid. Maybe he is right. Maybe he should jump ship at this time. It's a good time to leave. He can always get a job  somewhere, he is an accountant.  As you know, my son has many, many  doctorate degrees in accounting and he just don't understand any of it, why somebody at    40  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  a critical time. I can see after the budget was out maybe leaving, at least you have done their job to the people of Scranton and paid your salary all of them years, but to jump ship at this time it doesn't really smack good in my eyes, probably doesn't smack good in anybody's eyes, it's just something that he has done and there is  nothing you can do about it.  It's too bad the city is going to  suffer because if anybody should know about the finances of the city it's him. He should know if we are deeply in debt, if we can't come up with the TAN money or any of these things. You haven't I get seen the budget and I guess it's not ready to come before you yet or they must have talked to you a little about but, well, regardless it's going to come before, it's going to blow off I guess and it's a sorry sad of affairs if we can't get that TAN money if we have to borrow again to borrow on top of it.  Thank you.  MS. EVANS: Mr. Sbaraglia, just a bit  of information for you, TANS Series A is    41  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  traditionally paid in full in July each year and that occurred once again this past July. TANS Series B has a last report of the controller's office has not yet been touched. There is ten million and  fifty-thousand dollars in an account labeled  TAN Series B.  MR. SBARAGLIA: Thank you. MS. GATELLI: Mr. Spindler.  MR. SPINDLER: Good evening, Council.  Les Spindler, city resident. First of all, as a citizen in this city, Mrs. Evans, I'd like to thank you for making a motion for the $13,000 for Channel 61 because it's the only way that the truth gets out of the things that happen in this city because we all know in the Doherty newsletter they  don't tell the truth.  Next thing, Mr. McGoff, last week  you were asked a question about immigration and you wouldn't answer it in public in an interview and wouldn't answer it in private out in the hallway, why is that? Is that you don't want the people to know the truth about how you feel about things? I guess    42  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  the answer was :- the question was answered in Saturday's paper when you said, "We need  to embrace all immigrants."  I take it to believe that you are in  favor of illegal immigrants in this country. People that are getting tax free, everything tax free, they don't pay for medical insurance, and we pay for that and I guess you are in favor of illegal immigrants, that's wonderful. You don't care about us taxpayers, you care more about illegal immigrants. Mrs. Fanucci, again on your no empty store fronts that you brought up last week, four more counting  plus the four I asked you last week, 214 Wyoming Avenue, 219 Wyoming Avenue, the old - where Quint's Army/Navy was and where North American Warhorse was on Mulberry Street, those jobs went to Dunmore, sO I don't know where all of your filled up store fronts are, but you are living in the same dream world as Chris Doherty is with his 3,000 jobs he brought  into the city.  Next thing, Mrs. Fanucci, you say to  bring up productive things, which I did, but    43  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  nobody does anything. Why don't you make a motion to have your solicitor draw up legislation to have the smoking ban for minors in public places and a ban on cell  phone use while driving?  MS. FANUCCI: Would you like an  answer?  MR. SPINDLER: Yes.  MS. FANUCCI: Because right now they  are look into a state ban for cell phones sO I did not feel it was necessary to do that.  MR. SPINDLER: Well, why don't you  be proactive :  MS. FANUCCI: Well, do you want the  answer?  MR. SPINDLER: I don't want all of my  time used up.  MS. FANUCCI: Well, it's going to be  used up if you ask me a question.  MR. SPINDLER: Answer the question  when I'm done. We should be proactive like West Pittston laws and like Carbondale does and make their own laws. They didn't wait  for the state.  Last week, Mr. Courtright, thanks    44  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  for answering my question about Center Street, I also saw those things there, it's a safety hazard. If one of those buildings back there gets on fire they are going to burn down because fire trucks can't get back there and I'd love to know what rocket scientist was that okayed that. Thank you.  MS. FANUCCI: Mr. Piccolino. He is  not here? Mr. Quinn.  MR. QUINN: Thank you. Over the  weekend the Associated Press unequivocally stated that the America's working poor cannot support and is being stretched to the breaking point. The story is about household income that where it shows that consumers, especially those making less than $30,000 a year, are cutting spending on food, medical care and critical services. According to the news story these households are living from paycheck to paycheck.  In the City of Scranton, according  to the US Census, the median household income is $31,900. That means that there is $29,999 households, approximately 14,000 almost half the households, are below    45  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  $30,000, so they are really having very  difficult time.  And why I bring this up is because  of the : it's that time of the year when you are going to pass a budget and it's already been I guess supported by some members of the council here that you are going to increase the taxes here in the City of Scranton, 25 percent. Judy, you said, no, but I don't know what the other ones said, okay? I know Janet is for it.  MS. FANUCCI: I want to know where  the rumors started that I --  MR. QUINN: I'm talking please. MS. FANUCCI: You made it up. MR. QUINN: Tell her to keep quite.  MS. GATELLI: Go ahead.  MR. QUINN: The fact is that the  school board is going to pass : they passed the $60 million bond and they are going to execute it and you are going to see a raise in their taxes. The county commissioners they decreased the taxes, but they gave an increase in 2004 so they put a spin on it and it was still 26 percent, so what I'm    46  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  saying is the fact is that people are hurting out there and you passed an ordinance, the fact that you are going to take homes away from people, elderly and people who I mentioned here under the $30,000 who can't afford the basics yet they are going to have to paying : we are paying taxes now that's exorbitant, you are going to take away their homes from them and I ask you again to go back and try to look at the social economic data in the City of Scranton and make your proposals, your budgets as per the social economic data not what the mayor says or not what anybody at council says, okay, but do it that way with the exception of Janet Evans. Last year she came up with a budget, finance chairperson, ignored it. I hope that they won't ignore Mrs. Evans  this time, okay?  Now, the last thing that really  astounds me is the fact that the City of Scranton franchise Comcast receives over $800,000 a year from Comcast for the cable and you can't fund 61 with over that  $800,000? If that isn't a political snafu I    47  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  don't know what it is. You know, you can't it's not looking out for the people, those people who are sitting at home 18 percent elderly one in four poverty 17.2 percent in poverty, the state is 11.9, the state's medium income is $40,000, sO, please, look out for the people, your electorate and do something, look at the data. Look at Mrs. Fanucci, try to think about it Mrs. Fanucci. Don't try to think of coffee shops and whatever, do us a favor  sometime. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  MS. EVANS: Mr. Quinn, I wanted to  respond to your final statement regarding the Comcast, in actuality the figures plugged into the 2007 operating budget exceed what has been received by the city this year in terms of payments made each financial quarter reflecting the 5 percent Comcast profits, so we are actually not only receiving less money than we did last year, but the monies received will not even equal what has been plugged into the current operating budget. They are under budget if    48  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  you will, under our budget.  MR. QUINN: What are talking about  dollarwise7  MS. EVANS: Pardon?  MR. QUINN: How much are you talking  about dollarwise?  MS. - EVANS: Oh, I'm going to have to  do the math for you, but I believe it's 700 and some thousand that was put into the 2007 operating budget and I think at this point in time we did receive a payment very recently that is normally not received until November and it was for, I'm going to approximate here, about half of what it should be, and I think this reflects a pattern of cancelled contracts between viewers and Comcast. Their numbers  obviously are down because we know that, you know, they have levied increases regularly, but the money simply isn't there. It isn't being received by the city, sO there will be a gap in this particular budget line item.  MR. QUINN: But they will be  receiving 700 and some thousand dollars?  MS. EVANS: The city?    49  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MR. QUINN: Yeah.  MS. EVANS: I don't believe we will. MR. QUINN: How much do you think we  will be receiving?  MS. EVANS: It's difficult to gauge  because of the final payment is not made : the final payment for this current fiscal year will not be made until February 2008.  MR. QUINN: Well, let's put it back.  mean, last year, the 2007 budget :-  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Quinn, we are  going to have to address this :  MR. QUINN: I was having a  conversation.  MS. GATELLI: I know, but we can't  because the other people don't have that opportunity. Mrs. Evans, can you find that  out for him later?  MS. EVANS: Yes, I'd be happy to.  If you want to e-mail I can :  MR. QUINN: Certainly. Thank you. MS. EVANS: Share the facts.  MS. GATELLI: She will look it up for  you.  MR. QUINN: Thank.    50  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Thank you, Mr. Quinn.  Mr. Dobson.  MR. DOBSON: Good evening, Council.  Dave Dobson, resident of Scranton and a Taxpayer Association associate. I'm going to put my sewage talk on the side for now and address the 61 issue I wrote a little statement here. I feel it's important to fund Channel 61. It's unconscionable to pledge $25,000 and not deliver it after the services are rendered, and these people provide uncolored news without comment for our citizens. They don't tell anybody what to think, they just show the results of the various meetings, and take my word for it, if somebody got out of line here or was insulting or embarrassing or off center, I talk to a lot of people around town, and the citizens don't always have the best opinions of these people, so if somebody is out of line or whatever usually the people that watch the program are capable of determining that and they don't really consider them  heroes.  And the people that I see propose to    51  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  take it over they have a political agenda of their own and sometimes they can't separate facts from their own fiction. News reports are edited. One time I attended a town meeting at a local university, social security was the issue, and the former congressman was allowed himself time on privatization, many young people cheered him despite his lack of objective impulse. He left without allowing sufficient comment for objective views, many people were standing in line and they just weren't given any chance to make a comment and basically, this is just an example, but it violates common sense on that objectivity and also IRS rules involving - for nonprofit involving politics, if a none profit or church group is going to invite one candidate they are supposed to invite most of the candidates and give them an opportunity to speak irregardless of whether they agree with their agenda or not. That's an IRS rule for nonprofits, so I would appreciate if we could look into it and wherever if you have to raise my taxes a dollar big deal.    52  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Thank you, Mr. Davis. MR. DAVIS: Salaam aleikum. My name  is Jim Davis and I'm here tonight to talk about the eviction, the eviction of Washington Plaza. Has anybody ever found out what happened to the people and what we are going to do about the houses that lay their empty? Has anybody inquired into it? Does anybody care? That's my problem because I can go through the Hill Section and I can start on Mulberry Street and I can start looking down Taylor Avenue all the way to Prescott Avenue, I have never seen : it looks like a bombed out shelter, it really does. A77 of those houses were taken down. A17 of those : I used to know most of the people that lived there, that whole community was dispersed and destroyed in a lot of ways. As you know and I know, once you have been raised in a certain area you destroy the homes you destroy the community, I have gone through that four times, I saw Adams Avenue in the city, this beautiful thing of modern : what was that called, Midtown Redevelopment and the Judy Gatelli.    53  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Okay. Jimmy Connors, Mrs. Gatelli,  University of Scranton, Hill Neighborhood Association went through the Hill Section and exterminated : or they didn't  exterminate, they :-  MS. GATELLI: Yes, that's correct, we  did exterminate, you are right, we did.  MR. DAVIS: You exterminated that  whole community I'11 tell you what, we have not forgotten, but you know the people said, "Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord."  You know, whenever I hear you being  afraid of this or afraid of that and I can't understand who pays for this guard, your personal guard? Who pays? Because when you are not here he is not here, sO who pays for that, you? Does that come out of your salary? I hope so at least. Then we can say, "Hey, if she : if see doesn't come, good. We are saving money," but the thing is you have been : you have been a pain the sides of many people that I know personally for an awful long time and I think you should do something about it like resign.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Davis, I don't    54  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  intend to resign. When I worked there I  closed drug houses.  MR. DAVIS: Can I finish?  MS. GATELLI: They were drug houses  that I closed.  MR. DAVIS: A17 the houses were drug  houses?  MS. GATELLI: Most of them were drug  houses, yes, they were.  MR. DAVIS: Have you been up there  lately?  MS. GATELLI: Yes, they were drug  houses.  MR. DAVIS: Have you been up there  lately? Have you seen the houses that are  gone?  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. MR. DAVIS: Have you seen the  properties that are totally wiped out?  MS. GATELLI: Marie Schumacher. MR. DAVIS: Totally wiped out. You  are a shame. You should be ashamed of  yourself.  MS. GATELLI: Well, I'm not. I'm  very proud of my record in community    55  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  development.  MR. DAVIS: I'm quite sure that God  will do the right thing with you.  MS. SCHUMACHER: Marie Schumacher,  resident and member of the Scranton Lackawanna Taxpayers' and Citizens' Association. A few things tonight, I want to do some follow-up sO even though I may ask questions if you would wait until my three minutes have been consumed or I  complete before you answer.  To start off though, I would like to  speak to the rumor that Mrs. Fanucci talked about on the tax incentive, that was PEL and their presentation here, I believe it was last year, that promised us a 25 percent tax increase last year for 2007, 2008 and 2009 and if you go back and check the records you will find that's what they promised.  And also a point of information  before I get to my follow-ups, and that is I don't know yet whether the city has hired an engineer, but the lack of an engineer or anybody apparently in that department to do any follow-up on their subcontractors is    56  the citizens.  now we By  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  really affecting  should have had the traffic signals  throughout the city, should have been timed, that whole project should have been  completed, instead, it hasn't even been put out to bid yet and why? Because the Allentown company that was contracted by the city to do that work hasn't been producing and who is there to follow- up? With the price of gas going up it really hurts a lot of people to sit at a red light when they are not timed, if they were timed and had sensors they could be back on their way instead of burning unnecessary fuel.  And now to my follow-ups. First,  last week as promised I delivered a series of letters to you, two of which requested specific information on specific budget items. I delivered those copies they were two of the letters were two months old, the others were more recent, I delivered those to Mrs. Fanucci and Mrs. Gatelli and Mr. McGoff because they are the three who said they had no problem getting information from the mayor. I'd sort of like -- if I    57  moire time I'd like to play a game I have seen on the Price is Right where you get a car if you -- if you ask - if you have one number right and then a sound comes on and then another, "Do I have two numbers right," and a sound comes on, and the prize that I'm looking for is some transparency in government, and I'd like to go through all nine questions that were addressed in those documents and say, "Do I get one answer? Do  2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Ig get two answers?"  IV would really love the answers and  after I hope you will inform as to whether or not you are going to be able to provide those for me. Mr. Courtright, can you respond on the plans for the police  headquarters finishing?  MR. COURTRIGHT: I haven't gotten an  answer yet, sorry. I'17 ask again.  MS. SCHUMACHER: Maybe you can ask  one of your three colleagues who has no problem. Any answers to any of the questions on those? Nothing. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Is there anyone else? MR. DANSICO: Good evening, again,    58  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  council, my name is a Lou Dansico, I'm here  Scranton Today, and I've come  representing  to the lectern to just thank you for the action that you have taken tonight. That action will allow us to continue to operate the station for the balance of the year. I thank you on behalf of the citizens of the City of Scranton who I guess we all serve, us in the capacity of being a medium by which your message gets and I thank you on behalf of the citizens who want you to receive that message. I also look forward to next year the opportunity of once again receiving money from the city to continue the work of Scranton Today. Thank you very  much.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Piccolino, I called  you a little while agosoyou can_come up.  MR. PICCOLINO: Giovanni Piccolino,  taxpayer, business man in Scranton.  Scranton police are investigating a pair of fights that sent two University of Scranton students to a hospital. Two unidentified men were assaulted on the 440 Block of Costello Court about an hour apart Friday    59  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  police said. The alleged attackers names were not released, but the police said they were also college students. The first malae involved eight to ten men who alleged another man unarmed around 7:00 a.m. police said. The second victim in the same area on Costello Court happened around 2:5a.m. The second victim was also a man who was allegedly beaten by a couple of other men police said. In this incident the victim's leg was placed on the roadway curb and stomped breaking a bone the police said. The victim initially didn't want anything done, but is now working with investigators said Scranton police captain Carl Graziano. Both incidents remain under investigation,  no charges have within filed.  My point of this is that we are  constantly handing things left and right to the University of Scranton and when you are trying to make a town a college town there is more violence and propensity or people drinking and whatnot to create more violence, and I think like violence in the City of Scranton has to be an issue that we    60  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  look at a little bit more when we are handing this and that and things out left and right to the University of Scranton. You bring in a Tot of students, a lot of mixture and that's not a good situation. Each and every time our public safety is called out there, you know, it's a burden on the taxpayers. There has got to be some kind of way that we could somehow someway get some kind of money out of the "U". I know it's a nonprofit, but, you know, if we come up with this NCC deal where we have an ordinance where we come up with these ridiculous $2,300 in penalties and fees if you can't afford to pay your taxes, there has got to be some kind of ordinance we can do in order for us to get some kind of money out of there, because, you know, all of these things, putting a kid's leg on the curb and stomping it and breaking it in half and the taxpayers are paying for that kind of stuff, at the same time th "U" is building up left and right and left and right and basically taking our tax dollars and our police force and our firetignters    61  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  and everything with it and it's a very, very heavy burden on the City of Scranton taxpayers and we should definitely do  something about it.  Another issue I would like to talk  about is Channel 61. That is very, very vital to all of the citizens of Scranton especially the people who can't get here and nandicapped and whatnot, for us to say we are giving them money and then pull it away I think is a big shame. You know, again with all of this tax money that we are digging out of the all taxpayers' pockets, there's got to be some kind of money  available for the TV stations sO people have the freedom of speech and they can see how their government is being run. Thank you  very much.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  MR. COURTRIGHT: I'd just like to  comment on one thing Mr. Piccolino said because I have been thinking about it for a long time and I wanted to wait after the election, I don't want to sound like a political speech, but a lot of businesses    62  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  throughout this city higher police officers extra duty, The Ice Box, South Side Complex, t think Mr. Piccolino's business, and I thought maybe we could go, I said I will wait to all of the election business is over, maybe we can go to the University of Scranton and ask them to try to be a good neighbor and maybe they can pay for two officers up in the Hill, even on the weekends when the kids are a little bit more crazy, but I think what you need to do is you got officers sometimes working extra duty and they only get straight time, and that's not an extra duty job that they are going to go running for because they are going to really work hard on the weekend up there, so maybe if we get the University to agree to hire two police officers on Friday and Saturday and they were to get time and a half, I think we could control a lot of problems up there. So maybe I'11 try to take that on and see if I can't speak to somebody over there and see if they would be willing to help us out with that and I think it would benefit them and us. That's all I    63  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  have. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  MR. TALIMINI: Joe Talimini, citizen  of Scranton. I'm speaking tonight on behalf of Dan Dowrimple, who as you all know, graduated from West Scranton High last year and Dan is a student at Berkley College music in Boston. Dan put out a CD out of his own costs, it's an instrumental CD, ten original songs, and Dan asked me to convey the message that he would like anybody who wants to buy that CD at $5 a piece to please dos so, send the money to Channel 61, that's Dan's contribution to trying to help Channel  61.  And I would also like to take issue  with the mayor and council that this is a terrible example to set for the citizens and the for the kids in this community that with the exorbitant fees that we pay to Comcast for our TV stations that they can't afford an extra 25 grand, it is sad, but here is a kid who just graduated from high school and is paying his way through college and he is going to donate five bucks for each CD that    64  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  he paid for to Channel 61, and I would encourage anybody who is interested in purchasing it to please contact Channel 61. Mr. Piccolino has graciously offered to handle some of the CD's down at his place. If anybody needs anything call me at Scranton Large or I'm sure they can call Channel 61 and get that information and thank you very much. And I'm hoping that Channel 61 will stay on the air.  MR. JACKOWITZ: Bill Jackowitz, South  Scranton resident. This is the third time in six weeks when I come up to speak Mrs. Fanucci has left the room. Life, paycheck to paycheck. Many signs indicate America's working poor and not so poor are being stretched to the breaking point and Mr. McGoff is advocating that we take care of the illegal immigrants and nondocumented immigrants who are living and working in this city for under the table wages and sending most of the money back to their relatives back home. Well documented, Mr. McGoff. Money that you still have four days will only last two days. Americans,    65  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Scranton citizens are increasingly unable to stretch their dollars to the next pay as they juggle higher rents, food, and energy bills and higher taxes. Now in Scranton they must worry about losing their homes thanks to Mr. McGoff, Mrs. Fanucci and  President Gatelli.  Food prices in the last year, milk  21.3 percent increase; eggs, 43.9 percent increase; chicken, 8.1 percent increase; coffee, 6.8 percent increase; beef and veal, 6.4 increase, and many others. Also, gas prices and heating oil on the rise again. Economists and analysts fear the strain will get worse as people are hit with higher home heating bills this winter. Mortgage rates are going up and Scranton politicians raising city taxes 25 percent, Mr. McGoff, Ms. Fanucci and President Gatelli to make it easier for Scranton homeowners to lose their homes, but yet Mr. McGoff advocates making it easy for undocumented illegal immigrants to take jobs away from Scranton, US citizens. This will create a larger burden for Scranton taxpayers, illegals do not pay    66  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  taxes. A11 cities, council members, the mayor and Austin Burke should visit Labor Ready on Wyoming Avenue at 5 a.m. every morning and also at the end of the day when workers are paid. They are usually paid by vouchers or by check which, by the way, no taxes are taken out of them, so, again, illegals and undocumented do not pay taxes. Mr. Courtright, I never said that you do not support Channel 61. What I said was that you and the other council persons voted for $25,000 for Channel 61 not knowing if the money was available, so if anyone was wrong it was you and you fellow council members for voting for a donation you did  not have.  And, Mr. McGoff, I stand corrected,  you did not vote for the $25,000, I  misquoted you, I misstated last week. Miss Fanucci, Scranton does not have one-store front property available downtown, you are correct, there are more available than you can count with more becoming available. It's a totally misleading statement, but Scrantonians are intelligent people, we just    67  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  vote the wrong people into office. Thank  you.  MS. GATELLI: Anyone else?  MR. MORGAN: Good evening, Council.  Tonight I would just like to say that I really hope that city council comes through with the money for Channel 61, but I would also like to inform all of the people in the City of Scranton and outside of the city that Channel 61 is an major asset to this community and I think that people fail to realize that it severs more than just the people in Scranton, I think it's audience is very wide and broad and I think it's goes all the way to Pittston. Myself and Ozzie Quinn, who is the president of our tax group, has sat down in the last month and had discussions about Channel 61, we didn't know that there financial situation was as bleak as it is right now, and I would like to say that I seriously hope that council comes through with the money that they have talked about tonight and that the Scranton/ Lackawanna Taxpayers' and Citizens'  Association is going to do a drive to raise    68  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  money for Channel 61, but our position is going to be multifaceted because we would like to see Channel 61 go to low power FM. We would also like it see them broadcast on a lot of different bands like Internet, computers and so forth and so on, so we are going to do a very wide ranging fundraiser that we have already talked to people, I have personally talked to people to bring this about. And the tax group came forward when the free swim came and we accomplished that mission and we are going to tackle this one and we are a small group and we are looking forward to council working with Channel 61 to give them and give us enough time to try and help Channel 61 and for everyone to please give a donation to Channel 61 at 500 Vine Street. No matter where you live in the county it's very important, this channel is a major asset which really brings forth freedom of speech in every way. Judge Munley has a show there, we have  we just have so many people there that have so many things that are sO vital to this community, not just    69  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Scranton, places outside of the city in Lackawanna County and I think that everybody should consider sending a donation to Channel 61 and also to support the tax group. You can call Ozzie Quinn at 347-8813 or you can call me at 558-1648, and this is a - real thing and we are going to make it  work. Thank you.  MS. FRANUS: Fay Franus, Scranton.  What I'm saying tonight is just my opinion I feel very strongly about it. I would like the people in the city to understand where Mr. McGoff is coming from, in my opinion. Mr. McGoff was quoted on October 26 when asked a question by Mr. Courtright why he wanted the job, Mr. McTiernan's seat, he said, "I have no political aspirations. I have no real political affiliations.  Well, I believe that, in my opinion,  to be an out and out lie, and if Mr. McGoff would lie about something like that he would lie about anything else. Then he also went onto say, and here's a good one, he wants to find someone who he feels he is the kind of person has not been corrupt, has not been    70  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  corrupted, and he says, and I use that not in a criminal way, but has not been  corrupted by political process, somebody who doesn't have an affiliation of constituency, someone holding them, someone going through the city and representing the people.  Well, Mr. McGoff, if anybody, if  anybody, is politically corrupt you are number one along with Mrs. Fanucci and Mrs. Gatelli. I mean, my gosh, you certainly don't represent the people in the city when you give them a 25 percent tax increase. And then you said you wanted it only for a year and then Mrs. Gatelli said she wanted to bring someone here that had ties : that had ties to either  that did not have ties to either political party, so she would like to appoint Mr. McGoff to the city council. Well, this is totally  unbelievable.  Mr. McGoff, you are all about  politics. You are like everyone else there on council you are there to represent the people that appointed you, and the people that appointed you are Mrs. Gatelli and    71  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Mr. Chris Doherty. You are there to do his work and his agenda because you have to be responsible for the person who put you in that seat and that's Mayor Doherty. You are not there for the people who work and live everyday and pay and pay and pay the taxes that you as a swing vote enacted upon them and you expect us to want you as a council person? You were never elected by the people. You were appointed, you owe Mayor Doherty and you owe Mrs. Gatelli sO how could we possibly want someone like you in office? If anybody has any brains at all they will never put you in office. And so I say remove the politics, remove the taint and remove yourself from council,  Mr. McGoff.  MS. GATELLI: Ray Lyman. MR. LYMAN: Raymond Lyman. Mrs.  Gatelli, the Pinebrook Association dissolved, Jerry Richardson told me that. Him, Mary Shalipko and Mr. Pittick dissolved the association because Mary's father, Mr. Shalipko died, and Jerry said that since the lack of officers they dissolved it and    72  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  he told me that my neighborhood association is getting a $5,000-block grant. Now, if I'm : now, I filled out a block grant application for $500 for a camera and was turned down, do you remember, Sherry, you  told me that?  MS. FANUCCI: It wasn't turned down,  Ray, remember, you sent it to the wrong place? They never received it.  MR. LYMAN: I sent it to Sara  Hailstone.  MS. FANUCCI: It was never received  to Sara. Remember, you told me you sent it  to the wrong place?  MR. LYMAN: And then I delivered -- I  mailed it back to the right address.  MS. FANUCCI: Right, but at that time  it was late, it was too late that  the expiration date had gotten away, that  was the problem.  MR. LYMAN: Oh, but either way, he  told me that it was sent, that I'm getting $5,000 and then the Greenridge Neighborhood Association is saying that. Now, I want to know the truth? Am I getting $5,000 for the    73  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Bell Street Neighborhood Association? Yes  or no?  MS. GATELLI: I never saw an  application for you.  MR. LYMAN: Because since they are  being dissolved, because he's telling me, he was fighting with me down in the store and I said, "I don't know anything about it."  And, number two, if that's true we  would fix our catch basin and trim the trees  if that's true and :  MS. GATELLI: Well' find out for you. MR. LYMAN: And now I have some  other problems. Now, up by John Adams the lines need to be painted. Now, you can tell the school boards since they are moving around, shuffling around and I couldn't find out where they were and I see on 61 they were at Robert Morris. I tried to call down when they were at the administration I said why can't they be at John Adams. The secretary told me in an ignorant way, "Mind  your own business."  She used a little profanity at me  since I come down here at city council and    74  1 2 3 4 5  she says city council is a joke and I thought that was a little ignorant; and number two, you know the light down by Clinical Labs down here, this light? A1l three lights, you know, the green, yellow, and red is burned out, so, Kay, can you send  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  a letter?  MS. GATELLI: Kay, you are working  for Ray.  MR. LYMAN: No, the light, not the  sign. It's the light.  MR. COURTRIGHT: There is a problem  up there.  MR. LYMAN: I got another problem. MS. GATELLI: Well, your time is up.  You can wait and talk to us after.  MS. LYMAN: But, this is important,  Mrs. Gatelli.  MS. GATELLI: Will it take one  minute?  MR. LYMAN: Yeah, one minute.  MS. GATELLI: Okay.  MR. LYMAN: You know down by on  Capouse Avenue on Gibson Street and the 800-block of Capouse we need a light there.    75  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Sherry, I told you :  MS. GATELLI: A stop sign is there. MR. LYMAN: No., a blinker light  because when the cars on Gibson and on Capouse the stop sign they come out of, pardon my words, a bat out of hell and the little kids that come from home from John Adams, you know, they try to cross the street and the cars almost hit them.  MS. GATELLI: Okay. Thanks you. MR. LYMAN: So can you a send a  letter?  MS. GATELLI: Absolutely.  MR. - LYMAN: You mentioned last week  or two weeks ago  MS. GATELLI: You are going over  your minute now.  MR. LYMAN: Okay.  MS. GATELLI: You said one thing. MR. LYMAN: 1490 can, you guys send a  letter to our state representatives about  1490?  MS. GATELLI: Yes, we mentioned last  year.  MR. LYMAN: A11 five of you can send    76  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  a letter.  MS. GATELLI: We did last week. MR. LYMAN: To all of our state  representatives to stop Comcast.  MR. GATELLI: Yes, we did that last  week.  MR. LYMAN: And you have Verizon and  all of the other cable companies coming in  the city :  MS. GATELLI: Thank you.  Mr. Patilla is waiting anxiously.  MR. LYMAN: Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: By the way, you have a  great hat on, Ray.  MR. LYMAN: Thank you, Judy, a lot of  people say that.  MS. GATELLI: Are you for Cleveland  or :  MR. LYMAN: Boston.  MR. PATILLA: Scranton resident,  member of Scranton/Lackawanna County Taxpayers' Association. Earlier today when Iwas at the courthouse Channel 61 came up, and, you know, it's kind of pitiful that an elective body can make a promise and then    77  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  rengeg on it, but when it comes to this council, not everyone, but the council as a whole it's not unexpected. Like I said, that day when you voted on it I waited for it to happen and it didn't happen. You know, Channel 61 as everybody else has stated is very important for the residents in this area, and it would behoove city council as an individual, as a council person to show the way just like the student did and make a donation for that station. I'm not going to ask Comcast for a donation, Comcast gives you guys enough money. Maybe if some of that money went to the businesses in this city or paid down that debt we wouldn't have that problem, you know, but it  all boils down to malfeasance and  mismanagement. Our money is going to places where it's not doing the city : the  taxpayers any good, you know, and back to my number one pet peeve, we are getting to a few weeks before it's election time so I'm asking every young person out there, every registered voter out there, like I said, I don't tell you who to vote for, not as long    78  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  as it ain't no body currently in office.  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Patilla, you can't  say that, please.  MR. PATILLA: But it's time for the  citizens of the city to be represented, not the businesses, not the corporations, not the lawyers, not the solicitors, but it's the taxpayers, the residents, the Hispanics, the Afro-Americans, the Caucasians, the Irish, the Italian, all of us as a whole because one group doesn't make up this city, just like one group doesn't make up this country. You know, we are Scranton and we deserve to be represented to the fullest. We shouldn't have to beg, we shouldn't have to have certain situations of Channel 61 not having fund being because certain people have their own private agendas. You know, I like say every week, you will not be there come November because I don't see :  MS. GATELLI: Mr. Patilla, please. MR. PATILLA: : positive votes for  you in this audience. I see people coming to readdress their council people with their problems and you have yet to show that you    79  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  are here for the people of this city not Doherty, not anybody else, but the citizens of this city. We are the ones that pay the bills. We are the ones stuck with the bills. I'm done. Have a nice night, Mrs.  Evans.  MS. EVANS: Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: You friend, Janet.  Crissy.  MR. SLEDENZSKI: Hello, Bill? MR. COURTRIGHT: Hi, Chris. MS. GATELLI: Crissy has a sticker  on, too.  MR. SLEDENZSKI: Hey, Billy. Hey,  Judy, two games left this week, Judge, what  are we going to do.  MS. GATELLI: What are we going to  do, are we going to them?  MR. SLEDENZSKI: We are going to take  it you all the way, Judy, I hope we do. I hope for you, too, Janet, and the bowl teams  take it.  MS. EVANS: Thank you.  MR. SLEDENZSKI: I really mean it.  Thank you.    80  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Thanks, Crissy. MR. CANNES: Good evening. My name  is Jeff Cannes, I'm a businessman here in Scranton as well as a resident. I have come here, well, first of all, I have to acknowledge that I have heard some  interesting logic and perhaps rhetoric, but I'm not envious of your jobs here, I appreciate what you did, obviously it's not easy. I'm coming here with a business matter, I don't know if this the right venue or not. In early 2005 we signed a contract with the city for work, construction work to be done at Crowley Park, the project was in the approximate value range of $198,000. The work was pursued with diligence, there were no complaints about the quality of work or anything missing from it. We are still owed I believe $37,400 without any  discussions about possible interest for non payment. Basically, our firm has been funding this job for a couple of years. The city's response has been that a grant which had been anticipated did not come through and they were, therefore, unable to pay the    81  1 2 3 4  bill. The logic of this escapes me. I don't know to whom I might address myself to seek payment. We have on a regular basis requested payment from the city. There have been multiple broken promises. At this point it has been assigned to an assistant solicitor who frankly does not comprehend what has happened, he has spoken with our bookkeeper and clearly demonstrates a lack of knowledge of what has transpired or the figures and it's just going nowhere.  6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  I would appreciate the opportunity  to address and perhaps outside of this room since I know that my time is short here and demonstrate to whomever the responsibility parties might be the facts of this matter and see how we can get paid. Now, can you please tell me to whom and where I would go?  MS. GATELLI: I would ask that you  stay for a minute after and we'11 have you  talk to the solicitor.  MR. CANNES: Thank you. I'm fully  aware the public monies don't grow on trees either, but it just seems unconscionable.  MS. EVANS: What is the name of your    82  1 2 3 4  company?  MR. CANNES: Jerry Cannes,  Incorporated. Thank you.  MS. GATELLI: You're welcome. Anyone  else?  MR. ANCHERANI: Good evening,  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  Council, Nelson Ancherani, resident and taxpayer, city employee and financial secretary of the FOP, First Amendment Rights. A number of months ago Council was informed that experienced and trained officers would be leaving the Scranton Police Department for improved opportunities with other departments. The exodus had begun with one officer leaving a couple of months ago and now three more are scheduled to leave in the very near future. I'm sorry to say, but it is just the beginning. I don't blame them because they are truly bettering themselves. The departments that they are joining are well-equipped and the officers will be treated with respect. I wish them luck. The officers that are leaving weathered a six-year wage freeze, but enough is enough. That partly    83  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  illustrates what I mean about treatment. Six years ago the mayor wrote a recovery plan that stripped the police officers of everything they had gained over the years. He instituted a six-year wage freeze and wanted the active workers to pay for retired members health care. The unions resisted and are locked in fierce arbitrations and appeals in the courts. One very important thing the mayor wants to do is to break the unions. I know I sound a like a broken record, but what I'm about to say should be remembered. The mayor violated his recovery plan from the beginning when he gave raises through his favorite people and created new positions. It has costs the city over 11 1/2 million dollars cumulatively, that's cumulatively up to December 31, 2007. By the end of 2008, that figure would be close to 20 million cumulatively. This figure does not include consultants and attorneys. The new budget will be presented in three weeks to council by the mayor and I predict Miss Fanucci, Mr. McGoff and Ms. Gatelli will pass a record budget and raise our    84  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  taxes 25 percent regardless of what Ms.  Gatelli says.  MS. GATELLI: You just get that  wallet ready, Nelson.  MR. ANCHERANI: Point of interest,  only 23 applicants showed up to take the entry Tevel police exam, 23. That's pathetic. We never had such a low number taking the test since the testing with an opened up to everyone, not just city residents. We have to ask ourselves, why would anyone want to become a police in the City of Scranton and work for one of the lows paid departments in the area? We have approximately 100 patrol officers who answered approximately 70,000 calls per years. This averages out to 700 calls per year for each officer. Needless to say, that is more calls than some municipalities get in a year. I see Lynn Krushefski, our business administrator is leaving probably for better opportunities. I guess $80,000 isn't enough even though most police officers in the city make half of that.  Thank you.    85  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  MS. GATELLI: Thank you. Anyone  else? Make a motion to adjourn?  MR. COURTRIGHT: So moved. MS. GATELLI: I'11 see you next  Tuesday.  (Meeting adjourned.)    86  1 2 3 4 5 6  ERILPICATE  Ih hereby certify that the proceedings and  evidence are contained fully and accurately in the 7 notes of testimony taken by me at the hearing of the  8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  aDoVe-captioned matter and that the foregoing is a true and correct transcript of the same to the best of my  ability.  A  2  CATHENE S. NARDOZZI OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER