Papenfuse Elected Harrisburg Mayor
Democrat Eric Papenfuse last month assumed the mantle of mayor-elect of Harrisburg, besting Republican candidate Dan Miller and write-in candidate Aaron Johnson.
Papenfuse won the race with 3,618 votes versus 2,333 for Miller and 1,213 for Johnson. Various others received another 121 write-in votes, including eight for former independent candidate Nevin Mindlin, who was tossed off the ballot after a successful petition challenge. Four votes went to Lewis Butts Jr., who campaigned as a write-in after losing the Democratic primary.
“The real victory will lie in the years ahead when our streets are clean, when our homes are safe, when our young professionals rush to get back to Harrisburg, rather than flee from it,” said Papenfuse, who, in his acceptance speech, encouraged his supporters at Midtown Scholar Bookstore to be humble and seek reconciliation with his opponents in the election.
“The true victory will lie in the days, the months, the years ahead when Pennsylvanians are once again proud of their capital,” he said. “When the people of Harrisburg once again cherish their homes, and when the rest of the nation connects Harrisburg with culture, prosperity and renaissance and not bankruptcy, despair and defeat.”
Running unopposed, Democrats Shamaine Daniels and Ben Allatt earned four-year terms on Harrisburg City Council, while sitting councilwomen Wanda Williams and Eugenia Smith were re-elected. Charles DeBrunner was elected in an uncontested race for city controller.
Papenfuse, DeBrunner and council members will be sworn in on Jan. 6.
For Harrisburg school board, Democrats Danielle Robinson, Patricia Whitehead Myers, James Thompson and Kenneth Mickens earned four-year terms. Monica Blackston-Bailey, LaTasha Frye and Adara Jackson each won two-year seats on the school board.
In Dauphin County races, Bill Tully outpolled Democrat Anne Gingrich Cornick for Court of Common Pleas judge, and incumbent Republican Stephen Farina won his contest for prothonotary against Democrat Kelly Summerford.
Parking Deal Passed
The Harrisburg City Council last month approved one of the most important parts of the city’s financial recovery plan, the long-term lease of its valuable parking assets.
The council authorized the city to enter into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Agency (PEDFA) and another with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services. They, in turn, will contract with a group known as Harrisburg First to run and enforce the city’s on-street parking system.
The council also authorized the transfer of city-owned off-street parking to the Harrisburg Parking Authority, which is entering into its own agreements so that Harrisburg First can operate the HPA’s parking garages and surface lots.
These steps are necessary as the city fulfills the requirements of Harrisburg Strong, the financial recovery plan designed to free the city of about $600 million in debt, solve its long-term structural deficit and provide pools of funds for infrastructure and economic development.
Water/Sewer Rates Going Up
Water and sewer rates for city residents are about to go up significantly, according to the Harrisburg Authority’s proposed budget for 2014.
The budget, which had not been officially adopted as of press time, projects an average increase of around $325 per customer per year. That amounts to a nearly 50 percent hike to current rates, which average around $687 annually.
Shannon Williams, the executive director of the Harrisburg Authority, explained that the increased rates are necessary to pay for long-overdue investments in infrastructure. Harrisburg’s aging water and sewer system has not been adequately maintained for years, and it now requires expensive repairs, Williams said.
“No one likes to pay more for utility services—including me. But the reality is that there were more than 40 sinkholes identified in Harrisburg in 2013. Just one of them—the famous 4th Street sinkhole—cost almost $1 million to repair. We cannot continue to punt on these decisions,” she said.
The rate increase comes on the heels of several weeks of customer concerns about expensive utility bills. Last month, City Councilwoman Sandra Reid devoted most of a public works committee meeting to water and sewer charges after she received a bill in the mail totaling several hundred dollars.
That total did not reflect a rate increase, however, but was the result of nearly 18 months of inaccurate bills, which Reid had been receiving because of problems with the city’s meter system. Batteries in the devices that transmit meter readings to the city’s electronic database have been expiring at unexpected rates, requiring the city to estimate water usage for properties across the city. Those estimates, which tended to be lower than customers’ actual usage, led to months of undercharging for Reid and several other residents.
In her announcement of the proposed 2014 budget, Williams tied the meter-battery problem to the infrastructure problem, saying both reflected the consequences of city officials deferring necessary investments onto future generations.
“If an investment had been made years ago to keep up with technology and replace those defective batteries, customers would not have had to rely on water usage estimates month after month,” Williams said. “It’s time to make the necessary investments in our future.”
Capitol View Sells
The unfinished Capitol View Commerce Center was sold last month in a bankruptcy proceeding to an out-of-area warehouse, distribution and storage company.
Watsontown, Pa.-based Moran Industries bought the 215,000-square–foot structure at N. Cameron and Herr streets in Harrisburg, including almost nine acres of land, for about $250,000.
Moran plans to finish the building next year then use about half the space for its own offices and rent out the other half, according to the company.
The building has sat as an incomplete shell since 2008, when unpaid workers walked off the job. Two years ago, Capitol View developer David R. Dodd pled guilty to federal charges of money laundering and misuse of government funds in connection with the project.
Trash Privatization Debated
Harrisburg last month announced it has selected Republic Services to be its new trash hauler, sparking another squabble between the administration and City Council.
Chief Operating Officer Robert Philbin told council that a three-person team had chosen the country’s second-largest waste hauler to collect and dispose of trash. He said the city would save about $900,000 a year by privatizing waste collection, which currently is done by the city’s Department of Public Works.
The administration had announced in March that it intended to issue an RFP to privatize trash service. Several firms then submitted bids, and the administration eventually selected Republic.
Council members, however, seemed surprised that the decision to privatize had been made definitively and that a hauler had been chosen. They also charged that they had been left out of the process.
The council’s Public Works Committee then held several hearings on the issue, focused on such issues as trash fees, workers’ jobs and the fact that equipment would have to be picked up in York each day. The proposed contract with Republic remained unresolved at press time.
Funds for Greenbelt Restoration
The Capital Area Greenbelt is a step closer to a significant improvement after the Harrisburg City Council last month agreed to dedicate $10,000 for a major fix.
Members of the Capital Area Greenbelt Association appealed to the council to transfer funds dedicated for environmental projects to help remediate and protect the Paxtang Parkway section near Penbrook from further damage caused by storm water erosion.
Originally, the association requested $20,000. However, Jim Warner, CEO of the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, who attended the council meeting, said LCSWMA would split the cost, kicking in $10,000. This month, LCSWMA is expected to close on its purchase of the city incinerator.
The city’s portion of the funds will be derived from the “host fee” that Harrisburg receives as the site of an incinerator that accepts trash from outside municipalities.
In addition to the $20,000, the association has received $25,000 from the Kline Foundation, enabling it to qualify for a $300,000 state grant to cover the extensive work on that portion of the Greenbelt, said Scott Shepler, an association volunteer.
New Antiques/Collectibles Shop
The good news keeps coming for Cameron Street, as a new crafts and re-sale co-op has opened near Paxton Street.
Crafty Antiques and Collectibles debuted in late October, featuring everything from antique furniture to old toys to holiday items.
Owners Kathy Clark and Rosemary Hibala rent out space in the 2,400-square-foot shop to a variety of vendors who showcase and sell their items. Though the long-time friends just opened their store, they hope soon to double its size by expanding next door.
“We decided to go into business because we work so well together,” said Clark.
The shop at 712 S. Cameron St. is open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Recently, several new businesses have announced plans to occupy space nearby on Cameron Street. Business partners Richard Hefelfinger and Phil Dobson plan to open a blues club and restaurant across the street at 819 S. Cameron St., while Dobson says he will remake 1119 S. Cameron St. into an entertainment and events space.
Crafty Antiques and Collectibles can be reached at 717-547-6032 or CraftyAntiquesPa@gmail.com.
Receivership Extension Expected
The state last month requested an extension of Harrisburg’s receivership for another two years.
C. Alan Walker, secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development, filed a petition in Commonwealth Court asking for the extension, which would run through December 2015. Most elements of the Harrisburg Strong financial recovery plan should be implemented by then.
Separately, Commonwealth Court last month gave receiver William Lynch the authority to sign documents related to the Harrisburg Strong plan on behalf of city Controller Dan Miller.
Judge Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter made the ruling after Miller had not signed off on contracts for key parts of the plan, including for the sale of the city incinerator and the long-term lease of the parking system. Both deals are expected to close this month.
Betsy’s Bakery Arrives Downtown
Betsy’s Bakery last month opened its second shop, serving its gluten-free baked goods from a prime location downtown.
Owners Betsy and Shannon Peffley began offering breads, sweets and sandwiches from a storefront right across the street from the state Capitol last occupied by Downtown Café.
Betsy said they decided to open in Harrisburg because so many of their customers from the first location in Camp Hill live on the East Shore. She added that there’s a growing demand for gluten-free products.
“We are 100 percent gluten-free,” she said. “Our customers with celiac disease or who have gluten-free needs appreciate that so they won’t get sick.”
In addition to baked goods and sandwiches made with Boar’s Head meats, the bakery soon will offer soups and paninis, said Betsy.
“We never expected our business to take off like it has,” she said. “We knew there was a need, but didn’t know it’d be so great.”
Betsy’s Bakery is located at 240 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Hours are Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shop can be reached at 717-236-9901 or at https://betsysbakery.com. The original shop is at 115 St. John’s Church Rd., Camp Hill.
Changing Hands
Adrian St., 2453: W. Breeze to S. McKune, $58,500
Berryhill St., 2259: PA Deals LLC to J. Vergis, $65,000
Boas St., 122: D. & J. Mowery to J. Sadlock, $115,900
Boas St., 1937: S. Lopez et al to EB & ZEE LLC, $66,500
Briggs St., 233: A. & P. Cowell to T. Harris, $117,000
Cumberland St., 1416: PNL Penn Properties LP to T. Lewis, $35,000
Green St., 3030: E. & K. Peck to J. Luck Jr. & K. Kyper, $220,000
Herr St., 260: D. Leaman to S. Bruder & M. Richards, $165,500
Maclay St., 425: D. & J. Boyle to D. Perez, $31,738
Market St., 1249, 1253, 1255 & 3 S. 13th St.: Hill Café Partners to Hill Café 1249 LP, $500,278
Market St., 1859: M. & D. Nichols to Z. Reeves, $105,900
N. 4th St., 1324: L. Jones & J. Lambright to P. Little, $96,000
N. 4th St., 2030: B. Lerew to I. Alderton, $82,000
N. 6th St., 1500: 1500 SPE LP to A. Gulotta, $558,158
N. Front St., 2601: Radnor Realty to J.A. Hartzler, $200,000
Pennwood Rd., 3135: PA Deals LLC to T. Smith, $118,000
S. 20th St., 1208: T. Nguyen & T. Pham to M. Nguyen, $112,005
S. 26th St., 638: N. Reohr to J. Zimmerman, $69,900
Rudy Rd., 2145: J. Holmes & BAC Tax Services Corp. to M. & K. DeRosa, $162,900
Rumson Dr., 2920: A. & M. Tscherneff to W. Quezada & M. Cedeno, $34,000
Rumson Dr., 2983: PI Capitol LLC to C. Shenk, $64,900
Rumson Dr., 2991: Trusted Source Capital LLC to PA Deals LLC, $40,000
Susquehanna St., 1526: P. Mohr to C. Butcher, $104,500
Susquehanna St., 1725: Fannie Mae to M. Gojmerac & C. Roma, $48,000
Vernon St., 1308 & 113 S. 13th St.: Stevens Emmanuel United to True Worshippers Ministries, $55,000
