Tag Archives: Harrisburg City Council

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

December 16, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council approved the 2023 budget at their legislative session on Tuesday.

It was a wintry, icy end to the week, but it looks like the sun will come out for the weekend in Harrisburg. Check out 3^rd in the Burg tonight and enjoy the city’s music, art and food. Before heading out, catch up on this week’s local news, below.

Applications for a new Harrisburg City Council member will open in January, our online story reported. Council plans to select a new seventh member to fill Dave Madsen’s seat as he transitions off council and into a new state representative position.

Bob’s Art Blog highlights Carlisle artist Carrie Breschi and her “I’m Fine” project, which explores the topic of mental illness. Writer Bob also discusses other happenings in the local art world.

Christmas is coming, and we have a list of gift ideas for the nerd in your life. In our magazine story, find suggestions from board games to comic books to blacksmithing classes.

Gettysburg is the perfect place to finish up your holiday shopping, our magazine story reported. From its many shops and restaurants to its walkability and historic charm, the nearby town makes the perfect day trip from Harrisburg.

Harrisburg City Council passed its 2023 budget this week, our reporting found. The $74.9 million spending plan includes investments in public safety and infrastructure.

The Harrisburg Police Bureau was awarded over $3.3 million in grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, our online story reported. The grant funds will go towards crime prevention efforts, including hiring more staff and purchasing equipment.

Home sales declined in the Harrisburg area in November, but prices rose this month, our online story reported. For the three-county region, home sales totaled 616 units compared to 724 in November 2021, and the median price rose to $255,000 from $231,000.

HU Presents this week announced several upcoming concerts planned for Harrisburg in the new year. In our story, find out which bands are headed this way.

Liatra Sage loves all things kitschy for the Christmas season, our magazine story reported. The York business owner creates and sells colorful, vintage wreaths, while also operating a booth at American Daydream Antiques & Miscellanea.

Midtown Cinema this month is showing “The Inspection,” a film based on the true story of a queer Black man who joins the Marines. Read what our movie reviewer has to say about it, here.

Sara Bozich has plenty of holiday-themed events to add to your weekend plans. Find them, here.

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Applications for new Harrisburg City Council member to open in January

December 14, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council (file photo)

Community members will soon have a chance to toss their hat into the ring for a spot in Harrisburg government.

City Council announced on Tuesday that, in the new year, they would begin the search for a new council member to fill a soon-to-be vacant seventh seat.

Council member Dave Madsen recently won the election for state representative of the newly redrawn 104^th district. Tuesday was his last council meeting, as he is set to begin his new position in January.

According to council President Danielle Bowers, the applications for a candidate to fill the vacant seat will open on Jan. 3 and close on Jan. 13. Council will hold a public meeting to interview candidates and make a selection on Jan. 23. During a legislative session the following day, Jan. 24, council will swear in the new member.

Applications will be available on the city’s website and in the MLK City Government Center.

Madsen began on council in 2017 and served as the community and economic development chair and public works chair during his years.

“I want to say thanks to the administration and my colleagues for a great five years,” Madsen said on Tuesday. “When I look back over what we’ve accomplished in the last five years together, I think there’s a true story to tell.”

Like Madsen, state representative-elect Justin Fleming, who won a seat in the new 105^th House district, recently left his role as a Susquehanna Township commissioner. He served as the Ward 8 commissioner for eight years.

On Dec. 8, the board of commissioners swore in attorney La Tasha Williams to fill Fleming’s seat.

Both Madsen and Fleming will assume their new positions as state Assembly members in January.

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Harrisburg City Council passes 2023 budget, includes public safety, infrastructure investments

December 13, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council during a legislative session on Tuesday

Harrisburg has approved a spending plan for the new year that includes increased investments in public safety and for infrastructure.

City Council voted on Tuesday in favor of a $74.9 million general fund budget for 2023 that includes no property tax increase. The budget passed 6-1, with council member Shamaine Daniels voting against it.

Harrisburg introduced the proposed budget to council in November. Before voting to adopt the spending plan, council made small amendments to a few salaries, among several other items.

In total, the budget equals $110.4 million, including the general fund budget and the $20 million neighborhood services fund budget, among others.

Public safety is an area of focus in this year’s budget, as salaries for city police officers are set to increase by 3.5% and 16 new positions in the bureau will be funded.

Infrastructure improvements are another focus of the budget, including street lighting upgrades and ADA accessibility improvements within the State Street construction project. There are also funds designated for renovations to the MLK City Government Center and Public Safety building.

In other news, council voted to approve the appointment of David West as the director of the Public Works Department. West previously served as the director of public works before retiring in October 2021. However, the city contacted West about returning, and he was rehired in early July to resume his position, he said.

Additionally, council approved the appointment of Gina Roberson, special advisor to the mayor, to serve on the board of directors of the Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority for a five-year term.

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Harrisburg City Council ponders options for paying off the city’s remaining debt

November 16, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council at a legislative session on Tuesday.

Harrisburg is weighing a plan to pay off its remaining debt, which would make the city debt free for the first time in decades.

On Tuesday, Harrisburg City Council discussed a proposal by the city administration to retire the remaining $20 million in general obligation bond debt, all at once, to bond insurer Ambac Assurance Corp.

The $20 million forbearance liability is money that the city owes after defaulting on loans, originally issued in 1997, during its financial crisis a decade ago.

In September, Harrisburg made its final payment on additional general obligation bonds, also incurred under the administration of former Mayor Steve Reed. The remaining forbearance liability represents the outstanding debt on Harrisburg’s books.

At the end of October, Harrisburg had a nearly $35 million fund balance, according to Brian McCutcheon, accounting manager for the city. If the debt were paid off, he projected that the city would end 2022 with around $14 million in the bank—an amount that, he said, would represent a sufficient cash reserve.

However, council members expressed concern with spending such a large chunk of money at once, without knowing for certain what the find balance will be at the end of the year.

“I think all of us in this room support taking care of this debt as quickly as possible,” said council member Westburn Majors. “But taking a little more of a conservative approach would make sense to me.”

McCutcheon and other city officials stressed that the longer the debt goes unpaid, the more the city accrues in interest. By 2029, when the debt would be paid off if the city continued its regular payment schedule, Harrisburg would owe another $4 million in interest, he explained. Currently, the city’s interest rate is set at 5% after a refinancing deal made with Ambac in 2021. That rate will jump back up to 6.75% in November 2024.

“We might as well pay it off now,” said City Treasurer Dan Miller. “We have the funds to pay our bills, to pay our payroll and to make it through the year. It’s much better for the taxpayers.”

Council also discussed alternative options, such as paying off a smaller portion of the debt over a longer time period.

In the end, council decided to table the issue and bring it back on the agenda for a vote in the coming weeks.

In other news, council approved the reauthorization of the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District, a nonprofit that promotes businesses, cleans and provides services in downtown Harrisburg. The organization was originally founded in 1999. On Tuesday, it was reauthorized for another five years, through 2027.

Additionally, council voted in favor of continuing an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Swatara Township to use its composting facility for another two years at a rate of $50,000 annually.

Council also recognized longtime Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus basketball coach Kirk Smallwood, naming Nov. 15 “Kirk Smallwood Day” in his honor. The coach retired in May as the winningest coach in the history of the district.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

October 28, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg and Dauphin County officials announced Pete Baltimore (far right) as the new environmental enforcement officer for Harrisburg.

Happy Halloween, Harrisburg! Whether you plan to dress up, carve a pumpkin or head to a spooky party, make sure you catch up on this week’s news first.

Focaccia bread is versatile and can be topped with fresh rosemary, black olives, tomatoes and mozzarella. Our food columnist Rosemary has the perfect recipe for you to try making on a fall afternoon.

Harrisburg City Council voted to recognize two former city activists by naming roadways after them, our reporting found. A portion of N. 6^th Street will receive a secondary name as Rev. Billy Gray Way and a section of Harris Street as Judith C. Hill Way.

Harrisburg University announced two concerts for early 2023, our online story reported. Elle King will play at XL Live on Feb. 25 and indie band Dawes will return to Harrisburg on March 11 at XL Live.

Illegal dumping is being targeted by Harrisburg and Dauphin County with a new initiative, our online story reported. The city and county have jointly hired Pete Baltimore to be the new environmental enforcement officer in Harrisburg.

Jazzy’s Good Eats opened in August in Kline Village, serving up flavorful soul food, our magazine story reported. Head chef Jasmine “Jazzy” White has spent the past decade perfecting her family’s treasured recipes.

Joy Boudreau opened her event coordinating business, Joy of Events, in Camp Hill after years of experience in the hospitality industry, our magazine story reported. Boudreau also recently won a local competition for entrepreneurs.

Local artist Robin Wheeler discovered her love for pottery while attending school as an adult at HACC, our magazine story reported. In October 2021, she opened her own studio, Wheel of Light, in Halifax.

Parks in Harrisburg are set to receive major upgrades as the city announced that it was awarded a $13 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. In our online story, find out which parks will see improvements.

Robert Gaynes has spent his 30 years of retirement turning discarded wood into bowls, vases and candleholders, our magazine story reported. He has crafted hundreds of pieces and plans to give his entire collection to the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg.

Sycamore Homes, an affordable housing development planned for Harrisburg, ceremoniously broke ground last week, our online story reported. George Fernandez, CEO of Latino Connection, plans to develop the four-story building.

Sara Bozich has compiled all of this weekend’s spooky events for your perusal. Find them, here.

State Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant awardees were announced this week, our online story reported. Four Harrisburg projects were funded, including a large-scale apartment building by GreenWorks, restoration work at the King Mansion, renovation of the Harristown Agriculture Building on Market Street and a project to expand Millworks’ brewery.

Yuengling Brewery is the perfect fall day trip from Harrisburg. In our magazine story, read about the tour that the brewery offers and the history of the company.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

September 30, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

A past “Family Fishing Day” at Italian Lake

The October issue of our magazine came out this week! We hope you love our spooky cover and fall-themed stories as much as we do. Grab a copy and then catch up on this week’s local news, below.

The Ecumenical Food Pantry has served more than 1.2 million people in the Harrisburg region, our magazine story reported. The outreach recently celebrated its 50^th anniversary of combating food insecurity in the community.

Our editor talks about all that TheBurg offers in addition to the magazine, including our online news, podcast and 3^rd in the Burg, in his October Editor’s Note.

Family Fishing Day at Italian Lake will offer residents a chance to try their hand at a new sport, our online story reported. A course will teach participants the basics of fishing and provide the supplies to cast a line.

Firefighters from Harrisburg’s Bureau of Fire are stationed in Charleston, S.C., to assist during Hurricane Ian, our online story reported. The firefighters, members of the Pennsylvania Task Force 1, will help with search and rescue efforts.

Harrisburg City Council presented its “Unsung Hero” awards to local community activists and volunteers, our reporting found. Four city residents were recognized at a council meeting on Tuesday.

The Harrisburg School District is moving closer toward reopening the long-vacant Steele Elementary School, our online story reported. At a school board meeting, Receiver Dr. Lori Suski approved a $21.6 million plan for its renovation.

Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus will receive increased police presence after a fight involving a large group of students took place earlier this week, our online story reported. Officers will conduct wellness checks and help train security officers on responding to situations like these.

M. Camille Erice, a community activist, dancer and founder of Dazante passed away. In our online story, read more about her life and how to honor her memory.

Phil Guarneschelli, the former president of UPMC of Central Pa., retired in September as Lou Baverso assumes the reins. In our magazine story, we share a Q&A with Guarneschelli, who reflects back on his long career in healthcare.

Sara Bozich has a full lineup of fall fun activities for you weekend. Find the festivities happening in and around Harrisburg, here.

Strawberry Square’s Chockablock Clock will move to Shippensburg University in October, our online story reported. Harristown Enterprises will replace the over 30-year-old clock with a new stage and office space.

The “Thin Blue Line” football game will take place on Oct. 7 to honor first responders who were killed in the line of duty, our online story reported. Bishop McDevitt High School, playing on its home field, will face Hershey High School.

Urban Churn, a Harrisburg-based creamery, announced that it will open a third scoop shop in Carlisle, our online story reported. Customers can also now purchase the company’s ice cream in select local grocery stores.

The West Shore Theatre in New Cumberland recently reopened after an extensive renovation and modernization project. In our magazine story, read about what the historic theater now offers to the community through its updated programming.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

August 26, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Local artist Linda Billet showed off her community mosaic, now displayed in the Harrisburg High School-John Harris campus.

Our Friends of TheBurg Bash is coming up, and we can’t wait to celebrate! If you’re one of our supporters, make sure you buy your ticket this weekend to join us. Now, here’s your weekly news digest. Everything you need to know from this week in Harrisburg is listed, below.

The Broad Street Market is looking for a new executive director, our online story reported. The position has remained open since Josh Heilman, the former director, stepped down.

The Capital Area Beekeeper’s Association spreads awareness about the importance of bees to the environment, our magazine story reported. Over 200 Harrisburg-area residents belong to CABA, and the group continues to grow.

Capital Region Water board of directors approved a plan to reduce pollutants flowing into waterways, our reporting found. The agreement includes projects to help the city’s sewer infrastructure capture at least 85% of system flow during wet weather.

Construction on N. 2^nd Street in Harrisburg is moving forward, as the portion of the roadway from Maclay to Division streets will convert to two-way traffic early next month. The city expects the total project to be completed by mid-fall, our online story reported.

Our editor says that the announcement that Knead Pizza in Harrisburg has closed is a lose-lose situation. In his editorial, read why he sees the closure as a big loss for the city.

Hall’s Ice Cream in Perry County has crafted flavors for ice-cream lovers for 75 years, our magazine story reported. Most recently, owner Matthew Hall stepped up to continue operating the family business.

Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday night approved a land development plan for a five-story residential and retail structure at 512-514 N. 2^nd St., our online story reported. Developer Derek Dilks plans to demolish the two dilapidated buildings that currently sit on the property and build a new structure with first-floor retail space and seven apartments above.

Harrisburg School District officials unveiled a new mosaic in the Harrisburg High School-John Harris Campus, our online story reported. The mosaic was created with help from community members and students at the city’s Artsfest and assembled by local artist Linda Billet.

Harrisburg will host a parade on Saturday to celebrate World Series champions, the Michael Stepp RBI of Greater Harrisburg softball team, our online story reported. A celebratory picnic will follow the parade.

The Journey Church in Harrisburg held a “Back to School Block Party” on Saturday, our online story reported. The church offered free haircuts, clothing and 375 backpacks full of school supplies.

Knead Pizza decided that it would close both its N. 3^rd Street and Broad Street Market locations, our online story reported. The news came shortly after Knead employees announced a plan to form a union.

Midtown Redevelopment LLC held the first of three public information sessions to share its plan, for dozens of long-empty lots in the unfinished Capitol Heights and MarketPlace neighborhoods, our reporting found. The plan includes apartments, townhouses, a grocery store and commercial spaces.

Sara Bozich’s Weekend Roundup has lots of ways to spend the weekend in Harrisburg. Click here to find them.

Shamaine Daniels launched her general election campaign for congress on Saturday in Harrisburg, our online story reported. More than 100 people came to meet the candidate and help kick-start her campaign.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg will host an anti-violence event, “PA Prays: Forging Justice and Peace out of Violence,” on Sept. 18, our online story reported. At the event, a blacksmith will reconfigure guns into gardening tools and jewelry.

Ten Thousand Villages in Mechanicsburg will celebrate its 30^th anniversary with a community event featuring music, food and shopping. In our online story, read about the store’s history of promoting fair trade.

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Support quality local journalism. Join Friends of TheBurg today!

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

July 8, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

The”Carpets and Draperies” building in Midtown Harrisburg is nearing the end of construction.

After a long last weekend, this week has flown by! In case you missed any of this week’s news from the Harrisburg area, we’ve got you covered.

Bicyclist Leyla Monroy, who died after colliding with a car in Harrisburg, will be honored at a memorial on Saturday, our online story reported. Organizers hope also to bring awareness to the issue of bike and pedestrian safety.

Bridges spanning the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg may be in for upgrades as the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS) seeks to use millions of dollars in federal infrastructure funds. In his column, our editor weighs in on the proposals and what each bridge may be best used for.

TheBurg Podcast for July is spotlighting all things cute and fluffy. Tune in to hear from the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area and the Harrisburg Great Dog Program, among other segments.

The Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning, which has proposed a childcare facility in Uptown Harrisburg, will move forward after receiving City Council approval, our reporting found. Council also voted in favor of an affordable housing development in South Harrisburg.

The “Carpets and Draperies” building in Midtown Harrisburg is nearly complete after an extensive renovation, our online story reported. The building will feature five apartments and a first-floor bakery.

Harrisburg’s Great Dog Program trains pups and parents through a relationship-based method, our magazine story reported. The program can assist dogs with issues like aggression and separation anxiety.

Harrisburg officials addressed an incident that occurred at the city’s Fourth of July festival when a fight broke out, causing hundreds of attendees to flee Riverfront Park, our online story reported. They also announced that attendees who lost personal items in the chaos could pick them up at the Reservoir Park mansion.

Harrisburg Young Professionals opened its nominations for “20 In Their 20s,” our online story reported. The organization will choose 20 young professionals who live and work in Harrisburg to honor.

Hydration is especially important during the hot summer months, according to Capital Blue Cross. Click here to find tips on how to stay healthy and hydrated.

Mecum Auctions will return to Harrisburg with hundreds of collector cars up for bid, our online story reported. The auction will take place at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center from July 27 to 30.

N. 2^nd Street in Harrisburg is slated to transition from one-way to two-way traffic a little later than expected, our reporting found. N. 2^nd Street from Maclay to Division streets will go two-way by the end of the month, with the entire corridor likely transitioning in late September.

Rosemary has been searching for the perfect calamari recipe, and she finally found a good one. Find her recipe for barbecued calamari, here.

Sara Bozich’s Weekend Roundup will give you plenty of ideas for how to spend your weekend. To find out what’s happening in the Harrisburg area, click here.

Strawberry Square’s “Chockablock Clock” will soon be replaced with a new meeting and entertainment space, our online story reported. According to Harristown Enterprises, the large clock has been difficult to maintain and repair.

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Support quality local journalism. Join Friends of TheBurg today!

Harrisburg City Council approves affordable housing development, no-cost childcare center

July 6, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday.

Several Harrisburg development projects focused on serving lower-income residents will move forward following a City Council legislative session on Tuesday night.

Council took action to push forth both an affordable housing development for South Harrisburg, as well as a childcare center, the Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning.

Council unanimously voted to approve a lot consolidation and land development plan for “Sycamore Homes,” a 23-unit affordable apartment building planned for the 1400-block of Sycamore Street, near Foose Elementary School. Harrisburg-developer George Fernandez, CEO of Latino Connection, explained that the $3.4 million project will offer high-quality studio units to low-income residents

“What drives us is helping to change what the face of low income looks like,” he said.

Fernandez said that he hopes to begin construction by this fall, with the project completed by fall 2023.

Additionally, council approved a lot consolidation and land development plan for the Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning, which has proposed a childcare facility in Uptown Harrisburg. The site is planned for a 3.44-acre area bounded by Peffer, N. 7^th, Muench and N. 6^th streets. The childcare center is an arm of the Milton Hershey School and would offer free care to 150 low-income and at-risk children, from 6 weeks to 5 years old.

According to Executive Director Senate Alexander, the school will focus on providing kindergarten readiness programming and family support options.

“I look forward to it,” council member Ausha Green said. “I think it’ll be great for the community.”

The project is expected to be completed in spring 2024. The school will still need to secure street vacations for small roads on the project site.

In other news, council pushed forth a resolution to create “Hot Spot Saturdays,” a summer initiative to encourage residents to participate in six community clean-up events. The city plans to work with organizations and nonprofits that regularly conduct trash cleanups.

The cleanups will take place throughout July, August and September in Harrisburg. There will be more information to come.

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Proposed Uptown Harrisburg residential project struck down by City Council

June 29, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

The site of a proposed apartment building project (2463 Jefferson St.), which Harrisburg City Council denied.

A proposed residential project for Uptown Harrisburg has hit a major obstacle, as City Council unanimously voted it down on Tuesday night.

At a legislative session, council opposed the project, by local developer D&F Realty, to transform a warehouse into apartment units at 2463 Jefferson St. According to council member Shamaine Daniels, the developer had at least 80 recent citations for code violations on other city properties.

“Generally speaking, there’s a presumption that when applicants come before this body that they come in good faith,” Daniels said. “However, given the circumstances […] I would recommend that given the history of this applicant, we can’t make a presumption of good faith.”

The project originally came before council in March, with David Peffley of D&F Realty explaining that it would include constructing and rehabbing 22 apartment units in total.

In November 2021, D&F received Zoning Hearing Board approval for the building, permitting a multi-family dwelling use and offering parking relief.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Peffley said that, since the March meeting, D&F had addressed a majority of the code violations—paying fines, renewing licenses and appealing citations. However, council was not satisfied and expressed doubt over whether the company would remain in compliance with city codes in the future.

“If this is approved, are we going to end up in the same situation?” council member Ausha Green said.

When council rejects a land development plan, the applicant does have the option to appeal the decision.

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