Tag Archives: Kelly Summerford

Big donations advance monument honoring voting rights, Harrisburg’s old 8th ward

February 18, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

TFEC’s Janice Black presents a check to Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse and the Commonwealth Monument Project’s Lenwood Sloan.

A monument honoring voting rights and Harrisburg history is a step closer to reality, as the project today received more than $100,000 in new funding.

At a city hall press conference, the Commonwealth Monument Project received several large checks and pledges that will enable work to begin on critical aspects of the multi-part statue.

The city, the Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) and philanthropist Peggy Grove all announced additional support for the monument planned for the lawn of the Capitol’s Irvis office building at N. 4^th and Walnut streets.

“It’s a wonderful and incredibly important day,” said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “The monument, which has been a vision for so long, will become a reality.”

In its 2020 budget, the city pledged $25,000 to help build the base of the monument if organizers could raise a $25,000 matching grant. Today, TFEC provided that match.

The $360,000 monument, called “A Gathering at the Crossroads,” consists of three distinct aspects, all crafted by Lancaster-based A.R.T. Enterprises.

The first, the “orator’s pedestal,” depicts scenes of Harrisburg’s old 8^th Ward, which was demolished to expand the Capitol complex. It already has been completed (pictured).

The second consists of life-sized figures of four important figures in Harrisburg history: civil rights activist William Howard Day, journalist and lawyer Thomas Morris Chester, musician and restaurateur Jacob T. Compton and abolitionist and suffragist Francis Ellen Walker Harper.

In addition to honoring the demolished 8^th Ward, the monument is a tribute to voting rights—specifically, the U.S. Constitution’s 15^th and19^th amendments, which secured the vote for African Americans and for women, respectively.

The project’s third aspect is the base of the monument, which today’s $50,000 donation will fund.

President and CEO Janice Black said that TFEC made the gift as part of its commitment to fund community projects in connection with the charitable organization’s 100^th anniversary.

“Because of our anniversary, we are honored to provide this money to help with the city’s match,” Black said.

Grove, who had already helped fund the monument’s pedestal, then announced additional support by the Grove Family Fund for two of the four statues.

“This bronze monument and what it signifies . . . for all people of color, for women, for all the disenfranchised people who have had to fight for the vote, all these many years–that’s what this really represents,” Grove said.

Besides raising money, the monument’s executive committee has succeeded in receiving legislative approval to site the monument on the grounds of the Capitol complex.

Today’s funding announcement allows the monument to stay on schedule, said Lenwood Sloan, the project’s executive director. A groundbreaking is slated for late March, with a June 15 unveiling.

The event concluded with an appeal for additional funds to close the remaining gap.

“I’m asking our community to make donations so we can complete this project,” said Kelly Summerford, executive committee treasurer. “Those with deep pockets, go deep, and those without such deep pockets, do what you can.”

Click here to contribute to the monument initiative. The Commonwealth Monument Project is an initiative of the IPTT Harrisburg Peace Promenade, a project of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC), fiscal sponsor.

June News Digest

June 29, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

HUD Grants Proposed

The annual process of disbursing federal housing funds began last month, as Harrisburg City Council introduced an ordinance that would provide money to nearly a dozen nonprofit groups.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that the city used the same process in selecting award recipients as last year, using a point-based merit system to judge applications.

“It’s a number of small grants,” Papenfuse said. “It’s not as much as anyone wanted.”

In all, the city will distribute $2.04 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, a program of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. This amount includes almost $1.9 million from the 2018 allocation, plus a small supplemental amount tied to unallocated funds from a prior year.

Like last year, the greatest single amount of money, $593,423, will go to repay federal loans the city backed during the Reed administration for several development projects, including the disastrous Capitol View Commerce Center project, which went bankrupt before being completed years later by a new owner.

“If we didn’t have an exorbitant debt service, we’d have a lot more money for housing,” Papenfuse said.

Most of the nonprofits proposed to receive funds have gotten some money from previous CDBG allocations. The proposed recipients include:

TriCounty HDC: $250,000
Habitat for Humanity: $100,000
A Miracle 4 Sure: $50,000
TLC Work Based Training: $45,000
Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministries (C.R.A.M.): $40,000
Latino Hispanic Community Center: $25,000
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center: $25,000
Fair Housing Council: $25,000
PPL/IN HOUSE: $20,000
Shades of Greatness: $15,000
Neighborhood Dispute Settlement: $5,000

Like last year, Tina Nixon, an executive with UPMC Pinnacle, scored the applications, Papenfuse said. While most nonprofits that applied received some funding, several did not make the cut, he said.

In addition, the city is proposing to allocate $321,642 for its housing rehabilitation programs and another $408,765 to CDBG administration.

QOZ Tracts Approved

The federal government last month approved all of the census tracts nominated for a new program aimed at spurring development in low-income communities.

Six of those tracts are in Harrisburg.

“Approval of our nominated tracts is an important step in the process of bringing critical investment and development to these areas,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “Designation as an opportunity zone is one piece of the puzzle that can help many of our distressed communities across the commonwealth.”

In April, Wolf nominated 300 low-income census tracts across the state as Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ), a status created under the 2017 federal tax reform bill. All were accepted.

Six of Harrisburg’s 14 census tracts were included in Wolf’s submission. The potential investment zones encompass the city’s downtown area south of Forster Street, South Harrisburg, South and Central Allison Hill and the neighborhoods along the city’s Cameron Street industrial corridor.

The QOZ program aims to stimulate investment in low-income communities by providing tax breaks to private investors. It’s expected to defer or reduce capital gains taxes to anyone who invests in funds supporting businesses, real estate and other ventures in the zones.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is still in the process of developing the program, and the IRS is expected to provide further information regarding opportunities for investment in zones in the coming months, according to Wolf’s office.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse has said that the recommended zones aligned with the city’s current development efforts, including the MulDer Square revitalization project and the Paxton Creek reclamation in the industrial corridor.

To qualify for QOZ status, a census tract had to have at least a 20-percent poverty rate or a median family income less than 80 percent of the statewide or regional median income.

State Urges Changes to School District

Soon after wrapping up a protracted battle over its superintendent, the Harrisburg school district may find itself in another personnel battle.

The state Department of Education is asking the district to search for new leadership for its business office, which oversees budgets and financial management.

In a letter to the district last month, department Secretary Pedro Rivera said that the district’s chief financial officer and business manager do not meet the criteria set forth in its five-year recovery plan, which calls for full-time, permanent, highly qualified employees to fill both positions.

The school board has final say on all district personnel actions. But board members, who diverged for the past six months over whether to replace or retain Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney, once again disagree on the need to seek new hires.

Board President Judd Pittman interprets the letter as a directive from the state, giving the district no choice but to replace interim, part-time CFO James Snell and acting Business Manager Bilal Hasan. But board Vice President Danielle Robinson thinks the district should keep the current team.

“It’s not a directive, it’s a suggestion,” Robinson said. “The team we have in place is giving us what we need.”

The business manager and CFO are responsible for developing and managing the district’s $156 million budget. This year, the district faces a shortfall of almost $9 million. The business office has proposed bridging it with a $5 million transfer from its fund balance, $4 million in staff cuts, and a 3.6 percent tax hike.

New Monument to Honor Prominent African Americans

Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park is dotted with historical monuments, but none of them honor African Americans.

A group of citizens hopes to change that.

Members of the Peace Promenade Project are asking city hall to green-light Harrisburg’s first monument to African Americans, which they hope to erect near the corner of Forster and Front Streets by June 2019.

Their proposal calls for a life-size tableau of four Pennsylvania abolitionists and voting-rights advocates: Thomas Chester, a Harrisburg-born journalist and attorney; William Howard Day, the first black school board director in Pennsylvania; Jacob Compton, a pastor who drove Abraham Lincoln’s carriage during his visit to Harrisburg; and Frances Harper, a poet and women’s rights activist.

All except Harper lived in Harrisburg and are buried in Lincoln Cemetery in Penbrook.

“This is an American monument that represents the continuing struggle for the full fulfillment of the 15^th amendment,” said Lenwood Sloan, leader of the Peace Promenade Project, which aims to rededicate Harrisburg’s public monuments through a yearlong event series.

Kelly Summerford, another project leader, said that the monument would also offer local students an opportunity to learn about abolition and voting rights.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said he met with the project leaders and enthusiastically supports the project. He also offered to help the group pursue a gaming grant from Dauphin County.

The Peace Promenade group, which counts more than 200 members and 40 supporting organizations, plans to fund the monument through public support, corporate donations and individual giving. They did not announce an anticipated budget.

According to Summerford, the group plans to follow a process used by the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts to commission an artist and develop a design.

They hope to install the monument by “Juneteenth” 2019—the anniversary of June 19, 1865, the official announcement of the end of slavery in the former Confederacy.

At press time, council had not yet affirmed the final allocations.

Harristown Eyes Another Project

Chalk up another apartment conversion for Harristown Enterprises.

The Harrisburg-based company already has converted several rundown office buildings downtown to higher-end apartment buildings. Last month, it announced another—this one at 116 Pine St.

“We feel very good about the rental market,” said Harristown CEO Brad Jones. “We’re trying to create more of a neighborhood downtown.”

The bank-owned, 54,600-square-foot building is on the market for $1.3 million. If Harristown completes the purchase, it plans to convert the circa-1946 building to 44 apartment units, its largest residential project to date.

The five-story building currently houses several different entities, which would be relocated. The longstanding first-floor tenant, Alicia’s Deli, is likely to remain in the building, Jones said.

The building is directly next door to another office building at 124 Pine St. that Harristown currently has under contract from seller Keystone Human Services. City Council approved that project, which includes 25 apartment units and 19 parking spaces, in April.

“Our intent is to build them together and have economies of scale,” Jones said, adding that Harristown expects to invest some $12 million in the projects.

Harristown has long been known as a commercial developer. However, it began to move into the multi-family residential market several years ago, focusing on rehabilitating old, often dilapidated and vacant office buildings, converting them to apartments.

New Owner for Old Waterworks

A Harrisburg-based design and engineering company has purchased the historic Old Waterworks building on the Susquehanna River, with plans to turn it into its new headquarters.

Andculture will relocate from its downtown offices following the full renovation of the 22,000-square-foot building, said co-owner David Hickethier.

The Waterworks is one of only two structures remaining within the confines of Riverfront Park. Portions of the Front Street building date to 1841.

The building served as a pumping station for Harrisburg until 1972, when that use ended following severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Agnes. The city later converted it into an office building.

In 2002, Mann Realty, a real estate firm, bought the building. Andculture acquired the property from Mann Realty, which is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, for $1.25 million, according to the Dauphin County property database.

“It’s a very unique building,” Hickethier said. “There are only two on that side of Front Street, right on the river.”

Hickethier expects Andculture, a company he co-owns with partners Josh Benton and Evan Keller, to occupy the majority of the building for its main offices and for its business accelerator, Catamaran.

The company may lease out some of the remaining space, especially to complementary businesses, and would like to reserve a portion for public use, possibly for meetings and receptions, Hickethier said.

Since the major city renovation 30 years ago, the building has suffered a few floods and has not undergone a major update. So, Hickethier and his partners plan to mount a complete restoration. The work includes removing drop ceilings, restoring floors, opening up spaces and making substantial repairs.

New Sanitation App

Sanitation and recycling services in Harrisburg are about to get a little more user-friendly.

The city last month announced a new app called Recycle Coach, which allows residents to get the latest information on sanitation services, schedules, what and where to recycle, collection requirements and more.

“[The app provides] details people need to understand, like the way food could potentially contaminate recyclables,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “The app addresses all this, and it’s really interesting, easy to use and fun.”

Already used in other states and countries, Recycle Coach is now available for Harrisburg residents. The app is personalized via language, building type (apartment or home) and address. Using that information, six tabs on the home screen offer users various types of functionality, information and additional options.

John Rarig, Harrisburg’s recycling coordinator, said that the Recycle Coach app will help the city get sanitation information out to the public quicker.

“This app will allow us to update information as things change [such as] weather problems and things that we can notify the populous about,” he said. “[Recycle Coach] is very easy to work with, and we think this is a great thing for Harrisburg.”

Harrisburg residents can access Recycle Coach not only from their smartphones, but also via computers and voice assistants such as Alexa.

So Noted

Harrisburg Beer Week last month presented a check for $40,000 to Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Services, the beneficiary of the 10-day-long celebration of local craft beer. For the past several years, the River Rescue has used the funds to continue the renovation of its headquarters.

Homeland Center last month dedicated its 6th Street entrance in memory of the late John Crain Kunkel, a U.S. congressman, and his wife Katherine, who served on the board of managers and established what is believed to be the first-ever beauty shop in a long-term care facility, according to the Harrisburg-based care facility. More recently, the Kunkel family made possible Homeland’s 71-bed skilled care nursing pavilion, and their foundation sponsored Homeland’s 150th Gala, said Homeland.

Percel Eiland resigned last month as a member of the Harrisburg school board, having only served about six months. The board will now take steps to find a candidate to fill the remainder of Eiland’s term, which runs until the end of next year.

In Memoriam

Nick Laus, renowned Harrisburg restaurateur, died last month at age 59. Laus founded many restaurants in the area, including Café Fresco, Cork & Fork, Home 231 and Burger Yum, as well as the nightclub, Level 2.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2441: G. & T. Spiese to H. Le, $64,000

Bartine St., 1323: E. & G. Solomon to J. Herr, $82,000

Bellevue Rd., 1963: M. Mack to R. Lewis, $54,900

Berryhill St., 2034: D. Smith to S. Griffin, $33,000

Berryhill St., 2400: L. Rich to E. Alcantra, $40,001

Boas St., 304: Calder Street Development LLC to RC Herr, $35,000

Calder St., 264: J. Hummel to L. Boenzli, $127,000

Capitol St., 1218: M. Wickwire to K. Knapp, $118,000

Chestnut St., 2032: W. Noss & R. Maynard to M. Jackson & J. Fulton, $124,900

Delaware St., 259: K. Dyrli to R. Goodfriend, $142,500

Delaware St., 261: C. Hartman to T. Harris & B. Barto, $117,500

Green St., 918: S. Brennan & L. Sterkenberg to S. Lacey, $144,900

Green St., 1328: D. Misner to A. Koser, $116,540

Green St., 1412: J. Kibler to J. Ehring, $70,000

Green St., 1612: H. Task to B. Brubaker, $149,900

Green St., 1946: C. Smith & T. Chickey to P. Sosik, $174,900

Green St., 2321: Willowscott Investment LLC to J. Hofman, $80,000

Green St., 2412: R. Lawson to B. Vargas, $219,500

Hillside Rd., 214: R. & T. Winder to R. Bateman & C. McDonough, $164,900

Hoffman St., 3010: Duetsche Bank National Trust Co. Trustee to Innovative Devices Inc., $41,300

Hoffman St., 3229: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to B. Foor, $59,000

Industrial Rd., 3900: Supervalue Penn LLC to CF Grocery Distribution & Propco LLC, $85,535,256

Jefferson St., 2645: M. Watson to D. Solomon, $60,400

Kensington St., 2004: JCB Associates & State House Group to A. Ryabukha, $39,000

Kensington St., 2324: A. & M. Oliphant to C. Austin, $59,900

Market St., 1713: LAGR Properties LLC to J. & L. Hendricks, $65,000

Mercer St., 2470: A. Hankerson to A. & M. Allen, $49,137

Muench St., 429: Dobson Family Partnership to Y. & K. Han, $50,000

N. 2^nd St., 1521: W. Glover to E&S Properties, $107,000

N. 2^nd St., 1803: S. & S. Cooper to Z. Gause, $122,500

N. 2^nd St., 1916: C. Bashore to G. Crone, $155,000

N. 2^nd St., 2602: K. & K. Fischer to K. Kennedy, $105,000

N. 2^nd St., 2953: D. Alvey to PI Capital LLC, $144,401

N. 2^nd St., 3209: S. Kumarasingam to Benchmarq Holdings LLC, $65,361

N. 3^rd St., 1004, 1006, 1008 & 1010 Susquehanna St.: T. & E. Buda to Maki Developments LLC, $695,000

N. 3^rd St., 1010: T. Buda to Maki Developments LLC, $225,000

N. 3^rd St., 1725: K. & L. Helm to I. Kazar, $81,000

N. 3^rd St., 3004: N. Ernst to K. & A. Brady, $77,000

N. 4^th St., 2143: 690 Market Street LLC to R. Joline, $33,000

N. 4^th St., 2641: Y. Borras to J. Santiago, $59,000

N. 4^th St., 2731: R. Rickabaugh to M. Martinez & M. Price, $111,700

N. 6^th St., 1346: J. MacDonald to A. Blank & A. Edwards, $114,900

N. 6^th St., 2212: L. Ware Jr. to J. Strain, $60,000

N. 7^th St., 1501: AT&T Communications to 1501 Harrisburg Partners LLC, $425,000

N. 15^th St., 1431: M. Clark & J. Payton to X. Nguyen, $55,000

N. Front St., 614: Mann Realty Associates Inc. to Granma LLC, $1,250,000

Norwood St., 914: A. Wilhelm to I. Rodriguez, $35,000

Penn St., 1614: M. Smith to J. Napora & S. Bassler, $144,900

Penn St., 1809: K. Hyp to J. Francescangeli & D. Rocklein, $165,000

Penn St., 1931: WCI Partners LP to R. & B. Precourt, $134,900

Penn St., 2327: A. & D. Wilhelm to I. Rodriguez, $35,000

Pennwood Rd., 3139: T. Bendrick to L. Ciambotti, $40,000

Sassafras St., 269: Major League Properties LLC to J. Wenger & J. Noel, $130,000

Shamokin St., 110: M. & K. Patterson to E. & L. Match, $165,000

Showers St., 589: T. Fullam & J. Nugent to M. Albizu, $116,000

S. 13^th St., 1510: New Heights South LLC to W. Powell Sr., $49,000

S. 14^th St., 1437: W. & G. Powell to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 24^th St., 535: S. Leibich to PA Double Dels LLC, $178,500

S. Cameron St., 50, 90 & 112: PA Self Storage One LLC to Amerco Real Estate Co., $1,450,000

S. Cameron St., 1058: M. Tice & APR Supply Co. to JWM Associates LP, $343,700

State St., 120: C. & K. Kokoski to O’Hagan Philadelphia LLC, $190,000

State St., 231, Unit 206: LUX 1 LP to F. Clark, $65,000

State St., 1414: G. Dutan to A. & M. Collins, $113,000

Susquehanna St., 3117: J. Fustine to K. O’Neill & M. Delucia, $197,500

Swatara St., 1517: Tri County HDC Ltd. to V. Miller, $99,000

Wendy St., 1126: 147 N. Cameron Partners LP to Keystone K9 LLC, $415,000

Citizen’s group proposes Riverfront Park monument to honor prominent African Americans

June 12, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park is dotted with historical monuments, but none of them honor African Americans.

A group of citizens hopes to change that.

All except Harper lived in Harrisburg and are buried in Lincoln Cemetery in Penbrook.

The monument would testify to the city’s African-American history and honor the 15^th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which granted African-American men the right to vote. (Women would not get the right to vote until the 19th amendment passed in 1920.)

Kelly Summerford, another project leader, said that the monument would also offer local students an opportunity to learn about abolition and voting rights.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said he met with the project leaders and enthusiastically supports the project. He also offered to help the group pursue a gaming grant from Dauphin County.

City Council President Wanda Williams also pledged her full support at tonight’s legislative session.

According to Summerford, the group plans to follow a process used by the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts to commission an artist and develop a design.

They hope to install the monument by “Juneteenth” 2019 – the anniversary of June 19, 1865, the official announcement of the end of slavery in the former Confederacy.

May News Digest

May 29, 2014 | by Lawrance Binda

Baltimore Named Councilman

The Harrisburg City Council last month named Jeffrey Baltimore as its newest member, filling a seat left vacant by the sudden death of Eugenia Smith.

Baltimore bested a field of 12 candidates, but not before a deadlocked vote was broken by Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

For six rounds, the council split its vote between Baltimore, accountant Alex Reber and former Councilman Kelly Summerford. After Summerford dropped out, the council remained torn between Baltimore and Reber, a key aide to former city controller and mayoral candidate Dan Miller.

Papenfuse then cast the tie-breaking vote for Baltimore, lauding him for his “dedication to education and youth,” his community spirit and his “extensive background in economic development.”

Baltimore once served in the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development under former Mayor Stephen Reed. After leaving the administration in 2000, he worked for the state Department of Community and Economic Development and for the York County Economic Development Corp.

Currently, Baltimore is a postal worker, a building contractor and heads up BMORE U, a “personal training enterprise” that teaches that healthy living is key to a successful life.

The council seat had been vacant for about a month following Smith’s death on April 11.

Kim Takes Democratic Primary

Incumbent state Rep. Patty Kim is set to claim a second term after handily beating back a primary challenge.

Kim tallied 4,251 votes versus 1,172 for challenger Gina Johnson-Roberson in the Democratic primary for the 103rd legislative district, which includes Harrisburg, Steelton, Highspire and part of Swatara Township. She is likely to win re-election as the Republican Party failed to run a candidate for the seat.

In other local races, former Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson won the Democratic primary for the fourth Congressional district after running unopposed. She will face incumbent Republican Rep. Scott Perry in the Nov. 4 general election.

Harrisburg Councilman Brad Koplinski placed fourth in a field of five in his bid for the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor. The victor, Philadelphia state Sen. Mike Stack, will run with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tom Wolf against Republican incumbents Gov. Tom Corbett and Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley in November.

City Plans Light Fixes

Harrisburg plans to replace most of its streetlights by the end of the year, fixing a years-long problem that has left many streets in the dark, the city said last month.

Shortly, Harrisburg will issue a request for proposals to install energy-efficient LED lights for its 4,269 “cobra-head” light fixtures, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

“I believe [the installation] can be done before the end of the year,” he said.

The $2 to $3 million project will be paid through funds from the city’s infrastructure silo, which was set up as part of its economic recovery plan.

The city also has 1,131 “acorn-style” fixtures. Those lights will be replaced in a later phase of work.

LED lights should save the city about $250,000 a year in energy costs and are as much as 10-times brighter than the existing lights, said Papenfuse.

In addition, Harrisburg has begun repairing and replacing the 72 broken light fixtures in the city, many of which have been downed by auto accidents or age. So far, seven fixtures have been fixed. This work will continue over the next few months, independent of the RFP.

Harrisburg also is asking for help from the community. On June 7, two groups—Historic Harrisburg Association and Lighten Up Harrisburg—will sponsor a Glow Run to help raise money to defray some of the cost of the light replacement. A new bulb costs $75 to purchase, plus the cost of labor, said city Treasurer John Campbell.

To find out more about the Glow Run 5K, see our story in this issue or visit https://historicharrisburg.com.

Trash-Cleanup Campaign

City Councilwoman Sandra Reid last month unveiled a new program of aggressive enforcement of Harrisburg’s trash and litter ordinances.

The program, nicknamed Operation C.O.P.E., would encourage citations for landlords and homeowners who improperly dispose of household waste or allow unsightly garbage to pile outside their properties.

“The days of you throwing out anything you want, wherever you want, whenever you want, are over,” Reid said at a press conference in City Hall.

Under Operation C.O.P.E., for “Clean Up, Observe/Organize, Provide, Enforce,” tickets would be issued for anything from leaving trash curbside on a non-pickup day to setting out garbage that is not properly enclosed in a lidded trashcan.

The program also would encourage volunteer groups to organize cleanup days in city neighborhoods.

Reid has also planned for a new position of “solid waste education enforcement technician,” who will bear primary responsibility for ticketing property owners for improper disposal.

The position, which was budgeted for in 2014 at a $40,700 salary, is currently unfilled and will remain so at least until the city lifts its temporary hiring freeze. Nonetheless, Reid said she hoped to begin stepping up enforcement in late July or early August.

City Hall Donations Received

Harrisburg last month received several donations to improve City Hall and the Public Safety Building.

Penn National Insurance donated $5,000 to help make repairs and renovations to the downtown building and will repair the flag post in the courtyard that was damaged recently when a car struck it, said city spokeswoman Joyce Davis.

Touch of Color Flooring soon will re-carpet the public hallway on the second floor, she said. Harrisburg-based Touch of Color already has installed new carpeting in the Public Safety Building’s Emergency Operations Center and walkway from City Hall, as well as in the main elevators.

In addition, the College Club of Harrisburg recently donated $100 to the City Hall Beautiful Fund, which has received other donations from individuals throughout the Harrisburg area, according to the city.

The family of the late Gov. George M. Leader has donated labor and materials to renovate the police bureau’s roll call and break rooms, in addition to providing new appliances for the break room, the city said.

“We continue to see area businesses and individuals step up to show support for Harrisburg’s recovery,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “The outpouring of local and regional support to help our capital city thrive is truly heartening. We encourage other civic-minded businesses throughout the region to join in this important program to maintain our government center.”

West Shore Hospital Opens

PinnacleHealth’s West Shore Hospital opened last month in Mechanicsburg, the first new hospital to be built in central Pennsylvania in decades.

The five-story, 188,000-square-foot facility features 108 private rooms, seven operating rooms and a 12-bed intensive care unit. Services offered include acute and emergency care, cardiology, orthopedics, surgical services and chronic disease management.

“We are excited about the opening of the West Shore Hospital and our ability to provide area residents with access to world-class care close to their homes,” said Michael A. Young, PinnacleHealth president and CEO. “The hospital represents a new chapter in healthcare that will touch the lives of West Shore residents for decades to come.”

The hospital campus offers a walking trail available to the public. The scenic, paved footpath is divided among its one-mile distance for exercise and respite.

West Shore Hospital is expected to create 500 new healthcare jobs by 2017, said PinnacleHealth.

Changing Hands

Barkley Lane, 2510: U.S. Bank National Association to Nish Properties, $35,000

Bellevue Rd., 1901: Anthony Properties LLC to Lynn & Ryan Investment Properties LLC, $67,500

Benton St., 543: PA Deals LLC to L. Shoffner & T. Samsel, $37,500

Berryhill St., 1701: Unilever Manufacturing US Inc. to Philadelphia Macaroni Co., $1 million

Boas St., 302: J. Hammer to M. Cantwell, $134,900

Briggs St., 209: J. & S. Brellos to C. Delozier, $39,900

Derry St., 2336: Mahe Enterprises LLC to E. Hernandez, $48,000

Green St., 1801 & 1803: B. Winpenney to Heinly Homes LLC, $190,000

Green St., 1834: L. & A. Lara to WCI Partners LP, $55,000

Green St., 1839: SCS Partnership to WCI Partners LP, $1.8 million

Green St., 2047: T. & J. Leonard to A. & A. Selkowitz, $175,000

Hoffman St., 3221: S. & S. Keo to W. Wood, $75,000

Holly St., 2020: B. Budesheim to W. & L. Brown, $51,000

Kelker St., 435: A. Krawczyk to E. Gish, $112,500

Kensington St., 2128: W. Scott to T. & S. James, $58,000

Kensington St., 2240: S. Lascara to D. Murphy, $31,000

Kensington St., 2316: D. Andres Jr. to B. Kelley, $40,218

Lewis St., 309: H. Lonon et al to J. Laing, $65,000

Market St., 315: Susquehanna Bank to 26th Street LLC, $82,000

Muench St., 210: K. Kingston et al to WCI Partners LP, $225,000

Muench St., 236: Bank of New York Mellon Trustee to WCI Partners LP, $53,500

North St., 260, 262: R. & T. Hanna to TJC East Properties, $370,000

N. 2nd St., 1901: Pharma Enterprises LLC to WCI Partners LP, $225,000

N. 2nd St., 2131: M. Owens & S. Luci to J. & R. Miller, $87,500

N. 3rd St., 2317: Centric Bank to Sam Hill Properties LLC, $49,636

N. 3rd St., 2319: Centric Bank to Sam Hill Properties LLC, $61,091

N. 3rd St., 2419: S. Pierce to M. & S. Kreines, $138,000

N. 7th St., 1641 & 1803: Aizen LLC to US Recycling LLC, $350,000

N. 16th St., 520: Trusted Source Capital LLC to M. McWilliams, $30,000

N. Front St., 2837, Unit 201: M. Seipos to R. & L. Barry, $77,000

Paxton St., 1640: J. Booth to C. Barboza, $52,000

S. 4th St., 19: Mater & Mater to S. Mater, $175,000

S. 14th St., 361: J. Rodriguez to Urena Diaz Property, $33,000

S. 14th St., 400: D. Boyle to J. Rodriguez, $40,000

S. 15th St., 916: D. White to R. & A. Mortha, $83,000

S. 25th St., 610: M. & B. Sumy to I. Yolov, $57,000

State St., 1624: M. Guerrero to WLW Holdings LLC, $58,000

Summit St., 160: P. Bayer to J. & J. Domenico, $30,000

Swatara St., 1316: D. & J. Boyle to K. Daniel, $32,000

Verbeke St., 252: A. O’Neal to A. Kennedy-Shaffer, $169,900

Vernon St., 1451: D. & J. Boyle to J. Rodriguez, $30,000

Wyeth St., 1403: S. Guszick III to M. Miller, $116,000

Harrisburg property sales for April 2014, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Peacemaker

May 13, 2014 | by Lawrance Binda

Jeffrey Baltimore, right, takes the oath of office as Harrisburg’s newest City Council member.

“I only want to serve. I want to do the best job I can for the people.”

Jeffrey Baltimore spoke those words following a whirlwind evening that saw him plucked from the audience and ushered in as Harrisburg’s newest councilman. No one seemed more surprised by the selection than Baltimore himself, a postal worker who had served for years as a mid-level official in former Mayor Steve Reed’s administration.

Dressed in denim, Baltimore, after taking the oath of office, gingerly approached the plush chair last occupied by Eugenia Smith, whose sudden death last month shook her council colleagues and the city itself. Baltimore sat down, and council President Wanda Williams patiently explained some procedure to him, offering a little background on the rather complex issues they’d be voting on that night. Just minutes in office, a steep learning curve ahead, Baltimore held equal authority to the other six members of council.

There are certain people who are well known in Harrisburg’s political circles. Of the four finalists for the council seat, two would fit that category: former Councilman Kelly Summerford and Alex Reber, who helped run former Controller Dan Miller’s recent mayoral campaign. Two would not: Baltimore and Michelle Blade, a retired conference facilitator and moderator.

So then why did the relatively unknown Baltimore prove successful, especially over Summerford and Reber, both well-connected and politically savvy? In the end, Baltimore’s selection seemed to be equal parts quality, politics and serendipity. Let’s begin with serendipity.

Last evening’s council meeting started with an unsettling revelation. Previously, council said it had received 12 applications for the open seat, which it winnowed to the four finalists. Actually, 16 were sent, the city revealed, as four were caught behind an anti-virus firewall, unceremoniously dumped into a spam folder. So, four applicants, who may have been well qualified, were immediately shut out.

In terms of quality, Baltimore, by some measures, is well-positioned for this role. He served for years in the Reed administration, ending his tenure in 2000 as acting deputy director in the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. In that capacity, he administered Reed’s revolving loan fund program. He then took jobs both in the state Department of Community and Economic Development and in the York County Economic Development Corp. For the past seven years, he has worked as a building contractor, a mail carrier and an advocate for healthy city living.

But it’s perhaps the political dimension that seemed so fascinating in his selection. Through six rounds, Reber received three votes, Baltimore two and Summerford one, with council members refusing to change their votes despite the gridlock. Then Summerford took to the public microphone, withdrawing, as he said, for the good of the city.

With Summerford out, Councilwoman Sandra Reid switched her vote to Baltimore, tying the tally at three. With all rounds expired, it was up to Mayor Eric Papenfuse to break the stalemate. He rose from his seat, went to a microphone and firmly declared his support for Baltimore. With that, the man from the Reed administration completed his unlikely reintroduction to the body politic.

Immediately, the press and onlookers began to speculate on Papenfuse’s vote. Was Baltimore’s selection a swipe at the mayor’s former political rival, Dan Miller? Was it, as PennLive columnist Matt Zencey seemed to imply in a tweet denounced by several council members, partly racially motivated?

Personally, I found it fascinating that Papenfuse cast his deciding vote for the man who, for years, headed up Reed’s revolving loan fund, which loaned public money to private businesses. Just a couple of years ago, during a weekend-long program on Harrisburg history held at his Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Papenfuse characterized the fund as a source of corruption in the Reed administration. In a promotional blurb for the program, a Midtown Scholar brochure stated that the money was given to an assortment of unproven and unsavory businesses. Indeed, many of the businesses that received loans never paid them back.

For his part, Papenfuse told me today that his vote for Baltimore was proactive, that he admired his “dedication to education and youth,” and that he seemed “well-connected to the community and independent-minded.” He said he also was impressed with Baltimore’s “extensive background in economic development.”

Speaking with me, Baltimore said he cared greatly about his community and only wished to serve the people. He seemed genuinely overwhelmed by his selection and vowed to be a conscientious, attentive member of council. In addition, as Reid pointed out when promoting Summerford, City Council should have more than one member from Allison Hill, the city’s most densely populated area. Baltimore, who lives on 17th Street, provides that geographical diversity.

However, I believe the greatest immediate benefit to the city would be if the appointment helped smooth the rocky relationship that has been building between the administration and a majority of City Council. Upon his election, Papenfuse vowed to work closely with council. However, the growing animosity between the two bodies has begun to resemble the antagonistic, dysfunctional relationships during the Reed and Thompson administrations.

In voting for Baltimore, Papenfuse sided with members of council who have opposed many of his initiatives, starting with a battle over the budget and growing after police arrested the Bishop Augustus Sullivan for code violations after his church partially collapsed. Last week’s strange public spat between city official Karl Singleton and council President Wanda Williams demonstrated just how frayed the relationship had become between administration and council.

Baltimore may end up being a fantastic councilman–or he may not. However, both sides should use this opportunity to re-set their relationship. To progress, Harrisburg needs its branches of government to respect one another and try to get along. The inability of the mayor and council to communicate and cooperate has been a continuing problem for years, leaving residents caught in the middle of a seemingly endless feud.

Baltimore, both as a symbol and through his actions, could offer a way to break free from this escalating hostility. He could even make it a priority to promote understanding between city officials, helping them seek common ground. The administration and City Council legitimately will never agree on everything, but, for the city to move forward, peace needs to be made.

Not Perfect

September 17, 2013 | by Lawrance Binda

Receiver William Lynch

“The Strong Plan is not a perfect plan,” Councilman Kelly Summerford said last night.

“It’s not a perfect plan,” echoed Councilwoman Eugenia Smith.

“Is this a perfect plan?” asked Councilwoman Susan Brown-Wilson before answering her own question. “No.”

And, with those words, City Council members gave the imperfect Harrisburg Strong Plan near-unanimous approval. Only Councilwoman Sandra Reid voted against what she perceived as several of the less-than-perfect elements of the imperfect plan.

The evening had started out solely focused on the plan’s imperfections, as city Controller Dan Miller–the lone Harrisburg official left standing against the plan generally–shared a PowerPoint slideshow entitled, “The Poor Pay More: No Shared Pain in the Receiver’s Plan.”

For 20 minutes, he assaulted the plan on many fronts: major creditors are made whole; assets are sold off; it infringes on residents’ fundamental rights, he charged.

“We’re trading our democratic rights for a few pieces of silver,” he biblically informed the packed City Council chambers to some applause.

Having made his points, Miller packed up his slideshow and disappeared swiftly into the night, the brief appearance his only one before the council despite nearly two weeks of hearings on the Strong plan. For the next three-and-a-half hours, residents, city officials, media–increasingly sweaty, punchy, hungry and tired–waited to see whether Miller’s pop-in would have any effect. It did not.

Steve Goldfield, the financial advisor for receiver William Lynch, was next up, refuting many of Miller’s points.

“I don’t think Mr. Miller’s presentation was factual,” he said, making perhaps the best effort at addressing an empty chair since Clint Eastwood.

In the end, Goldfield likewise conceded the non-perfection of the plan.

“You can’t get everything you want in a negotiated settlement,” he said with a hint of resignation.

After resident input, which revealed a split decision among those who spoke, it finally was time for council members to make known their views, which, in the end, were the only ones that mattered. Some read prepared statements; others spoke off the cuff.

Wanda Williams: “The work of fiscal recovery is hard. There is much to be done, and many people must do their part.”

Bruce Weber: “[The Strong Plan] will finally lift the dark, dark cloud of uncertainty that has hung over this city for far too long.”

Susan Brown-Wilson: “This plan will be one of the best plans we’ve seen. At least it gives us the chance to start new.”

Several council members went back into history, recalling the struggles of the past few years: the tussles with Mayor Linda Thompson over the prior Act 47 plans; the bounced bankruptcy filing; the initial hostility to a state-appointed receiver.

Arguably, Councilman Brad Koplinski best summarized why this night happened at all, why, over time, the council majority turned from pro- to anti-bankruptcy, from anti- to pro-receiver. The receivers, both David Unkovic and William Lynch, acted responsibly, he said. They tried to understand the city’s dilemma, getting creative in their solutions, asking council members’ opinions, keeping them informed and gaining their trust.

Because of this, “we have a much better and fairer plan” than previous plans, he said, with “shared pain,” creditor concessions and a reasonable chance for Harrisburg to regain its health both financially and as a community.

Months ago, Koplinski indicated to me that the tide had turned, that, after being briefed by Lynch, council members had begun to like what they heard. They’d come to think that the receiver’s team was an honest broker with far greater knowledge, expertise and resources than the city could ever have mustered without the state’s intervention. Bankruptcy, always over-sold as gain for no pain, had lost its tempting allure.

That’s why no last-minute slide shows or even speakers charging racism could sway the council. Most members had been in the fight for years. They had battled through it, made some good decisions and some bad ones, had even thought at one point they could end up in jail for contempt of court. And, now, after all this time, they had something they could live with.

“This plan, while not perfect, is going to allow the people of the city of Harrisburg to sleep at night and know that the city will have a brighter future,” Koplinski said.

So, not perfect. But, to council members, finally good enough.

Senior writer Paul Barker contributed to this article.

Harrisburg Wants Fighters: Voters sided with reform in City Council election.

June 29, 2013 | by Tara Leo Auchey

While the Harrisburg mayoral race has another leg, barring any atypical occurrence, we know what the next City Council will look like.

In this Democrat-heavy town, only Democrats have run for council in the past few years, so it’s the primary election that determines the winners and the losers.

This year, there were four seats up for grabs, and of the ten candidates who ran, there were three incumbents—Wanda Williams, Eugenia Smith and Kelly Summerford.

Summerford lost, and two fresh faces were elected to office. In fact, one of those newbies, Shamaine Daniels, garnered more votes than anyone else, which was a surprise to many and, most certainly, to the incumbents.

Aside from the fact that a relatively unfamiliar newcomer succeeded above the rest, it’s worth noting who lost, most especially Summerford, who was considered a Linda Thompson defender and upholder.

When looking back on City Council votes since 2010, when Summerford took office, his voting record indicates an alignment with Thompson and her positions. He was not alone. His comrade was former City Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts. In 2011, she retired from council at the end of her term, choosing no longer to run for local government, but rather tried to make the jump to state. In 2012, she ran for the 103rd PA House of Representatives seat, coming in last in the primary.

She also has stood out as a fervent Thompson supporter.

On the other hand, we have City Council incumbents who have been re-elected. And whether it was this run or the last, what we know is that the “Fabulous Four” made it, while the others have not.

Who are the Fabulous Four?

In a long story made short synopsis….

Back when Linda Thompson was on council, she and Mayor Stephen Reed engaged in a fight about whose right it was to appoint members to the Harrisburg Authority (THA) board—the mayor’s or council’s. The issue headed to the courts, where it went as high as it could. However, there was no final ruling until Thompson defeated Reed and took the office of mayor.

On May 26, 2010—as City Council-appointed members of THA were making progress on the organization of chaotic files and setting terms of negotiations with creditors in the incinerator debt matters—the state Supreme Court came down with its ruling on the matter.

It ruled that the mayor has the right to appoint members to THA’s board, not City Council. Thus, by law, THA’s board was immediately dismantled. Work on a plan to face the incinerator crisis and on a much-discussed forbearance agreement stopped.

Despite a lot of public pressure to do so, Mayor Thompson refused to re-appoint the board members so they could get back to work. It could have been done. The next day. The irony, of course, was that Thompson as city councilor fanatically claimed it was council’s prerogative to appoint the THA board. Hence, the lawsuit with “Linda Thompson” explicitly named as one of the parties involved, meaning she believed so full-heartedly that City Council should appoint the board, not the mayor, that she was willing to spend public money and time to prove her righteousness of principle.

Yet, when the tables turned and she was mayor, instead of returning the council-appointed board back to business, she delayed and then began to send down a list of new candidates who either withdrew themselves before they came before council or caused strife amongst city councilors.

This is the first time we saw the so-called “Fabulous Four,” as the media began to refer to them. There were four members of City Council who stuck together and demanded a re-appointment of the old board—Wanda Williams, Susan Brown-Wilson, Eugenia Smith and Brad Koplinski. They stood strong despite the mayor and City Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts calling them “obstructionists,” “hypocrites” and “children.” This is when Summerford was noted to side with Martin-Roberts and Thompson.

Why does this matter? Because, looking back on that summer of 2010, reflection easily demonstrates how bad of a move it was for Harrisburg to have an inactive THA Board.

It gave creditors power and ultimately contributed to Thompson’s application to the state for the Act 47 program in October 2010, which led to a state takeover and the appointment of a receiver.

The “Fabulous Four” stuck together for a long time. They formed a bloc that voted down various Thompson administration initiatives, including premature asset monetization moves, high-interest financings and the Act 47 program and plans. They even fought receivership and never failed to call Thompson out in unity if there were a questionable claim or deal on the table.

They were publicly applauded. They were voted back into office.

Gloria Martin-Roberts and Kelly Summerford were not. Even Patty Kim, who continuously teetered in the middle of the two sides, won the 103rd seat by a very slim margin.

Apparently, Harrisburg wants fighters. Voters have indicated they want elected officials who seem to understand the complexity of the issues at hand, who have noble opinions and who express perspective for the common good.

The electorate wants representatives to fight the fights that matter the most and not the ones that don’t.

If anything, this election seems to reflect that.

For the two newcomers—Daniels and Ben Allatt—they’ve been given a chance to show who they will listen to and what they’re made of. Clearly, the standard has been set.

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