Tag Archives: Mayor Eric Papenfuse

Parking Update: New Parking App Promises Easier Communication with Businesses, App Users

February 17, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

The parking app Parkmobile will allow business owners to offer specialized discounts, in addition to $1-an-hour after-work parking, officials said today.

“I think this empowers businesses in a way that will allow businesses to grow, and it empowers the city by bringing more people downtown,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

Business owners will receive a 10-percent discount when offering bulk discounts to users. They also can validate parking in real time, Papenfuse said. He gave a hypothetical example of Whitaker Center offering to validate the parking for attendees of a show the center is promoting.

The Parkmobile app allows users to save information, such as frequently used vehicles and parking zones.

The Parkmobile app will start with two discounts on March 1.

Users can pay $1 per hour to park downtown from 5 to 7 p.m. with the code “After5.” This pilot program, sponsored by Park Harrisburg, SP Plus and Parkmobile, will run for 3,000 hours of parking. Parking officials will continue the discount if they see an increase in downtown parking, Papenfuse said.

“It will be very easy and very possible for business to promote their discounts,” Papenfuse said.

Parkmobile users also receive four hours of free parking Saturdays anywhere in Harrisburg, as part of a program re-launched by the city, by using the code “LUVHBG.”

The app also promises better communication with users about discounts and parking regulations, Papenfuse said.

Parkmobile users will receive a “welcome to Harrisburg” message, which will outline the day’s discounts. During free parking hours—Sundays, holidays and evenings after 7 p.m.—users will not be allowed to pay, Papenfuse said.

The city also can use the app to communicate updates for festivals and events such as the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day parade, Papenfuse said, giving residents information about the parking situation.

The app will charge 35 cents per transaction, which is a 20-cent increase from Pango’s fee.

Author: Danielle Roth

Up or Down? School Board to vote on new arts charter school at next meeting

February 7, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

The former building for Bishop McDevitt High School has sat vacant since 2012.

The former home of Bishop McDevitt High School may become an arts-centered charter school, pending a vote by the Harrisburg school board.

On Feb. 21, the board is slated to decide whether to grant a charter to the newly formed Arts to the Core Charter School. The school incorporates music, dance, visual arts and theater into teaching core curriculum to kindergarten through eighth-grade students, said Richard Caplan, president of Arts to the Core.

“[The arts are] an attraction for kids going to school,” he said. “The arts cater to a lot of different learning pathways. Some kids learn better by physically doing things.”

If approved, Arts to the Core will open in September for the 2017-18 school year. More than 500 children from the Harrisburg School District have pre-enrolled. The school would accept 300 students from a lottery system to fill the first kindergarten through fourth grade classes, he said.

Students do not need to demonstrate artistic ability to attend the school.

“We essentially write off their talents if we don’t try to encourage them,” said Caplan, whose academic background is in the arts.

A Lancaster-based attorney, Caplan pursued music degrees before receiving his law degree from New York University. He said he “grew up in a family of educators” and has served for 10 years on public school boards in Lancaster County.

Caplan modeled the Arts to the Core school after the North Carolina Arts Council’s A+ charter school program. He said this approach is successful with inner-city children.

“The teachers find it much more exciting to teach because it’s more creative for them,” he said. “The parents love it because the kids want to go to school instead of being coerced to go to school.”

Jim Thompson, vice president of the school board, said he supports the Arts to the Core school and the arts-centered approach.

“I think it’s a good idea. I’ll ask them if they’ll let me come in and draw,” said Thompson, an architect. “To me, having an arts charter school as a feeder program to CASA makes a lot of sense.”

He said the community has reacted positively, most saying that it will be a good use of the iconic, 115,000-square-foot building at 2200 Market St. The building has sat vacant since 2012 and has been subject to vandalism since the private Catholic school relocated to Lower Paxton Township.

“I’m sensitive to community input,” he said, adding that he would not approve the charter just because it would put the property back into use.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse also supports the Arts to the Core school, saying that the school would encourage young families to stay in or move to Harrisburg.

“There’s probably no more important issue in terms of Harrisburg’s recovery,” Papenfuse said.

An increase in population, he said, is vital to re-energizing the city and boosting the tax base.

“We have seen growth among young professionals in various sectors,” he said. “A lot of times, young people will move to the city, enjoy city living and all that it has to offer, but, when it comes time for children to become school age, they have concerns.”

Students would attend the nonprofit school for free. The district would pick up the tab, at an estimated $1 million per 60 students. The school could apply for state and federal funds, as well. As a nonprofit, the school also could accept public donations.

Laws around charter schools restrict the school board from considering cost when voting on the proposal.

“Theoretically, [the district] should save that million dollars by not educating those children,” Caplan said.

Superintendent Dr. Sybil Knight-Burney, citing legal restrictions, declined to comment on the charter school.

Caplan brought the idea to the school board last November after a difficult search for urban school buildings in York, Lancaster and Chester counties led him to the former Bishop McDevitt building.

The building, built in 1930, needs renovations, including a new boiler, a security system and accessibility updates per the Americans with Disabilities Act, he said. This construction will take four to six months and cost more than $2 million, an expense Caplan said he will pay out of pocket.

Arts to the Core will complete the purchase of the school from the Harrisburg Catholic Diocese contingent on the charter’s approval from the school board, he said. If the board approves the charter, Caplan said he will move ahead with renovations and hiring staff. He said 12 people have expressed interest in heading the school.

For more information about the Arts to the Core Charter School, please visit the Facebook page.

Author: Danielle Roth

January News Digest

January 31, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Reed Pleads Guilty

Former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed pleaded guilty last month to 20 counts of receiving stolen property, ending a decades-long saga that began with one man’s ambitious vision for a series of museums throughout the city.

To a surprised courtroom, Reed’s lawyers announced that he had accepted a plea bargain with the state that dropped most of 112 criminal counts in exchange for pleading guilty to two felony and 18 misdemeanor counts.

“He’s charged with misappropriating public tax dollars and using them for his own personal gain,” said Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Franz, the lead prosecutor. “This sends a strong message about public corruption.”

This story began back in the 1990s, when Reed and several associates began buying and shipping back to Harrisburg thousands of artifacts for a series of museums he wanted to build in the city. After Reed left office, the city auctioned off most of the items. However, in June 2015, state investigators found some of the artifacts in Reed’s Cumberland Street home and in a nearby storage facility.

A month later, the state charged the seven-term mayor with almost 500 criminal counts, including charges of theft, bribery and evidence tampering. However, the court threw out most of those, determining they violated the statute of limitations because they had occurred too long ago.

Reed called the proceedings “gut wrenchingly humiliating.” He stuck to a script with defense lawyer Henry E. Hockeimer of Philadelphia-based Ballard Spahr by his side. Reed said he personally bought similar items when the city purchased artifacts. These items got mixed up while moving out of the mayor’s office, he said.

“How they got into some box when moving out seven years ago? I still do not know,” he said. “My guess is that they were thrown in with a bunch of similar things in the haste of getting everything packed.”

He said he takes responsibility for these 20 counts.

The artifacts, valued at more than $18,000 total, included documents, letters and other Wild West relics connected to Native American groups and famous figures such as Buffalo Bill.

Papenfuse Seeks Re-Election

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced his bid for re-election last month, listing his accomplishments and vowing to heal rocky relationships with everyone from PennLive reporters to the National Civil War Museum board.

Standing in his Midtown campaign headquarters, Papenfuse stated that he is proud of the city’s improvements under his tenure, citing achievements in economic development, public safety, fiscal responsibility and civic engagement. He said that he’s running for re-election to continue to make progress in those four areas.

“I can say for certain that Harrisburg is on the right track, and I believe most residents feel that way as well,” he said.

So far, Papenfuse faces two declared opponents for the Democratic nomination, former City Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts and previous mayoral candidate, Lewis Butts. PennLive has reported that Johnny Baer, a Dauphin County prosecutor, might be interested in running on the Republican side.

During the half-hour announcement and press conference, Papenfuse defended his record as mayor, including the battles he’s waged with City Council members, the National Civil War Museum and PennLive.

“On any point, you can bring up where there’s been a controversy, I think it’s always been fought with the interest of Harrisburg taxpayers in mind, and I think we are in a position to move toward a good solution,” he said.

He dropped one such political battle during his announcement, ceasing his self-imposed ban on speaking directly to PennLive reporters.

River Walk Repaving

Broken pavement, holes, dirt and weeds—a jog along Harrisburg’s historic river walk can be an exercise in trying not to trip and fall down.

That, however, will soon change, as the city learned last month that it will receive a $1 million federal grant to repave the entire walk—11,000 linear feet—from Shipoke to Maclay Street.

Last year, the city applied for the Transportation Alternative Program grant, designed to assist and promote non-motorized transportation. On Jan. 10, PennDOT, which administers the U.S. Department of Transportation grant, announced $33 million in awards to fund 51 sidewalk, trail and other projects throughout the state, including the two-mile Harrisburg project, the only one funded in Dauphin County.

“This is a terrific means to encourage biking and walking,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “Right now, the walk is uneven and a hazard.”

Papenfuse said he expected work to take place over the course of 2017, starting once the weather warms up. The project will be limited to the walk and the top step, he said.

The century-old river walk has been damaged repeatedly by floods and also has been a victim of neglect, with much of the original concrete patched haphazardly over many decades. Two years ago, the city used some of the federal money it received following the severe 2011 flood from Tropical Storm Lee to repair a section ofShipoke, which was the most severely deteriorated.

Council Candidates Declare

City Councilman Ben Allatt announced his bid for a second term last month via a Facebook Live video in front of the Broad Street Market, pledging to work to continue Harrisburg’s financial recovery.

“I’m proud of the record I have in working for more financial accountability, increased communication among our leaders, and also government transparency,” he said. “These are themes I want to build on going forward.”

Four, four-year council seats are at stake during the May 16 primary. Allatt is the first council incumbent to announce for re-election. He works as the associate vice president of human resources at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.

A Democrat, Allatt won his first four-year term on council in 2013 and currently chairs council’s Budget and Finance Committee. He said in a press release that he has immersed himself in “understanding the intricacies” of the state-mandated financial recovery plan, the Act 47 process, municipal finance and the state laws pertaining to local government.

At press time, Dave Madsen was the only other declared candidate for council. Madsen is president of the Dauphin County Young Democrats and former staffer to Gov. Tom Wolf and state Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding.

In a press release, Madsen said he supported re-chartering Harrisburg as a home rule city and would focus on improving the city’s aging infrastructure and fighting blight.

“There are still many issues the City Council will need to tackle over the next few years, such as fixing the city’s financial issues, reinvesting in critical infrastructure to meet basic community needs and improving the quality of life of our residents,” he said.

Hodges to Run for Judge

City Councilwoman Destini Hodges last month announced her bid to run for a magisterial district justice seat serving parts of Harrisburg, a position Judge George Zozos has held for 35 years.

Hodges, a Harrisburg native, said she aims to bring innovation and efficiency to the minor court judgeship for Dauphin County district 12-1-05.

“My goal is to now serve you as a magisterial district judge,” she said in her announcement. “I know I’ll continue to serve my community both effectively and efficiently because I’ll be serving with morality, ethics and, most importantly, integrity.”

The Democrat has served on City Council for two years and will not run for re-election. She has also served on the Harrisburg school board.

Hodges received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Penn State University’s Harrisburg campus. She earned her paralegal certificate from Harrisburg Area Community College. She currently works as an administrative office technician at HACC’s security department.

In Harrisburg, the judge district covers ward 13 and parts of ward 9.

Garage Rates Increase

The cost of street parking in Harrisburg is unchanged this year, though garage rates have increased again.

Starting last month, parking in the 11 garages and lots controlled by Park Harrisburg cost $10 for up to two hours, up from $9 last year. The monthly rate for garage parking also increased, with most garages costing $10 a month more to park.

At a public meeting in December, John Gass, the director of parking manager Trimont, said that Park Harrisburg would need to raise some of its rates to continue to meet bond payments and make revenue projections.

In addition to holding the line on street parking, Park Harrisburg said it would not raise the cost of parking violations, which will remain $30 a ticket if paid within four business days.

More Apartments Needed

Downtown Harrisburg has a need for about 300 additional apartment units by 2020, according to a report released last month by Harristown Enterprises.

The study, conducted by Columbia, Md.-based Real Property Research Group, concluded that demand for market-rate housing downtown soon will outstrip supply. Due to density and limited buildable land, most new units probably will come from “adaptive reuse” of existing buildings, the report said.

Over the past few years, more than 100 new rental units have opened downtown and near downtown due to projects by Harristown, WCI Partners and the Vartan Group. All of these projects involved renovating historic structures, mostly office buildings, for upscale residential units.

“Downtown Harrisburg has proven to be well suited for the development of high-end rental products, and that should continue to be the case for the foreseeable future given the projected household growth and strong job market,” the report stated.

Home Sales, Prices Up Again

The area’s housing market ended 2016 on a positive note, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors.

In December, 809 housing units sold versus 708 units in December 2015 in the GHAR coverage area, which includes all of Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties and parts of Lebanon, Juniata and York counties. The median sales price rose to $169,900 from $159,850.

In Dauphin County, sales increased to 265 housing units compared to 237 units in December 2015, while the median price rose to $150,000 from $145,000, according to GHAR. In Cumberland County, 277 units sold versus 245 in the year-ago period. The median sales price was flat at $180,000. Perry County saw sales increase to 42 units from 26, with the median sales price rising to $152,500 from $150,000.

For all of 2016, the number of units sold rose 8.8 percent compared to 2015, while the median home sales price increased 3.9 percent in the region, said GHAR.

So Noted

Aleco’s, a popular sandwich, pizza and salad restaurant, moved last month to larger space at N. 3rd and Briggs streets in downtown Harrisburg. Aleco’s now occupies the ground floor of the newly renovated building that, for many years, was home to the St. Moritz nightclub.

Harrisburg City Council last month approved a new, two-year contract with Local 521 of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, which represents about 300 non-uniformed city workers. That contract provides for a 1 percent raise and a $1,000 bonus for all workers in both 2017 and 2018.

Ike’s opened last month inside the Holiday Inn Harrisburg East, 815 S. Eisenhower Blvd, outside Harrisburg. The restaurant features an American-style menu and will hold a grand opening, along with a fundraiser to benefit the ALS Association, on Feb. 18.

Knead, a gourmet pizza stand, has opened in the stone building of the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg. Run by Jenni O’Neill and Terry Hanley, Knead specializes in small, individual-sized pies.

In Memoriam

Karen Snider, executive director of the Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation, died unexpectedly last month. Snider, 77, had a long and distinguished career, including serving as the state Secretary of Welfare under Gov. Robert Casey and as founder of Susquehanna Consulting and Financial Group. After retiring, she was active in numerous social and charitable organizations, including the schools foundation, where she worked tirelessly to raise funds to maintain school programs threatened by the district’s financial crisis. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Karen and Jack Snider Charitable Fund at the Foundation for Enhancing Communities, 200 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, Pa. 17101.

Oliver Boyd, a long-time Harrisburg activist and gadfly, died last month following a long illness. For many years, Boyd was a well-known presence at both the Broad Street Market and City Council, where he often spoke eloquently, if sharply, before council members, agitating on behalf of the area’s poor and homeless. He clashed frequently with public officials, but they also respected him, and several council members noted his absence from meetings during his prolonged stay in the hospital. The family asks that donations in his name be made to the Major H. Winfield Funeral Home, 704 N. Front St., Steelton, Pa. 17113.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2454: R. & S. Vizzachero to M. Makinde, $61,000

Bellevue Rd., 2014: Statewide Enterprises to A. Pikowski, $64,000

Berryhill St., 2145: J. & J. Edrington to B. Charles, $66,700

Boas St., 215: F. & T. Barnaby to J. Barnaby, $80,000

Boas St., 429: G. Hutchinson & T. Wendling to R. King III, $155,000

Briggs St., 237: M. Gregorits to L. Binda & A. Black, $173,000

Briggs St., 1501: M. Watson to P. Randolph, $67,000

Brookwood St., 2172 & 2170 Getty’s Alley: D. & A. Kauffman to R. & Y. Barros, $33,000

Carnation St., 1726 & 1728; 1011 N. 19th St.; and 1916 Chestnut St.: CSL Investments LLC to Hilltop Property Group LLC, $97,500

Derry St., 2001: S. & E. Lewis to K. Causey, $89,975

Harris St., 431: Keystone Properties Group LLC to T. & B. Rossner, $93,000

Liberty St., 1414: G. Neff to D. McNair, $30,600

Logan St., 1725: PA Deals LLC to T. & V. Williams, $117,500

Market St., 313: E. Ruth to South Third Development LLC, $450,000

Market St., 2468: Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania to C. Jackson, $41,500

Mercer St., 2449: T. Dang & J. Nguyen to A. Williams, $65,000

2nd St., 813: L. & K. Beemer to L. Slater, $195,000

3rd St., 1101: A. Pastorak & T. Spangler to D. Carroll, $120,000

3rd St., 1728: M. Miller to Leonard J. Dobson Family Limited Partnership, $66,301

4th St., 3202: T. Levin to T. Broms, $100,000

5th St., 3009: T. Reed to N. Acharya, $50,000

6th St., 2200: D&F Realty Holdings LP to J. Frias, $70,000

16th St., 1100: HSBC Bank USA to M. Johnston, $37,919

Front St., 2415: C. Frampton & J. Kimmel to J. Kimmel, $103,145

Paxton St., 1610: A. Garcia to G. Scotto, $51,000

Peffer St., 220 & 222: G. & C. Cudaback & WCI Partners LP to T. Jones, $203,000

Penn St., 1723: PA Deals LLC to JD CPW 2013 LLC, $130,000

Rudy Rd., 1948: B. Drake to M. Anderson, $66,000

Rudy Rd., 2446: PA Deals LLC to T. & V. Williams, $64,900

Schuylkill St., 668: R. & D. Waibel to R. Wright Jr., $50,000

Showers St., 700: J. Lawley to G. Diehl, $175,000

12th St., 1442: N. Sanchez to G. Ruiz, $95,000

23rd St., 612: L. Brown to A. Radon, $190,000

24th St., 540: M. & D. Straw to J. Cirillo, $70,000

25th St., 440: Wells Fargo Bank NA to Jamil Karim LLC, $55,500

Front St., 549: T. & S. Grenager to J. Benjestorf, $186,171

Front St., 615: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to C. Conner & E. Butler, $70,000

State Street, 231, Unit 705: LUX 1 LP to Crist Property Management LLC, $182,400

Swatara St., 2324: Fannie Mae to SWM Properties, $58,000

Woodbine St., 217: Projimo Real Estate Holdings LLC to J. & S. Compton, $32,500

Wyeth St., 1417: PA Deals LLC to M. Renz, $102,000

Harrisburg property sales for December 2016, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Reed Gets Probation: Case had “whole lot more smoke with very little fire,” says judge.

January 27, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed received a probation sentence today.

What began as a man’s ambitious vision to develop a network of museums in a city of 50,000 people ended today with two years of probation for former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed.

This afternoon, Judge Kevin Hess sentenced the former “mayor for life” to probation for 20 counts of receiving stolen property. Reed must also pay a $2,000 fee plus the cost of the prosecution.

Hess gave Reed’s stage-four cancer, guilty plea and clean criminal record as reasons for the probation sentencing, as opposed to jail time. He also cited improvements made to the city during Reed’s tenure as mayor, which are “visible to anyone who bothered to look out the windows of this courthouse,” he said.

In addition, Hess called the nearly 500 counts of corruption charges that the state initially brought against the seven-term mayor a “whole lot more smoke with very little fire.”

Hess received numerous letters about the case, including a 161-page victim’s impact statement filed by the city. In it, the city requested a two-to-five-year jail sentence

“We felt that would have been an appropriate sentence given the magnitude of the crime and a continued pattern by the mayor for not accepting the responsibility of his actions,” said current Mayor Eric Papenfuse, clearly disappointed by the judge’s decision.

Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Franz, the lead prosecutor, said that her office achieved justice today and accepts the sentencing.

“We have brought closure for the citizens of Harrisburg and the Commonwealth,” she said.

Papenfuse said this sentencing did not send “a strong message about public corruption.”

He did see some positives. Reed’s guilty plea for these 20 counts leaves the door open for civil suits and possible charges against other individuals from the Reed administration.

“The city currently is a party to what could become millions and millions of dollars in a civil suit,” he said.

The city seeks the return of the artifacts and “tractor-trailer loads” of public documents from Reed’s 28 years as mayor, he said.

“He packed up every public record associated with his time in office,” Papenfuse said. “We want them all back.”

Reed also alluded to an unfinished ending to his tenure as mayor.

“One day, there may be additional details about the case that come to light, and so forth, which I think you’ll find very interesting at that time,” Reed said, adding, “but please don’t sit on my doorstep to try to find out.”

He will now focus on his stage-four prostate cancer, which will eventually spread and become bone cancer, he said.

“It is a relief for the whole thing to be over,” Reed said.

Author: Danielle Roth

More Cop Shops: 2 police substations coming to Harrisburg

January 26, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

The sub-station, located at 17 S. 3rd Street, functions as a hub for private security officers contracted by the Downtown Improvement District.

Harrisburg soon will have more police closer to the action, as a new precinct is planned for Allison Hill while a substation opened downtown.

Harrisburg City Council this week took a step toward opening a precinct in Allison Hill, a key aspect of the mayor’s goal to implement a community policing strategy.

On Tuesday, council unanimously approved a resolution to work with SGS Architects Engineers of Carlisle for design and construction management. After a three-month design phase, the construction to complete the renovations will go out to bid, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

“This will make response times quicker and community feedback easier,” Papenfuse said.

This Allison Hill precinct on 15^th Street is the second of three “full-time, fully staffed” precincts that the mayor aims to create. The Uptown neighborhood will receive its own precinct next, he said.

A Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will fund the construction.

Also this month, Harristown Enterprises and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID) opened a Security and Safety Sub-station on 17 S. 3^rd Street near Strawberry Square.

The new “S-5” sub-station serves as a hub for unarmed security officers contracted by HDID to cover the district. Pairs of officers man the sub-station five days per week (Tuesday through Saturday) from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. to supplement the daytime presence of the Capitol Police, said Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown.

“We will have patrol units continue to canvas the DID to look for situations that are unsafe and, when appropriate, call in the emergency,” he said.

These unsafe situations could be a pedestrian in distress, a motorist having car troubles or a streetlight that went out. If an emergency occurs, the private security officers contact the Harrisburg police or the Pennsylvania Capitol Police to respond, Jones said.

“These are all good things that will make the city safer,” Papenfuse said.

Author: Danielle Roth

Mayor Eric Papenfuse Announces for Re-election, Defends Record

January 11, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced his bid for re-election today.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced his bid for re-election today, listing his accomplishments and vowing to heal rocky relationships with everyone from PennLive reporters to the National Civil War Museum board.

Standing in his Midtown campaign headquarters before a giant sign reading “Together We Can,” Papenfuse stated that he is proud of the city’s improvements under his tenure, citing achievements in economic development, public safety, fiscal responsibility and civic engagement. He said that he’s running for re-election to continue to make progress in these four areas.

“I can say for certain that Harrisburg is on the right track, and I believe the majority of residents feel that way as well,” he said.

So far, Papenfuse faces two declared opponent for the Democratic nomination, former City Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts and previous mayoral candidate, Lewis Butts. PennLive has reported that Johnny Baer, a Dauphin County prosecutor, might be interested in running on the Republican side.

During the half-hour announcement and press conference, Papenfuse defended his record as mayor, including the sometimes pitched battles he’s waged with City Council, the National Civil War Museum and PennLive coverage.

Papenfuse said that he said does not regret the battles, which he stated are based on principle and the interest of taxpayers.

“Politics is a contact sport,” he said. “That’s what had to be done. But in the end, you need solutions. So, judge me in the end if I get a good solution.”

He dropped one such political battle today, ceasing his self-imposed ban on speaking directly to PennLive reporters.

He said he believed that had made his point about PennLive’s anonymous commenters and what he calls negative stories. As an olive branch, he selected PennLive reporter Christine Vendel to ask the first question during the press conference portion.

Much of the announcement, however, was to tout his record on fiscal and economic issues.

He said he ran for election in 2013 to help Harrisburg get out of Act 47, a state program to help financially distressed municipalities. Though the city is not out of Act 47, Harrisburg is on much stronger financial footing, he said.

Harrisburg’s balanced budgets and a 2017 budget investing in capital improvements are “no mean feat,” he said.

“Some of this seems mundane, but the city is just returning to normalcy,” he said. “We don’t want to go backwards to dysfunction, to cronyism, to outright corruption, which is what defined Harrisburg not too long ago.”

He cited a $3 million grant to revitalize Allison Hill’s MulDer Square and federal funding for South Allison Hill residents affected by sinkholes as two examples of the millions of state and federal funding he has secured. And, today, he announced a $1 million grant to repave Harrisburg’s decrepit river walk.

Papenfuse also touted his record on crime, saying that major crimes had decreased during his term. But he added that the city has ongoing challenges recruiting and retaining officers. Currently, there are 19 open positions in the Bureau of Police.

“[This is the time to] put our stamp of Chief Thomas Carter’s leadership on new training and engagement with public,” he said.

Papenfuse said the problems facing the police department – recruitment and community tensions – are national issues. With Act 47 constraints still in place, the city cannot do more financially to support the police department, he said.

A new group of officers soon would be coming in and learning community-policing strategies, which would help build positive relationships with residents, he said, adding that he was proud that Harrisburg remained calm last year following a police-involved killing.

Another achievement, he said, was working to lower street parking rates 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays and providing four free hours of parking Saturdays with the Pango app.

“These things wouldn’t have happened unless you were fighting and pushing against a system which is basically controlled by business interests,” he said.

Internally, Papenfuse said his campaign already has raised about $40,000. Many people have contributed to his campaign, he said, including members of Harrisburg Capital City PAC, the same political action committee that helped fund his first mayoral election.

He also re-hired Andrea Krizner as campaign manager. Harrisburg-based MFStrategies and the national firm, The Strategy Group, also support his campaign.

Disclosure: Alex Hartzler, a founder of Harrisburg Capital City PAC, is publisher of TheBurg.

Author: Danielle Roth

10 for ‘16: Our editor picks his top Harrisburg news stories for the year just past.

December 30, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Five years ago, when I started my annual list of top Harrisburg news stories, I remarked that I was surprised that each one of my “Top 10” was positive.

Not this year, which is ironic since the city was in far better shape in 2016 than it was in 2012. But, sometimes, that’s the relative nature of the big news. Overall, 2016 was, in my opinion, the most promising year I’ve experienced as a denizen of Harrisburg, but, along the way, there certainly was no lack of highs and lows.

Illustrations by Rich Hauck.

The Apartments

My leadoff story of the year is a positive one. It didn’t get quite the ink (or, sorry, the pixels) as many other stories, but I included it because it indicates something new and potentially significant for Harrisburg. During the year, four new apartment buildings opened, three in downtown and one in Midtown, putting almost 100 high-end units onto the market in a short timeframe. In the end, I view this as a grand experiment, a test of whether, like in other cities, there’s demand for beautiful, if pricey, one-bedroom, apartments. Is there enough desire for $1,000/month units when there’s no lack of less-nice, but far more spacious townhouses for about the same price? According to the developers I’ve asked—so far, the answer seems to be yes.

Full Impact

Nothing seems to happen in Harrisburg without controversy, and so it was with Impact Harrisburg, a nonprofit set up to dole out about $13 million to help the city with its unmet infrastructure and economic development needs. It took years to get Impact Harrisburg off the ground. It then came under fire for a lack of openness, got sued by the Patriot-News and, naturally, took some verbal abuse from Mayor Eric Papenfuse. In the end, Impact Harrisburg disgorged its bounty in just a few months, despite expectations from the Commonwealth Court that its impact should last at least five years.

6th Street Awaits

In its long history, N. 6th Street has been a working-class enclave, a depressing example of post-industrial decay and a big, long expanse of nothing. It’s now turning again. In April, the commonwealth announced it would build the new Pennsylvania State Archives building at N. 6th and Harris streets. Then, Rep. Lou Barletta (much to my surprise) began hammering through Congress funding for a new, $194.4 million federal courthouse at Reily Street. Could The Vartan Group’s big bet of anchoring its vast neighborhood holdings with The 1500 Condominium building actually work out? Well, there’s an old saying on Wall Street that being early is being wrong. However, if you have the rare luxury of patient capital, you might find yourself profiting handsomely in the long run.

Flattened Tires

Let’s say that, on some random Thursday, you’re busy at work when the world comes crashing down on top of you. That’s rather what happened to Howard Henry, the owner of a tire shop and garage on Cameron Street. After a springtime downpour, a concrete retaining wall holding back a hill collapsed, raining a mountain of dirt and the remains of a parking lot (including a Nissan Altima) onto the roof of his building. Seven months later, the entire mess remained, as PennDOT and the owners of the McFarland Apartments slugged it out over responsibility. Henry tried to remain open, but, eventually, was forced to close as he waited for someone to accept blame and pay for the disaster.

Sudden Deaths

From time to time, I’m asked why the news media treats some murders differently than others. This question came up again after the homicide of Steven Esworthy, who was killed in June after being hit on the head as part of an apparent robbery. Is it a matter of race, class or location? To some extent, yes but it’s often more a matter of the specific circumstances of the crime. In this case, Esworthy was walking home from a wedding in the wee hours of the morning when he was clubbed from behind, and random murders always seem more tragic and, thus, generate more press attention. The neighborhood’s reaction also was strong, which kept the story around. Likewise, the murder of John Carter, another random victim (and the nephew of the city’s police chief), received a lot of coverage last year.

The Way of Weed

If you judge a story’s importance by the volume of people attending meetings, the city’s pot law changes would have ranked first last year. Harrisburg held several meetings about reducing penalties for marijuana possession, attracting more than 100 people in all. In the end, City Council eased its possession laws, reducing fines, but the changes weren’t as dramatic as some activists had hoped.

Bar Brawl, part 2

Who knew that such a little bar could create so much fuss? In the only repeat item from 2015, the battle between Mayor Papenfuse and the Third Street Café slogged through its second year. Once again, the corner bar emerging victorious as a Dauphin County judge ordered the city to issue it a business license. The administration appealed the decision to the Commonwealth Court, a case that should be heard later this year. And, in a big middle finger to the mayor, the business owners even bought the building next door, a bar that Papenfuse had successfully shut down a year earlier.

Police Shooting

Nationally, 2016 may be remembered as a year when relations between police and African Americans hit a troubling low. Harrisburg found itself in that controversy after the shooting death of 20-year-old Earl Shaleek Pinckney. Police said an officer shot Pinckney because he was holding a knife to his mother’s throat, an account that she denied. The shooting sparked marches, protests and a unity meeting, which was attended by both police and family members. Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico later agreed with the police account, clearing Officer Tony Elliott of any wrongdoing.

Presidential Visits

Harrisburg may be the state capital, but it rarely finds itself rolling out the presidential welcome mat. That changed in 2016, as central PA emerged as a swing region in a swing state. Following the Democratic National Convention, Hillary Clinton rolled through town, practically shutting down the city with an outdoor rally in front of the Broad Street Market. A few days later, Republican nominee Donald Trump attracted a long line of folks in red caps to the PA Farm Show Complex. Even Vice President Joe Biden stopped by to offer a pep talk in the waning days of the campaign. However, as is his tendency, Trump made the biggest splash when, after a visit to the west shore, he remarked that Harrisburg looked like a “war zone” from his airplane, prompting criticism for this ridiculous remark from many local media (including TheBurg) for the man who will be sworn into office this month.

Normalizing Harrisburg

I didn’t grow up in Harrisburg, so have no nostalgia for the long-defunct businesses and colorful shop owners whose names pop up in places like the popular, “If You’re Really from Harrisburg, You Would Know,” Facebook group. However, I am quite familiar with Harrisburg as calamity, an essentially bankrupt city that seemed to have no future beyond lurching endlessly from crisis to crisis. This past year was the first I’ve experienced when Harrisburg felt like, well, a normal city, one that is fiscally solvent, competently delivers an acceptable level of service and offers enough stability so that residents and businesses can feel comfortable investing, operating and just being. Perhaps, in other cities, reaching “average” would be nothing to write about. However, given the recent history of Harrisburg, normalcy is an achievement indeed. Sure, this top news item may have a “Dog that Didn’t Bark” quality about it. But, unlike other media, I believe that news isn’t just about dysfunction, but about when things go well, which should be noted and applauded.

So, there you have it—my top 10 Harrisburg stories for 2016. It was tough to cull the list down from all the possibilities in this small, yet news-rich place. Should I have included the still-unsolved Civil War Museum thefts, the Papenfuse/Patriot-News cold war, the ongoing saga of fake student Artur Samarin or all the twists in the search for money to pay for sinkhole fixes? A case could be made for any of these. Certainly, the trial of former Mayor Steve Reed would have been a top news story if it had not been delayed until this month.

As we enter the new year, I have a resolution that directly pertains to news in Harrisburg. I resolve that TheBurg will strive to do a better job than ever before in covering what happens around here. We have a commitment to this community that we take very seriously and, as we enter a local election year, the time is right for us to up our game.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Illustrations by Rick Hauck.

Holiday Rundown: Harrisburg announces holiday events, parking, trash collection

December 20, 2016 | by Danielle Roth

What do you want for Christmas?

If you’re a Harrisburg resident or visitor, chances are good that free parking is high on your wish list. Well, that wish is granted, as the city’s parking manager today announced that street parking will not be enforced on Dec. 24, 25 and 26.

“Though Saturday is not an official city holiday, Park Harrisburg will suspend ticketing enforcement activities for everybody planning to visit the city for the holiday,” said Nancy Keim, senior manager of SP Plus.

Parking enforcement then will resume as normal, though street parkers will not have to pay on Jan. 1—but only because New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday.

Coming into the city for New Year’s Eve? Mayor Eric Papenfuse reminded drivers today that they can use the code “LUVHBG” with the Pango app for four hours of free parking on Saturday.

Also, parking garages will cost a $10 flat rate for Dec. 31. Drivers can park there all night while enjoying the city’s celebration downtown.

And what about that celebration?

Things start early for the kiddos, as the Gamut Theatre’s Popcorn Hat Players’ annual celebration begins at 11 a.m. with a play and a balloon drop at Whitaker Center.

For the adults, the official fun begins at 9 p.m, with light refreshments and the music of Jimmy Lawrence at Harrisburg city hall. Across the street, Harrisburg Young Professionals and the Hill Society will present a New Year’s Eve party at the Hilton Harrisburg.

And, as has become a central PA tradition, come midnight, a giant strawberry will drop from the hotel, followed by fireworks, to welcome the new year.

Aaron Johnson, the city’s director of Public Works, said his team will be ready to clean up after the holiday mess.

Speaking of which: Trash collection will be delayed a day during the weeks following Christmas and New Year’s, both Sundays. So, if your trash is normally collected on a Monday, the city will collect it on Tuesday, and so forth, Johnson said.

During the week after Christmas, Public Works will accept extra trash loads without a fee, an exception to the rule. In addition, during the entire month of January, residents can place Christmas trees to the curb for compost collection, according to Johnson.

For more information on city-sponsored events and schedules, visit www.harrisburgpa.gov or www.explorehbg.com/holiday/.

Author: Danielle Roth

Administration Focuses on Capital Improvements with Proposed 2017 City Budget

November 23, 2016 | by Danielle Roth

Mayor Eric Papenfuse last night proposed a $65 million budget for 2017, a spending plan meant to address several critical capital improvements.

A Harrisburg police officer demonstrates a Taser at last night’s city council meeting.

The budget, a nearly $6 million spending increase from last year, includes $2.5 million for a new public works facility, $127,754 for police body cameras and Tasers and $90,000 for Reservoir Park’s band shell.

City council will hold public meetings on the budget on Dec. 7 and 8. Council is scheduled to vote on a 2017 spending plan at its Dec. 13 legislative session.

Papenfuse began his annual budget discussion with some good news. The administration estimates an end-of-year 2016 city cash balance of $12 million, as, the city underspent its budget this year and received an estimated $64 million in revenue, $4 million more than the initial budget.

Come 2017, Papenfuse projects $65 million in revenue, with increases coming from parking enforcement, local services taxes, increased business licensing fees and code inspecting fees.

The annual business license fee will increase from $40 to $50 as of Jan. 1 2017. Papenfuse called parking payments “essential revenues for city sustainability.”

Papenfuse projects personnel, health care and pension to be the main sources of increased spending in 2017, up nearly $3 million.

Maintaining and building capacity

As part of the budget, six management positions will be upgraded or reclassified, Papenfuse said. This includes a health and ADA compliance officer; the director of business and resource development; and a solid waste logistics and composting manager.

The general fund will support one new traffic engineer technician and three new codes officers. The codes officers will pay for themselves, Papenfuse said, with fee increases and by helping the city tackle a backlog of rental inspections.

Harrisburg parks would see increased maintenance and cleaning under the proposal. Papenfuse proposed six new parks maintenance laborers, one parks maintenance secretary and one park ranger.

Capital Investments

Last night, Papenfuse proposed reserving half of the $12 million in current savings as a nest egg and spending the other half on capital improvements.

Under the budget proposal, $2.5 million would be set aside for the purchase of a new public works facility site, one of the city’s highest priorities. A composting site would receive $120,000. About $2.3 million would fund new equipment and vehicles.

“Our needs exceed our resources,” said Papenfuse about capital projects, adding that the department heads identified the most pressing needs for capital investments.

Reservoir Park would receive $90,000 to resurface, paint and repair the band shell. Currently, consultants are creating a master plan to best utilize the park. The public identified the band shell as a need during the first public meeting.

The bureau of police would receive $215,000 for four patrol vehicles, $79,920 for body cameras and $47,834 for Tasers out of a total $497,834 allotted for police capital improvements in the proposed budget.

The proposed budget gives $130,000 to the Bureau of Fire to replace a straight truck and upgrade inspector vehicles.

Papenfuse proposed other infrastructure spending for projects such as traffic signal upgrades, accessibility improvements per ADA requirements and streetlights.

“These should have been improved on long ago,” Papenfuse said.

Future of Act 47

The budget is only sustainable with revenue from the taxing powers from Act 47, Papenfuse said.

He sees a few options to keep the revenue generated from Act 47 taxing powers.

The city could team with other small cities and push for state-level legislative change. With a tax-adverse Republican majority in state legislature, increasing municipal taxing powers may be a long shot, he said.

Alternatively, City Council could initiate a “home rule” process and create a new city charter, like Carlisle did last year. Home rule municipalities are not bound by municipal codes created by state laws. Rather, home rule municipalities decide municipal matters – property taxes, personal taxes – in a city charter.

A third option would be if the state legislature abolishes school property taxes, Papenfuse said. Then Harrisburg residents might see an increase in city real estate taxes.

“We have to come up with a solution to get us out of Act 47,” he said.

Investments in Policing

At the meeting, Papenfuse said officers need more non-lethal options, but do not have access to them. Therefore, he proposed new Tasers for every officer and the deployment of 303s on every shift.

A 303 is an impact device shoots lead paintballs. With an extended range of 55 feet, the 303s can mark individuals for apprehension in a protest.

Body cameras for every officer and two proposed new positions—a public safety information technology specialist and a crime analysis—will promote transparency, Papenfuse said.

“I think it will build confidence from the public with the police. With transparency comes trust,” Papenfuse said.

He said he realized that the police need a wider range of non-lethal options following his review of the case of Earl Shaleek Pinckney, who was shot to death in August by Harrisburg Police Officer Tony Elliott. Last night, Papenfuse added that, he agreed with District Attorney Ed Marsico that Elliott’s actions were justified.

Under the budget proposal, officers would receive more training, updated technology and repairs on their building.

In 2017, two new police officer positions will open, in addition to the 17 the police department is currently looking to fill. Papenfuse proposes incentives, like paying back training costs upon resigning, to encourage new hires to stay with the bureau.

Next meetings:

Public budget meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8 at City Council chambers.

City Council is expected to amend and vote on a 2017 municipal budget on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.

See the full proposed budget.

Author: Danielle Roth

Giddy-up: City Island’s Newest Tenant Welcomed with Ribbon-cutting Today

November 21, 2016 | by Danielle Roth

South Mountain Carriage Company has operated at City Island’s Carriage House since May.

If anyone is looking to get rid of a sleigh, tell Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

City Island’s newest tenant could use one.

After successful summer and fall seasons operating out of City Island’s Carriage House, the South Mountain Carriage Company and Papenfuse officially cut the ribbon today.

“We love being here and hope everyone enjoys it as much as we do,” said Cynthia Michaud, co-owner alongside husband David Binner of South Mountain Carriage Company

Since May, South Mountain Carriage Company offers horse-drawn carriage rides around City Island, Riverfront Park and other Harrisburg neighborhoods from noon to dusk most Saturdays and Sundays.

“You both have brought such energy to the island. You recognize the wonderful asset we have here and I think that your perspective and your experience is contagious,” Papenfuse said to the owners.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse put out a public call for a sleigh, as the carriage company enters winter.

Papenfuse celebrated the installation of a new modern roof, costing the city and private funders more than $28,000 to install. The neighborhood group Friends of City Island played a crucial role in the renovation, Papenfuse said.

The previous tenant, Fred Lamke’s Harrisburg Carriage Company, left City Island’s carriage house in tattered conditions. The city booted the company in January after five years of unpaid rent and eight years of operating without a permit. The company accrued more than $6,000 of debt to the city since 2010 when the company stopped paying a $100 monthly rent.

Before South Mountain Carriage Company moved in, cobwebs, dust and dirt covered the barn. “You couldn’t even tell there were lights,” Papenfuse said.

Michaud said they spent more than 60 hours with a ShopVac cleaning up the space. Now, the space, cleaned up and organized, can comfortably accommodate their two draft horses and a miniature pony named Banjo on the weekends.

Now that the roof has been fixed, Michaud looks to improve the rest of the barn, provided they can raise enough funds. Michaud said that the windows need repairs, the walls could use fresh paint and lights need replaced.

Michaud and Binner have been operating in central Pennsylvania since 2014. The husband and wife team has five adult children, but no grandchildren yet.

“So we spoil our horses,” Michaud said.

For more information about South Mountain Carriage Company, visit their Facebook page.

Author: Danielle Roth

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