Tag Archives: Sybil Knight-Burney

March News Digest

March 30, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

Free Evening Parking

Free parking could come to downtown Harrisburg as early as this month, as City Council passed a resolution that would offset street parking costs after 5 p.m.

Council agreed unanimously last month to join Dauphin County and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID) in ponying up money to offset parking revenues that operator Park Harrisburg would lose between 5 and 7 p.m.

“I think it’s a boost for the city,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. “I think it will lead to more people visiting downtown.”

Harrisburg’s contribution will amount to $110,000 over the next year and will come from money that the parking system already owes the city, said Papenfuse. The county has also pledged $110,000, and HDID will pay $50,000.

The county and HDID had hoped for a three-year deal, though council approved just a one-year test period.

By entering into the “memorandum of understanding,” the three entities—the city, county and HDID—must finalize the exchange with the parking system operator. Papenfuse has said he expects no pushback, as the system operator, SP+/Park Harrisburg, and its asset manager, Trimont, just want to ensure that contributions offset lost revenue, which, last year, amounted to $270,000 between 5 and 7 p.m.

Papenfuse said the parking subsidy could kick in as soon as April, but may take longer.

Since 2014, the city has tried several tactics to mitigate the cost of street parking. First, the Papenfuse administration convinced the system’s operators to lower the “happy hour” rate from $3 to $2 an hour between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. It later turned many of downtown’s loading zones into 15-minute free parking areas.

Nonetheless, downtown bar and restaurant owners continued to complain about a loss of business, which they largely blame on high parking rates.

If implemented, the plan would come with some conditions. First, it would apply only to street, not garage, parking. Secondly, it would take effect only within the HDID boundaries, which run downtown from State to Chestnut streets.

Loan Fund Launches

Whether you’re a shop owner looking to expand your storefront or an aspiring entrepreneur with a business dream, you may benefit from a new loan fund that launched last month in Harrisburg.

Impact Harrisburg is partnering with the Community First Fund and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to launch the Harrisburg Business Opportunity Fund (HBOF) with $1 million in seed money, according to Sheila Dow Ford, executive director of Impact Harrisburg.

Impact Harrisburg, which was founded with proceeds from the sale of Harrisburg’s incinerator, will contribute $350,000 to the fund. The Pennsylvania Housing and Financing Authority has pledged $650,000 through its nonprofit subsidiary, the Commonwealth Cornerstone Group.

Loans will be available to small, for-profit business owners or aspiring business owners in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $100,000. According to Dow Ford, the goal of the fund is to encourage economic development, job creation and a diverse workforce in the city of Harrisburg.

“We’re providing for a segment of the population that has, for various reasons, been overlooked by traditional lending institutions,” she said.

Any for-profit business or startup in Harrisburg can apply for a loan, Dow Ford said, though real estate trusts or businesses that buy and sell property will not be eligible.

The new fund bears some resemblance to Harrisburg’s old revolving loan fund, which was launched in 1984 and languished in the 2000s as many borrowers became delinquent.

Dow Ford acknowledged that some HBOF loans might be considered risky by traditional lending standards, since they will be issued to people and ventures that might be denied by traditional lenders. However, she hopes that the partnership with Community First Fund will prevent the same mismanagement and delinquency that plagued the city’s revolving loan fund.

Superintendent Search Begins

The Harrisburg School District is putting up a help wanted sign, but there won’t necessarily be a personnel change in its highest office.

In a 5-4 vote, the Harrisburg School Board decided last month to accept applications for the position of superintendent. The vote means that if current Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney wishes to stay in her post, she must apply for her job and beat out other candidates.

The vote came after more than an hour of spirited public comment at last month’s school board meeting, as near-equal numbers of district residents encouraged the board to vote for or against a resolution to initiate the hiring process.

Residents who supported renewing Knight-Burney’s contract emphasized the importance of consistent leadership during the district’s recovery process. Those who called for an open hiring process said that the district deserved to consider candidates who might make more dramatic gains in student achievement.

Knight-Burney became Harrisburg’s superintendent in 2011. Since 2013, she’s been responsible for implementing the actions in a state-crafted recovery plan, which outlined almost 100 initiatives to improve the district’s academics and operations.

Her current contract, which was renewed in 2014, expires on June 30. Asked if she would reapply for her job, Knight-Burney declined to comment.

Act 47 Status Considered

“The clock is ticking” on the next step in Harrisburg’s path to financial recovery.

That’s the message that a state official had for Harrisburg’s administration and City Council last month, as both bodies were briefed on the timeline for the city’s remaining six months in the state’s Act 47 program for distressed municipalities.

Marita Kelley, Harrisburg’s Act 47 coordinator, appeared at a council work session to explain the city’s duties before Act 47 status expires on Sept. 23.

Here’s what lies ahead, according to Kelley. The mayor and the city clerk will receive a financial condition report, prepared by Kelley and the Pennsylvania Economy League. A public meeting on its contents should take place this month.

After the meeting, she and the Pennsylvania Economy League will have 90 days to prepare a final exit plan for the city. In that plan, they’ll make a formal recommendation for what the city should do in September: extend its Act 47 status, exit the program or enter the oversight of a state-appointed receiver.

The exit plan should arrive before city officials in mid-July. After another round of commenting and a public meeting, Kelley will finalize the exit plan in time for the Sept. 23 expiration deadline.

Kelley thinks it’s highly unlikely that Harrisburg will enter receivership in September. She was hesitant to recommend an action to the city last month, but said during a budget meeting in December that Harrisburg will likely spend another three years in the program, at least.

Reports Released for Train Station, Paxton Creek

A restaurant and café in Harrisburg’s train station, a pedestrian bridge over the train tracks, a flood-controlled Paxton Creek.

Those are a few of the ambitious goals laid out in two reports released last month by the state Department of Transportation, which is taking the lead on rehabilitating the blighted Market Street corridor just east of the Harrisburg Transportation Center, roughly from the train station to Cameron Street.

“These studies serve as a road map to help the city continue to develop as an attractive place to work and play,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards.

PennDOT’s first priority is rehabilitation of the train/bus station itself, set out in a report titled, “Harrisburg Transportation Center Transit Oriented Development Master Plan.”

That project includes removal of the large office space in the main lobby, the addition of an “open-concept café” in the lobby, new seating in the station concourse, the addition of a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, a new entry plaza from the lower-level Market Street entrance and the addition of office space on the upper floors.

According to Richards, work is expected to begin relatively soon, as the department has completed 90 percent of the design for the $15 million renovation and is now working with Amtrak on a construction schedule.

The next priority is a massive flood control project designed to restrain, improve and restore Paxton Creek, as delineated in the “Paxton Creek Master Plan.”

The plan outlines steps to modify the channel size and make other improvements that would take 133 acres out of the 100-year flood plan and partially remove another 275 acres, making the area far more attractive for redevelopment. The plan also envisions enhancing the creek area with recreational paths and restoring it to a more natural environment.

PennDOT anticipates four to five years of preliminary work before construction on the project could begin. The estimated cost of the creek improvements is $60 to $90 million, with potential grants coming from the state’s Multimodal Fund, the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The transportation master plan envisions other projects, which include:

Streetscaping and façade enhancement, including new sidewalks, landscaping, street furniture, signage and utility and lighting poles.
A pedestrian bridge that would extend the station concourse over the railroad tracks, through the former Harrisburg central post office and into the redevelopment area.
Relocation of the intercity bus terminal from Market Street to the redevelopment area and expansion of the facility.
Development of the area near an east entrance to the station.
A new plaza on Market Street.

“These projects will provide exciting opportunities for development in the city of Harrisburg, and for enhancing the quality of life for our residents,” Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with PennDOT on projects that will benefit not only Harrisburg residents but the entire region.”

New Districts Upheld

Pennsylvania’s redrawn congressional districts withstood two court challenges last month, clearing the way for some areas, including the Harrisburg area, to be unified under new district lines.

First, a three-judge federal panel threw out a Republican-led challenge to the new district map. The same day, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a Republican request for an emergency stay that would block use of the new map in this year’s elections.

As a result, the state Supreme Court’s redrawn district map will stand. This includes a new 10th congressional district that encompasses all of Dauphin County and parts of Cumberland and York counties, including Harrisburg, York and Carlisle.

The primary election is slated for May 15.

Gaming Grants Given

The Dauphin County commissioners shelled out some $6 million to dozens of projects last month in the annual disbursal of gaming grant money.

The commissioners spread the money around to municipalities throughout the county, with the largest sums, by state law, going to those nearest to the Hollywood Casino at Penn National in Grantville.

In and around Harrisburg, grants to governments included:

* City of Harrisburg: $229,724 for police equipment, the engineering bureau and for Fire Bureau dive team equipment

* Susquehanna Township: $159,900 for sanitary sewer system extension, for Progress Fire Co. vehicle replacement and for Wedgewood Hills Swim Club heat pump installation

* Lower Paxton Township: $82,825 for Devon Manor pool improvements, Koon’s pool improvements and Ranger and George Park soccer upgrades

* Hummelstown: $58,471 for municipal building debt service

* Highspire: $57,200 for roadway rehabilitation

* Steelton: $43,000 for Fire Department apparatus and Skate Park debt reduction

* Swatara Township: $13,000 for Police Department K-9 and training

Grants to Dauphin County entities included:

* MDJ Court Administration: $200,000 for construction of MDJ buildings

* Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority: $137,000 for solar farm project debt reduction

* Dauphin County Parks & Recreation: $101,000 for Detweiler Park master plan and Fort Hunter Station planning project

* Dauphin County Redevelopment Authority: $100,000 for a project on the former State Hospital grounds

* Dauphin County Land Bank Authority: $100,000 for renovation of vacant homes

Grants to organizations included:

* Camp Curtin YMCA: $100,000 for conversion of an indoor pool into a recreational area

* Central Dauphin School District: $75,600 for a school safety improvement project

* Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg: $75,000 for an emergency generator project

* Penn FC (Harrisburg City Islanders): $72,562 for a field conversion project

* Humane Society of Harrisburg Area: $70,000 for an expansion of veterinary services

* Salvation Army: $50,000 for a new headquarters and services facility

* Harrisburg Rugby Food Club: $50,000 for Perseverance Field improvements

* Homeland Center: $40,000 for an emergency generator project

* The Nativity School: $40,000 for furniture purchase and building renovations

* Open Stage of Harrisburg: $32,000 for facility and equipment upgrades

* Capital Region Literacy Corp.: $30,000 for books in schools and clinic program

* Habitat for Humanity: $28,000 for weatherization project

* Heinz Menaker Senior Center: $25,000 for ADA-compliant restrooms

* Midtown Action Council: $13,652 for historic marker renovation and expansion

* Beacon Clinic: $5,000 for HVAC installation and renovations

More Downtown Apartments

More apartments appear headed for downtown Harrisburg, though it may be awhile before you’ll be able to move into one.

Harrisburg City Council last month introduced a resolution that would allow Harristown Enterprises to convert a circa-1952 office building to a 25-unit apartment building with commercial space on the first floor.

The building, at 124 Pine St., currently houses Keystone Human Services, which would seek new space following a sale, said Harristown CEO Brad Jones.

Keystone currently has the six-story, 30,000-square-foot building on the market for $1.5 million.

Over the past few years, Harristown has converted several downtown office buildings to higher-end apartments, most recently at the corner of N. 2nd and Cranberry streets. That 12-unit building, Jones said, has been renamed “The Bogg on Cranberry.”

The Pine Street project, he said, would consist of 18 one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom units that would range from about 700 to 850 square feet in size. Jones said that he expects rents to be about $1,095 to $1,395 a month. The project includes 19 off-street parking spaces, which would be rented separately.

If Harristown gets City Council approval, the company hopes to close on a building purchase in May. Jones, however, expects that Keystone will then lease the building back until it can find a new home, meaning that renovation work probably won’t begin until early 2019.

So Noted

Blake Lynch was named Harrisburg’s new community policing coordinator last month. In this position, Lynch, formerly director of development at the Boys and Girls Club of Harrisburg, will serve as a liaison between the city’s Police Bureau and the community.

Club XL is set to open this month near S. Cameron and Hanna streets in an industrial area of Harrisburg. Owner Phil Dobson said the 18,500-square-foot nightclub and concert venue will feature a large stage, a sophisticated light and sound system and an exterior patio, among other amenities.

Gamut Theatre Group this month plans to begin the second phase of the build-out of its building in downtown Harrisburg. The Gamut Theatre Education Center will include the Alexander Grass Second Stage, two renovated classrooms and other areas for students to learn various aspects of theater operations. The $700,000 project should be completed by August, according to Gamut.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant is making plans to open in the newly constructed Hershey Towne Square on Chocolate Avenue in Hershey. The company expects the 9,000-square-foot space to be ready late this year or early next year.

Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority announced last month that Robert “Bob” Zorbaugh will replace Jim Warner as CEO when Warner retires at year-end. Zorbaugh, the current chief operating officer, has served with LCSWMA, which owns Harrisburg’s waste-to-energy incinerator, since 1990.

PSECU last month announced the planned retirement of President Greg Smith, effective February 2019. Smith has served with the credit union for nearly 30 years.

Right on Reily is slated to open late this month in restaurant space across the street from Midtown Cinema in Harrisburg. Owner Dylan Simon said he plans to open at 7 a.m. and will feature freshly made breakfast items, sandwiches, soups and salads from the eatery at 263 Reily St.

Theatre Harrisburg last month announced the departure of its executive director, Allison Graham Hays, who served in the post for about one year. A search for a new director has begun. Those interested should send a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2421: J. Howard to L. Brown, $69,900

Berryhill St., 2216: PA Deals LLC to A. & L. Smith, $64,900

Boas St., 111: P. & M. Keelen to J. Swope, $67,000

Boas St., 409: A. Antoun to P. Cannon & M. Hertrich, $84,000

Boas St., 1910: Dobson Family Limited to M. Cardona & S. Guzman, $36,000

Duke St., 2433: 2013 Central PA Real Estate Fund LLC to S. Henry, $65,900

Evergreen St., 17: E. Ordonez to P. Paniagua, $40,000

Fulton St., 1625: Z. & H. Khan to J. Seibert, $125,750

Fulton St., 1722: Wilmington Savings Fund & Society FSB to PA Deals LLC, $77,500

Green St., 2322: Lake Como REI LLC to Lynn & Ryan Investment Properties LLC, $36,000

Hale Ave., 383: 2013 Central PA Real Estate Fund LLC to S. Henry, $65,000

Hale Ave., 403: O. Peck to C. & A. Bullock, $71,000

Harris St., 204: G. Olives to A. Hermany & T. Minnick, $149,900

Holly St., 1916: W. Aikens Jr. to R. & B. Cook, $43,000

Hummel St., 243: Tri County HDC Ltd. to B. Dixon, $69,900

Kensington St., 2267: M. Eismann to Blackfoot Viking LLC, $40,000

Kensington St., 2328: 2013 M&M Real Estate Fund LLC to S. Henry, $65,900

Market St., 1028: J. & A. Karagiannis to R. Luu, J. Son & KS Property Management LLC, $250,000

Market St., 1800: G. Walker to Horizon Trust FBO, Timothy Carter IRA, $105,000

Mayflower St., 1366: G. Vargas to D. Tellado, $60,000

N. 2^nd St., 221: CJ2 Group LLC to Second and Cranberry LLC, $350,000

N. 2^nd St., 2338: H. Witte & A. Atkinson to V. Paredes, $95,000

N. 3^rd St., 3218: T. & B. Seely to S. Dudek, $139,900

N. 4^th St., 1911: K. & D. Fletcher to M. DeMeo, $73,900

N. 5^th St., 1948: L. Blanton to B. & K. Feidt, $73,500

N. 5^th St., 2554: J. Johnson to D. Mallek & W. Sarris, $60,000

N. 5^th St., 3201: Branch Banking and Trust Co. to F. Nestico, $80,000

N. 15^th St., 2: R. Sharma & N. Saini to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $100,000

N. 15^th St., 1425: Top Notch Properties LLC to B. Wevodau Sr., $30,000

S. 24^th St., 563: Lake Como REI LLC to Lynn & Ryan Investment Properties LLC, $65,000

Parkway Blvd., 2509: Harrisburg Rentals LLC to A. & L. Smith, $118,500

Peffer St., 321: K. Whitehead to V. Robinson, $74,000

Penn St., 1504: R. Davis to D. & M. Witwer, $70,000

Penn St., 1612: A. La Luz to N. Giustra, $140,000

Race St., 552: G. & K. Nguyen to A. & H. Appleberry, $144,000

Revere St., 1722: R. Brunstetter to Top Unit Properties LLC, $80,000

Rolleston St., 1153: A. Phillips to C. Suriel, $43,000

Rudy Rd., 2492: HT Properties LLC to W. Marca, $59,000

Rumson Dr., 2899: S. Markowitz to M. Gleason, $58,000

S. 14^th St., 1404: S. McMurray to City of Harrisburg, $47,000

S. 14^th St., 1409: V. Brice to City of Harrisburg, $48,000

S. 14^th St., 1411: DRW Properties LLC to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 14^th St., 1412: M. Hudson to City of Harrisburg, $53,000

S. 14^th St., 1420: S. Crittenden to City of Harrisburg, $52,500

S. 14^th St., 1436: J. Newhouse to City of Harrisburg, $49,000

S. 14^th St., 1441: W. & B. Hornung to City of Harrisburg, $39,000

S. 14^th St., 1442: Blue Real Estate LLC to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. River St., 315: Red Realty LLC & D. Shearer to J. & S. Bachman, $109,000

State St., 1713: D. Schneider to J. Virbitsky, $85,000

Susquehanna St., 1622: R. & G. Harris to H. Maierle & C. Kostelecky, $134,500

Susquehanna St., 1704 & 1706: J. Shoop to N. Lotze & A. Anderson, $122,000

Sycamore St., 1421: G. Neff to C. Pizarro, $35,000

Waldo St., 2627: PA Deals LLC to S. Henry, $54,000

Wyeth St., 1413: M. & J. Boyer to J. Hegarty, $105,000

Harrisburg property sales for February 2018, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

Harrisburg School Board votes to consider a new superintendent.

March 20, 2018 | by Lizzy Hardison

Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney speaks at a district press conference in December 2017.

The Harrisburg School District is putting up a help wanted sign, but there won’t necessarily be a personnel change in its highest office.

In a 5-4 vote tonight, the Harrisburg School Board decided to accept applications for the position of superintendent. The vote means that if sitting superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney wishes to stay in her post, she must apply for her position and beat out other candidates.

The vote came after more than an hour of spirited public comments, as near-equal numbers of district residents encouraged the board to vote for or against a resolution to initiate the hiring process.

Knight-Burney has been Harrisburg’s superintendent since 2011. Since 2013, she’s been responsible for implementing the actions in a state-crafted recovery plan, which outlined almost 100 initiatives to improve the district’s academics and operations.

Harrisburg schools are perennially plagued by low test scores, high personnel turnover, and expenses that outpace revenues. The district has had pockets of success–test scores at Marshall Math and Science Academy and Harrisburg High School’s SciTech Campus far outpace other schools in the district. But most campuses have failed to meet academic targets set in the district’s 2011 recovery plan.

District data show that Harrisburg’s five elementary schools had an average of 20 percent ELA proficiency among third graders in 2017. That figure, which is based on data from the PSSA standardized tests, did not exceed 23 percent for grades 5 to 8.

Proficiency rates are even lower for math. Across the district, fewer than 18 percent of students were considered proficient in the subject in 2017. The district recorded zero-percent proficiency for seventh grade students at Camp Curtin Academy and eighth grade students at Rowland Academy.

The district has also struggled with high rates of chronic absenteeism, which TheBurg reported in February can undermine even the most effective teaching.

In a presentation tonight before the board, Knight-Burney pointed to student growth data as evidence of the district’s improvement. Growth data measure how much students progress during an academic year, whereas test scores measure what they know at a given point in time.

Knight-Burney said that test scores are unreliable performance indicators, which is an argument that’s gaining traction in the education community. Since test scores are tightly correlated with family income, they often offer a dire picture of high-poverty districts like Harrisburg, where 85 percent of students are from low-income households. Growth is becoming the new standard for educational success.

“Growth is about how fast and how much kids are learning,” Knight-Burney said. “Our students are growing and have the potential to be high achievement.”

Data show that Knight-Burney isn’t wrong. TheBurg reported in February that Pennsylvania’s new method for evaluating school success will focus on growth rates rather than test scores. That could drastically alter how Harrisburg ranks in statewide school assessments. Whereas the district’s test scores are perennially among the worst in the state, its growth rate is only slightly below average.

Data show that Harrisburg students progress by an average of 4.2 years during five years of schooling. That means they learn at a rate that’s equal to or faster than students in wealthier districts nearby, even though their test scores are consistently much lower.

“Many kids come to school three to four years behind grade level, so there’s lots of work that we have to do,” Knight-Burney said. “When we’re comparing ourselves to other districts, it’s not fair.”

While making her case before the board, Knight-Burney also touted the development of a district-wide curriculum, a Teacher Leadership Academy and new extracurricular activities as successes of her seven-year tenure.

Nonetheless, the superintendent’s pitch didn’t convince all board members that she deserved another term. Faced with a four-to-four vote among his fellow directors, board newcomer Tyrell Spradley cast the tie-breaker to initiate the hiring process. He expressed confidence that Knight-Burney would stand out among other candidates.

“I’d put my superintendent against anyone else who came in,” Spradley said. “I know she’d succeed.”

Spradley joined board directors Carrie Fowler, Percel Eiland, Brian Carter and board president Judd Pittman in voting for the resolution to start a hiring process. Board directors Melvin Wilson, Ellis Roy, Lionel Gonzalez and board vice president Danielle Robinson voted against it.

After Spradley’s deciding vote, it became clear that board members did not agree on what the resolution meant. Robinson and Wilson visibly reproached Spradley for his vote, implying he had cost the superintendent her job.

“It means she’s gone,” Robinson said to Spradley.

School solicitor Samuel Cooper had to intervene to clarify that the vote did not preclude Knight-Burney from serving another term.

“What you chose in your vote is to open up the office for a search for superintendent, and she has the ability to apply,” Cooper said.

After the clarification, Spradley reiterated his belief that Knight-Burney would defend her post from competitors.

“You don’t know that,” Wilson told him.

The board considered the resolution tonight because it is required to give Knight-Burney 60 days notice if it chooses not to renew her contract. The resolution was also on the agenda in December, January and February, though it was tabled by a board vote each time.

Knight-Burney previously beat out competition to become Harrisburg’s superintendent. She was selected from a pool of applicants by the school board in 2011. Her current contract, which was renewed in 2014, expires on June 30.

Asked after tonight’s meeting if she would reapply for her job, Knight-Burney declined to comment.

February News Digest

February 28, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

CRW Releases Infrastructure, Rate Plan

Capital Region Water last month announced plans to spend more than $315 million over the next 20 years upgrading the city’s antiquated sewer system, which will bring Harrisburg into compliance with federal guidelines and carry a cumulative 150 percent increase to water and sewer rates.

Known collectively as the City Beautiful H2O plan, the improvements come following years of deferred maintenance to Harrisburg’s centuries-old combined sewer system. CRW says the updates will reduce sewer discharge into natural waterways, enhance sewer efficiency, and improve neighborhoods through the implementation of green storm water management systems.

The improvements also will significantly raise the rate burden for city households. The draft plan includes an extensive affordability assessment that helped CRW set rate projections for the duration of the project. The analysis concluded that many CRW ratepayers have significant financial limitations that preclude aggressive rate hikes.

As a result, CRW decided to seek the lengthiest improvement schedule permitted by federal environmental agencies, giving the authority 20 years to complete the projects. Water and sewage rates are set to increase by a cumulative 150 percent over that time period.

The rate increases will be most dramatic in the next decade, with annual 10 percent hikes projected from 2019 to 2022. After reaching a 106-percent cumulative increase in 2027, rate hikes will level off to just 2 percent a year from 2027 to 2038.

CRW set rates so that an average household will not spend more than 2 percent of its annual income on water, but households earning less than the median income could face significant burdens

“It is anticipated that there will still be affordability issues for some customers within the City, with some customers experiencing wastewater and storm water costs as a percentage of income exceeding 3.0 percent,” the report says.

The draft plan is part of CRW’s response to a partial consent decree it negotiated with the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection in late 2014. Earlier that year, the EPA alleged that sewage runoff in Harrisburg violated the federal Clean Water Act and PA Clean Streams Law.

Like many old cities, Harrisburg has a combined sewer system, in which storm drains connect to the same sewer system as toilets and showers.

When it’s not raining, all the contents of the sewer system flow to a treatment plant on Cameron Street, where they are cleaned and then discharged into the Susquehanna River. But heavy rain can cause the system to overflow, sending untreated water into the river and Paxton Creek.

Under state and federal environmental laws, Harrisburg would have faced financial penalties for those runoff incidents. After a year of negotiations, the EPA agreed to spare the city financial penalties as long as CRW agreed to update its long-term plan for the city’s sewer system.

A public meeting on the proposal is slated for March 1, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Camp Curtin YMCA.

Fight Against Dogfighting

Citing concerns over animal welfare and illegal gambling, Harrisburg is asking its residents to help stop a scourge of illegal dogfighting.

City communications Director Joyce Davis announced last month that Harrisburg obtained a $20,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to launch a public information campaign about dogfighting. So far, city officials have purchased ads on Facebook that explain the warning signs of dogfighting and ways to report it to law enforcement.

Davis said that the campaign did not arise as a response to a single incident or spate of reports. Rather, it seeks to curb an on-going animal abuse problem that also enables illegal gambling.

“We want to stamp this out,” she said.

The issue of dogfighting came to the fore locally in June 2017, when Harrisburg police officers staged a raid on a dogfighting ring on S. 14^th Street. Since then, the bureau has issued charges on three counts of illegal dogfighting in the past year, as well as one count of possession of dogfighting paraphernalia, according to animal control officer William Sandstrom.

If city residents suspect dogfighting, they can call 311 from within city limits to report it. Reports that result in charges are eligible for a $5,000 reward from the Humane Society of the United States.

Zembo Shrine to Sell

The historic Zembo Mosque and Shrine is set to sell after almost one year on the market.

The 65,000-square-foot property at Division and N. 3rd streets will be sold to Arkansas-based TempleLive LLC, which plans to operate the building as a meeting, gathering and performing arts venue, said city communications Director Joyce Davis.

“The goal is to make it a more culturally active space,” Davis said

TempleLive currently owns two Masonic temples similar to Zembo, one in Cleveland and one in Fort Smith, Ark. The company runs both properties as multi-purpose event spaces, according to the venues’ websites.

Mike Brown, vice president of acquisitions for Beaty Capital Group, TempleLive’s parent company, expects the sale to close at the end of March or beginning of April. He hopes the site will be operational by the fall.

Zembo went on the market in February 2017 with a $950,000 asking price. Davis could not confirm the property’s final sale price, which was reportedly reached at a special meeting on Jan. 11.

The deal includes 396 parking spaces adjacent to the building.

Since its opening, Zembo has been home to the Shriners, a fraternal organization affiliated with the Freemasons. The Shriners continue to meet there, but the group’s declining membership, coupled with the building’s high operating costs, forced them to sell the historic property.

Zembo was constructed in 1930 in a Moorish Revival architectural style. The building features interior arches, hand-painted motifs and ornate stone detailing. It houses large meeting rooms and a theater with a 2,500-seat capacity.

Youth Center Approved

The Harrisburg City Council last month approved the expansion of a teen center in North Allison Hill, which will double the facility in size.

Bethesda Mission plans to renovate an old printing plant on Herr Street adjacent to its current Youth Center, adding a full-size gymnasium, classrooms, office space and an event hall with a full-service kitchen.

The result will be a full-service community center with classes and amenities for all age groups, said Cindy Mallow, director of development at Bethesda Mission. The current youth center only serves children and teens.

“We’re hoping to involve families and expand out into the community even more,” Mallow said.

Bethesda Mission hopes to break ground on the $2.8 million project this summer and finish it by the end of 2018, Mallow said.

Bethesda Mission has operated its teen center from a former fire station at 1428 Herr St. since 1990. It purchased the former Kurzenkabe Press facility at 1424 Herr for $275,000 in 2015, according to Dauphin County property records.

The 10,000-square-foot space needs extensive renovations, Mallow said, including an overhaul of its HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems. Contractors will also raise the ceilings to accommodate the gymnasium and construct a connection between the print facility and the youth center.

Since Bethesda Mission announced its plan to renovate the printing facility back in 2015, it has raised more than $1.5 million from the community and private foundations, including $600,000 from the York-based Stabler Foundation.

The expansion will also allow the mission to double or triple the enrollment in its after-school program and summer programs for youth, Mallow said.

“There’s just a need for a place for the kids to go,” she said. “Our center gives them the opportunity to be with other kids and have a mentor.”

Grant Input Sought

Is there a nonprofit that’s doing good in your neighborhood?

That’s one of the questions that city administrators will pose at a public meeting this month, as Harrisburg begins to chart its priorities for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money over the next five years.

CDBG funds are allocated annually to organizations that help build community and stabilize neighborhoods in low- and moderate-income areas. The city received $1.9 million last year and expects the same this year, according to city communications Director Joyce Davis.

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which disburses CDBG money, requires each municipality receiving grants to have a “consolidated plan” describing its development priorities and goals.

Harrisburg’s current three-year plan is set to expire in September. Roy Christ, Harrisburg’s director of Building and Housing, said that development projects started during Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s first term require a new plan with a longer duration.

In past years, CDBG funds have supported organizations such as the Heinz-Menaker Senior Center, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Harrisburg, the Latino Hispanic American Community Center and MidPenn Legal Services.

City departments can also apply for grants. Last year, the Harrisburg Police Bureau received $90,000, which paid for a community policing van and helped launch the police cadet program.

For this planning cycle, Christ said Harrisburg hopes to target projects in “tipping point” neighborhoods.

“These are neighborhoods that need a bit of help to bounce back and become self-sustaining,” he said.

City residents can contribute input at the public meeting or through an online survey. The meeting will be held on March 5 at Jackson-Lick Tower at 5:30 p.m.

Strawberry Square Apartments

Harrisburg City Council last month gave the green light to another set of apartments inside Strawberry Square.

Council unanimously approved a land development plan submitted by Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which will convert vacant office space in Strawberry Square into 13 apartment units. The project will add to the 24 apartments already inside Strawberry Square, the result of a 2016 office-to-residential conversion by Harristown.

It’s also the third project that Jones has put before council just this year, as, in January, council approved two other downtown projects proposed by Harristown: a new office building on S. 2nd Street just off Market Square and a small office-to-residential conversion at 221 N. 2nd St.

Approval came despite recent statements from some council members that they are concerned about affordable housing in the downtown district.

Earlier in the month, Jones defended his pricing structure, telling council that 15 percent of Harristown’s apartment units could be rented by someone with an annual income of just $25,000 to $40,000 a year, while another 40 percent could be afforded by someone with an average income of $60,000 a year.

Council has not proposed any plans to regulate rents in Harrisburg. In January, however, council President Wanda Williams said that she would continue to monitor housing development and advocate for affordable options.

Comp Plan Chugs Forward

The Harrisburg Planning Commission last month made plans to advance the city’s comprehensive plan towards completion, a process that could last into the summer.

City officials and business developers excoriated the plan at a meeting in January, saying it limited the discretion of private property owners. Mayor Eric Papenfuse called the document “unsalvageable” and urged the commission to reject it in favor of a plan proposed by the city.

Last month, though, commissioners hardly mentioned the planning document submitted by the city, except to ask if and when it had been published online.

“We’re moving ahead with our product,” said commissioner Vern McKissick, referring to the document that the commission developed with local architect Bret Peters and his assistants at the Harrisburg-based Office for Planning and Architecture.

The commission will host monthly workshop meetings for the next three months to incorporate public feedback and professional advice into the draft document, which is published online at BeHBG.org. They hope to reengage some of the consultants that Peters hired while drafting the plan in 2015 and 2016.

To do that, however, they’ll need to secure additional funding. They already have $10,000 allotted by City Council in the 2018 city budget, but McKissick said they will likely need more to consult with subcontractors and see the plan to completion. Commissioners will evaluate grants and other funding opportunities at a workshop later this month.

Spradley Chosen for School Board

The Harrisburg school board last month selected Tyrell Spradley, a tax consultant and former city treasurer, to serve an appointed term until 2019.

Spradley replaced Matt Krupp, a board director who resigned in January to serve as Dauphin County prothonotary.

After two rounds of voting, the board picked Spradley over three other candidates: newcomer Mariah Rodriguez and board veterans James Thompson and Kia Hansard.

In his interview before the board, Spradley touted his financial background and his two years of experience working in the district’s accounting department. He said he thinks many of the issues facing the district can be resolved, given the improved fiscal health he has seen since he worked as a district accountant.

“A lot of the issues I see are administrative issues, communication,” Spradley said. “Money isn’t a problem like it was before. We’re stronger now and have a stronger administration.”

Spradley joins the board as it braces for a number of contentious discussions, including the annual budget process and the expiration of Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney’s contract this June. The board must decide soon whether it will renew Knight-Burney’s contract or open an application process in which she may participate.

So Noted

AAA Central Penn last month named Jodie Daubert as its new president and CEO. In this position, Daubert will lead the nine-county club composed of 290 employees serving 11 offices. She succeeds David Meckley, who served as interim CEO.

Brandalynn Armstrong, co-owner of Harrisburg-based Zeroday Brewing Co., has been elected to the Brewers of Pennsylvania board of directors. The trade association works to protect and promote the brewing industry in the state.

Excel Interior Concepts & Construction last month announced two new hires. Thomas Fogie joined the Lemoyne-based company as project coordinator, and Alicia Mirando came on as designer.

The Harrisburg Senators last month signed a two-year extension with the Washington Nationals, their player development agreement now extending through 2020. The Senators are the Nationals’ AA-affiliate Minor League baseball team. Separately, the Senators announced that Dan and Michael Schwab, co-presidents of Harrisburg-based D&H Distributing, along with their sister, Amy Silfen, have joined the team’s ownership group as minority owners.

S&T Bank has named Jeffrey Scoutelas as vice president, private banker for central Pennsylvania region. Scoutelas, a graduate of Lynchburg College, has 12 years of private banking and management experience in the area, said the company.

Changing Hands

Berryhill St., 2155: L. & D. Sandoe to M. Macas & C. Pulla, $55,500

Boas St., 1826: Z. Weist to S. Henry, $59,900

Brookwood St., 2448: Wilmington Savings Fund Society to HT Properties LLC, $35,500

Capital St., 907: A. Sheaf to E. Ashenfelder, $148,000

Capital St., 1200: 8219 Ventures to R. & C. Steele, $76,000

Croyden Rd., 2951: K. & M. Zinn to A. Smith, $70,000

Derry St., 1433: A. Vaughn to Aum Investments LP, $32,000

Derry St., 1901: L. Nguyen to T. Nguyen, $150,000

Derry St., 2022: M. Khatoon to A. Saeed, $30,000

Emerald St., 226: C. Shokes to HBG Rents LLC, $210,000

Forster St., 1815: Blackscotch LLC to C. Burke, $50,000

Green St., 914: P. Vanitem to C. Williams, $138,900

Green St., 1401½: C. & C. Kellar to R. & F. Armetta, $80,000

Green St., 1623: S. Vemula & M. Chada to B. Golper & J. Wu, $132,000

Green St., 3118: US Bank NA Trustee & PA Housing Finance Agency to Hawk Vesta LLC, $65,750

Hale Ave., 436: M. Davis to J. Sayed & S. Sherin, $40,000

Hanna St., 103: S. Brown to DLK Properties LLC, $63,500

Harris St., 434: Alta Reo LLC to B. Parfitt, $83,000

Herr St., 1001: Harsco Corp. to Capital Region Economic Development Corp., $505,000

Hanover St., 1312 and 1283 & 1285 S. 13^th St.: Y. & C. Lee to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $50,000

Hoffman St., 3131: G. Hanslovan to O. Perry, $63,000

James St., 1315: J. Brinks & C. Wise to S., J. & N. Kindler, $95,000

Kensington St., 2101: Nationstar Mortgage LLC to HT Properties LLC, $48,500

Kensington St., 2103: PA Deals LLC to L. Myers, $65,900

Lawton St., 1416: M. Maloney to J. Foote & R. Tompkins, $429,500

Luce St., 2365: T. Nguyen & H. Truong to M. Phan, $30,000

Maclay St., 332: S. Hite & L. Ware Jr. to JTA Consulting Group LLC, $51,000

North St., 1836 & 1838: Reyart Properties to B. & R. Lomax, $72,000

N. 2^nd St., 1404: Tang Liu Realty LLC to C. Albers, $121,000

N. 2^nd St., 2323: M. Horgan & CR Services Inc. to A. & A. Mathew, $147,500

N. 2^nd St., 3118: P. & M. Rowan to D. Inghilterra, $203,000

N. 2^nd St., 3303: C. Myers to J. Myers, $90,000

N. 4^th St., 2735: S. Patrick to T. & L. Lydell, $107,900

N. 6^th St., 3111: R. & S. Hopkins to C. Morel, $62,000

N. 13^th St., 142: J. Forsyth LLC to 37 Estate LLC, $41,000

N. Front St., 1125: D. & J. McEnany to RMK Management Group LLC, $233,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 301: W. Cohen to W. Krenz & P. Meehan, $135,000

N. Front St., 3029: Pumphouse Partners LP to BXF Real Estate LLC, $450,000

Penn St., 1324: D. Stridacchio to S. Olsen, $117,000

Penn St., 1715: BencMarq Holdings LLC to Fratelli Property Investments LLC, $116,000

Race St., 568: R. Hunter to E. Fultz, $157,968

Rolleston St., 1239: G. Neff to J. McCloud, $45,000

Seneca St., 330: J. Runion to M. Saldana & R. Zavala, $87,500

S. 14^th St., 1418: R. Scott to City of Harrisburg, $52,000

S. 14^th St., 1422: G. Neff to City of Harrisburg, $48,500

S. 14^th St., 1424: C. Gamble to City of Harrisburg, $45,000

S. 14^th St., 1433: Z. Owens to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. 14^th St., 1440: G. Neff to City of Harrisburg, $51,000

S. 19^th St., 850: S. & N. Fulginiti to City of Harrisburg, $60,000

S. 23^rd St., 616: R. Bowers to D. & N. Gonzalez, $89,900

S. Front St., 601: A. Poindexter to R. & L. Firestone, $174,900

State St., 1504: A. Sandoval to 77 Estate LLC, $37,000

Susquehanna St., 1612: K. O’Neill & PA Housing Finance Agency to T. Weaver, $146,500

Susquehanna St., 1723: G. Neff to J. Hirt, $104,000

Valley Rd., 2308: L. & N. Eikenberry to Bean GST Trust II, $218,000

Washington St., 103: R. Bray to Q. Tran, $32,000

December News Digest

December 29, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda and Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg Finalizes Budget

Harrisburg last month passed a 2018 budget did not raise city tax rates, but added a number of new salaried positions and approved millions of dollars in capital investments.

The final budget did not differ much from that proposed by Mayor Eric Papenfuse in late November, which leveraged higher revenue from a growing tax base to increase the city’s operating budget from $61 million last year to $65 million in 2018. The city will also spend $9.2 million from its cash reserves, which will cover a $2 million debt payment and $7.2 million in capital improvement projects.

Expenditures in 2018 will increase in two main categories: personnel and capital projects.

On the personnel front, the city budgeted for $32.5 million in salaries compared to $31 million in 2017. That figure, which excludes healthcare costs, will create seven new management positions and two new sanitation positions. The budget permits the Fire Bureau to make five hires and the Police Bureau to recruit 20 new officers.

The additional personnel funds will also increase salaries for two positions in the law bureau and award raises to sanitation workers represented by the AFSCME union.

The city defines a capital project as any expenditure exceeding $5,000. In 2018, proposed capital projects include $1 million on new radios and patrol cars for police, $700,000 for work on the 15th Street police substation and $80,000 for police body cameras. About $450,000 will go towards renovating city playgrounds, and projects to renovate Reservoir Park will receive almost $1 million thanks to a last minute cash transfer by Council.

Composting Plan to Proceed

Harrisburg intends to move ahead with plans to build a composting facility in Susquehanna Township, despite continued opposition from some township residents.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that the city will apply for a facility permit with the state Department of Environmental Protection this month. If DEP grants the permit, which Papenfuse believes it will, the city will begin to convert the site to a compost facility.

City officials have campaigned to build a composting facility at 1850 Stanley Rd. since summer 2017. After they were met with fierce opposition from some residents in Susquehanna Township, they agreed to delay the permit application until they had more public support. Over the following months they hosted informational sessions and visits to comparable sites to teach residents about composting.

Papenfuse made his final pitch at a township board of commissioners meeting last month, at which several township residents expressed opposition. Nonetheless, he said he believes the project has won enough support in the community to proceed.

“There’s a handful of people from the neighborhood who oppose it, but it’s not overwhelming,” he said.

Papenfuse told the crowd that composting leaves and lawn waste—which essentially involves letting the material decompose into the ground—does not carry any risks to humans, soil or water sources.

Some residents claimed that the facility would create odors or mar neighborhood views. Others worried about noise from the machinery and increased traffic from the Public Works Department trucks that transport the waste.

Papenfuse assured residents that the site would be unobtrusive when it opens. Public Works vehicles will use mostly Harrisburg roads to get to the site, and employees will operate the machinery on a limited, set schedule.

Allison Hill Substation

The Harrisburg Police Bureau is on track to open a police substation in Allison Hill in late summer 2018, but officials said last month that it would not be open around the clock.

During a hearing on the 2018 budget, Police Chief Tom Carter and Capt. Derric Moody told City Council that the substation will not operate 24/7 or have civilian staff when it opens in August.

Police may expand operations at the substation as they grow their ranks. The city hopes to hire 20 new officers and a community policing coordinator next year.

“Our goal is to have full service there, but, realistically speaking, we can’t currently achieve that with the manpower we have,” Moody said.

The plan is to use the substation as a staging area for specialized police units and an outpost for officers responding to calls in Allison Hill. The 1,600-square-foot building on S. 15th Street will include a space for police trainings and community meetings, as well as a squad room, break room, equipment room and locker room with showers.

It will also have an area for a receptionist, though there are currently no plans to hire one. Members of the public will be able to enter the substation for public meetings or interviews with police officers, but will not have access the same administrative services as the Public Safety headquarters downtown.

“We’re trying to provide a central location for officers,” Moody said.

Act 47 to Continue

Harrisburg is likely to spend another three years in the state’s Act 47 program for financially distressed municipalities, according to a state advisor who oversees the city’s finances.

Marita Kelly, Harrisburg’s Act 47 coordinator for the state Department of Community and Economic Development, last month praised the city’s “many achievements” since it entered Act 47 in 2011.

However, she believes that the city will not be able to afford to exit the program at the end of 2018, when it becomes eligible. While it would regain independent financial oversight, it would stand to lose some $13 million in revenue without the extra taxing authority allowed under the program.

Kelly added that Harrisburg has avoided some of the problems that plague other third-class cities across the state, such as difficulty financing legacy payments—healthcare and benefit payments for current and retired employees.

Bruce Weber, the city’s budget and finance director, reported that two of the city’s pension accounts are fully funded, but a third fund for police pensions is causing some concern.

“We only have one that’s slightly in distress,” Weber said. “We are contributing to it every year.”

Kelly will make a formal recommendation for Harrisburg’s Act 47 status in March. The only condition that would enable the city to exit the program would be a change to the third-class city code or a set of special taxing provisions for the city approved by the state legislature.

County Taxes Hold Steady

The Dauphin County commissioners last month passed a 2018 budget that keeps property taxes steady for a 13th consecutive year.

The three-person board passed a $241 million budget that contains no increase in the county portion of the property tax, which will remain unchanged at 6.876 mills.

The county does expect to spend more than it takes in for 2018, but plans to use as much as $12.5 million in reserve funds to make up the shortfall. The county stated that it still expects to have a reserve fund balance of about $25 million by the end of 2018.

Last year, Dauphin County also balanced its budget by dipping into its reserve fund. It estimated that it would spend $12.5 million in reserves, but will only spend about $5.2 million by year-end, according to current county estimates.

The county stated that it will add funds to the county coroner’s office in 2018 to deal with the rise in opioid-related deaths. Last year, there were 85 overdose deaths in the county, but the coroner expects more than 100 by Dec. 31.

Sewer Projects Begin

Capital Region Water began a new round of sewer replacement and improvements last moth, affecting several neighborhoods in Harrisburg.

Andrew Bliss, community outreach manager, said CRW is staggering the $700,000 project through the end of January. In all, CRW will repair more than 800 feet of aging and broken sewer mains and manholes at five locations.

The individual projects are:

– Mid-December to early January
S. 13^th Street, between Market Street and Howard Street
New manhole, 18 feet of new sewer pipe

– End of December to early January
Cameron and Market streets
Spray on concrete liner, 18-inch sewer pipe

– Early January to end of January
Magnolia Street between Cameron and 12^th streets
New manhole on Cameron Street, pipe lining

– Mid-January to end of January
Derry Street between 13^th and 14^th Streets
New manhole, 13 feet of pipe, pipe lining

– Mid-January to end of January
Fulton and Hamilton streets
New manhole connection

Potential impacts of the construction include street closures, parking restrictions, construction noise and temporary sewer service interruptions. When the pipe replacement is complete, the road will be temporarily patched until final street restoration is completed in the spring of 2018, Bliss said.

Customers with questions can contact Capital Region Water by phone at 888-510-0606 or by email at [email protected].

So Noted

Harrisburg School Board last month tabled a motion on whether to search for a new school district superintendent. The board is expected to revisit the issue again later this year, as Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney’s contract expires in June.

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology last month unveiled its new, expanded campus in central Philadelphia. HU is sharing the 38,000 square feet of space at 1500 Spring Garden St. with Hussian College.

Harrisburg Young Professionals last month selected Suzanne Patackis as president of the 2018 executive board, replacing outgoing President Joe Tertel. HYP also announced that Jeff Copus and Adeolu Bakare will serve as co-vice presidents, Brittany Brock as secretary and Jeremy Scheibelhut as treasurer.

UPMC Pinnacle last month named Dr. James Raczek as its new chief medical officer. In that role, Raczek leads quality and safety programs, medical education and medical staff relationships and contributes to strategic planning and implementation.

Changing Hands

Barkley Lane, 2502: US Bank National Assoc. to S. Vetock, $32,000

Barkley Lane, 2507: R.C. Medellin to R. Medellin, $48,000

Boas St., 406: A. Heisey to S. Higginbotham, $115,000

Briggs St., 270: M. Ennis to E. & A. Williams, $228,000

Brookwood St., 2435: R. House to I. & K. Mita, $56,000

Calder St., 262: J. Goldberg to R. Yaegle, $118,000

Calder St., 500: W. Tatar to S. Hoffman, $125,000

Conoy St., 115: A. & C. Stoudt to R. Rodino, $145,000

Conoy St., 121: A. Spisask to K. Russell, $92,500

Cumberland St., 214: D. & E. Zampogna to M. Santalucia, $141,000

Fulton St., 1709: J. Ganeva to C. Messner, $110,000

Green St., 1624: K. Lewis to P. & M. Rowan, $192,000

Green St., 1817: T. & L. Sopcak to B. Scelta, $129,000

Green St., 1826: D. & J. Kalbach to D. Ober, $165,000

Industrial Rd., 3300: Pennsylvania Terminals Corp. to 3300 Industrial Road Associates LP, $865,000

Market St., 1923: K. Griffith to D. Thomas, $70,000

Mercer St., 2430: PA Deals LLC to R. Buehner, $63,900

Mercer St., 2464: C. Hobbs to T. & J. Knaub, $60,000

North St., 232: E. Finkelstein to G. Kramer, $125,000

N. 2^nd St., 812: A. Meoli to Diocese of Harrisburg, $212,000

N. 2^nd St., 2234: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to C. Eisner, $43,200

N. 2^nd St., 2527: GRSW Stewart Real Estate Trust to K. & D. Maltzie, $174,000

N. 2^nd St., 3211: E. & J. Daschbach to K. McRae, $99,900

N. 3^rd St., 925: D. Bobinchek & 921 Home LLC to 921 Home LLC, $105,000

N. 3^rd St., 2340: T. Wadlinger to D. & S. Houck, $168,265

N. 5^th St., 2736: PA Deals LLC to MidAtlantic IR LLC & Jennifer Fernandes IRA, $63,000

N. 13^th St., 139: Falco Inc. to Round the Horn LLC, $45,000

N. 16^th St., 914: J. & H. Wilbur to JB2 Properties LLC, $59,900

N. 16^th St., 916: PA Deals LLC to Z. Kissinger, $69,900

N. 17^th St., 1122: MBHH RE LLC to S. Garcia, $31,000

Peffer St., 228: N. & L. Chohany to B. Matuszny, $173,000

Peffer St., 263: Members 1^st Federal Credit Union to E. Patry, $49,900

Penn St., 1715: S. Dunn to BencMarq Holdings LLC, $77,001

Pennwood Rd., 3160: J. & M. Bush to T. Wylie, $150,000

Rumson Dr., 2983: C. Shenk to J. Jones, $69,000

S. 14^th St., 314: J. Reichwein to E. & B. Katz, $62,000

S. 14^th St., 1415: D. Fahie to City of Harrisburg, $47,000

S. 14^th St., 1419: H. & C. Pollard to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 14^th St., 1439: R. & S. Dighe to City of Harrisburg, $50,000

S. 16^th St., 435: M. Bui to L. DiGiacomo & M. Ganci, $48,000

S. 17^th St., 140: Allison Hill Partners LLC to Hamilton Health Center Inc., $250,000

S. River St., 304: D. Havior to D. Ogden & Pear Tree Revocable Trust, $40,000

State St., 1406: R. & A. Sharp to JRC Properties, $80,000

Susquehanna St., 1614: J. & S. DeMuro to S. Brandon & L. Fisher, $152,000

Susquehanna St., 1701: R. Ambrose to R. Covington & T. Pean, $137,000

Susquehanna St., 1711: Susquehanna Valley Properties to N. DeMuro, $113,000

Harrisburg property sales for November 2017, greater than $30,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate

All Heat No Fire: Divided Harrisburg school board delays vote on superintendent’s future.

December 18, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

The Harrisburg school board

The former president of the Harrisburg school board sparred tonight with the man who unseated her, alleging that he failed to inform her of a last-minute agenda item.

School board Vice President Danielle Robinson, who served as president until she was ousted in a vote last week, called for the board to table a resolution that would start the process of hiring a new superintendent.

Robinson said that the board failed to follow proper procedure and discuss the resolution in committee. She accused new board President Judd Pittman of adding it to the agenda without telling her.

“This board deserves the respect of not having something slipped in last minute, because you know everything else on this agenda has gone through a committee,” Robinson said.

She claimed that she heard about the resolution on social media before she heard about it from the board.

Pittman said he reached out to Robinson to discuss the matter. She called him a liar and said he never followed through to tell her about it.

The exchange foreshadowed the contentious debate that will likely take place this spring, when the board will consider renewing the contract of current Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney. Her four-year contract, which carries a $179,208 annual salary, is set to expire in June.

The board can renew Knight-Burney’s contract for another four years or open the position to a competitive hiring process in which she can participate. The state public school code says the board must start the hiring process at least 90 days prior to the day her contract expires, but Harrisburg’s policy requires 150 days.

Robinson also argued that the board should take its time with the resolution for the sake of three members who were sworn in last week. Robinson said that they needed more time to make an informed decision about Knight-Burney’s tenure. Board member Matt Krupp objected.

“It’s unfortunate that this board did not discuss this prior, but I think our members are all well informed and all pay attention enough to vote on this,” Krupp said. “We don’t need to wait.”

The board voted 6-3 in favor of Robinson’s motion, moving the resolution into a committee for discussion. Board members will determine then whether or not to include the item on a future agenda.

The board also tabled a resolution concerning sanitation employees who are represented by the AFSCME union. The resolution would “provide the district with the option” to transfer sanitation workers from the district payroll to the payroll of Aramark, a contractor. AFSCME representative Nichelle Chivis claimed the resolution would violate the collective bargaining law.

“If this goes through, I will file charges,” Chivis said. “The district is attempting to circumvent its responsibilities under the collective bargaining agreement.”

Interim Chief Financial Officer Jim Snell said the item was meant to apply only to AFSCME employees who left the union and sought part-time employment with Aramark.

“I will readily admit that it’s worded very awkwardly, but the intent is the intent,” Snell said.

Board member Percel Eiland motioned to send the resolution back to the Budget, Finance and Facilities Committee to amend the language and avoid a contractual violation. The motion passed 8-1.

Also today: Video surfaces of Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney speaking at a pro-school voucher rally.

To Re-hire or Not? Pro-voucher video surfaces as Harrisburg school board considers Knight-Burney’s future.

December 18, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

Harrisburg School District Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney speaks at a 2011 pro-voucher rally at the state Capitol, with then-Sen. Jeff Piccola (from a screen shot)

Should the leader of a struggling public school district support a student’s choice to leave it?

That’s one of the questions facing the Harrisburg School Board of Directors and Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney, who, in 2011, made remarks at the state Capitol supporting a school voucher program. Knight-Burney’s contract with the district is up for renewal in 2018, and the board is meeting tonight to consider her future with the district.

A YouTube clip from 2011 shows Knight-Burney, then the acting superintendent of Harrisburg schools, at a rally in the Capitol Rotunda for Senate Bill 1, a limited-school voucher program. The bill would have allowed low-income students from poor and failing school districts to obtain vouchers to attend private schools. It passed through the Senate but was struck down by the House later that year.

Proponents of school voucher programs say they expand access to private schools and allow low-income students a path out of failing districts. But critics, which include most public school educators and administrators, say they exacerbate problems in under-resourced schools by depriving them of state and federal funds.

At the 2011 rally, Knight-Burney acknowledged that her position on the bill put her at odds with most of the public school community. She addressed a cheering crowd while flanked by school students, lobbyists and legislators, including then-Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, who sponsored the bill.

“This is not about pitting private schools against public schools or saying one is better,” Knight-Burney said. “It’s about providing opportunities of choice for all parents as they seek out educational alternatives… it’s about empowering families to make the best choice for their families.”

Knight-Burney went on to say that the schools have an urgent need to raise student achievement levels. As an educator and a mother, she said, she knows that parents care “more than anyone” about their child’s education.

“Parents and children are consumers of education and should be free to choose the educational product that works best for their child,” she said. “This opportunity should be affordable to all parents no matter what economic level they are categorized in.”

In school choice programs like the one proposed in SB1, a student who is dissatisfied with her public school district can apply to obtain a voucher – essentially a coupon that represents the money that child’s school district would have spent to educate her in public school. The child’s family can then apply the voucher to tuition at another school, including a religious or private school.

The value of the student vouchers is proportional to a school district’s spending-per-pupil. In the Harrisburg school district, that spending is close to $17,000 per student per year. The voucher does not take any local funding out of the district, but does divert the state and federal dollars used to educate the child.

That means that, in Harrisburg schools, almost half of the dollars used to educate a student could leave the district. The school district received 40 percent of its revenue from local sources and 48 percent came from state funding in 2015, according to data from WHYY. Voucher amounts would also be adjusted for the income level of the student’s family.

Knight-Burney was not available for comment on Monday.

Displaced by storms, students from Puerto Rico, Florida enroll in Harrisburg Schools

December 12, 2017 | by Lizzy Hardison

Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney shared details about the district’s enrollment spike on Tuesday.

The Harrisburg School District is losing teachers and enrolling hundreds of new pupils, but administrators deny any problems accommodating a growing population of under-resourced students.

Since Sept. 25, the school district has enrolled 193 students who were displaced from Puerto Rico, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands by Hurricane Maria. Of those students, 113 qualify for ESL programs and 120 are considered homeless.

The new students represent a 3 percent increase to the district’s student population, which was approximately 6,400 in 2015, according to the district website.

The rush of enrollments came as the district struggled to retain teaching staff in the start of the school year. By the end of November, 45 teachers had resigned from the district, according to the Harrisburg Educational Association.

Union reps claimed that the attrition was compounded by a rising number of disruptive and violent students, who teachers say have mental health needs they cannot meet with standard training. Teachers who appeared before the school board on Nov. 20 asked the district for more resources to help troubled students.

District Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney agreed at that meeting to the formation of a task force to address violence in schools. She could not comment on the status of the task force on Tuesday, but said the district was doing all it could to accommodate children after the “devastating event” of Hurricane Maria.

A coalition of administrators, teachers and social workers appeared with Knight-Burney in a press conference at the district’s Administration Building on Tuesday. They said that the district is working to give each child an uninterrupted education.

Saundra James-Goodrum, a social worker for homeless students, said that new students have received donated hats, gloves, uniforms and school supplies, as well as referrals for mental health and medical services.

“The services they get are no different from other students in the district,” said Monica Chisolm, and ESL social worker.

The new student population has put particular strain on the district’s ESL resources. ESL Supervisor Kathy Ames said that the district began the year with 50 students and two teachers in its ESL program and has hired four long-term substitutes to accommodate the 113 new ESL students.

Ames said that the cost of educating an ESL student is the same as the district’s normal spending-per-pupil, which was $16,709 in 2011. The district does not receive additional state funding to accommodate the new students.

Pennsylvania school districts are required by the McKinney-Veto act to enroll homeless students, including those who move into the district after being displaced from their homes.

In remarks after the meeting, Knight-Burney said that the district is committed to providing a safe environment for displaced students. She said the district is prepared to hire more ESL instructors based on need among staff and students.

Knight-Burney also said that the district is working to replace teachers who have resigned from the district, including those who left after altercations with violent students.

“We constantly post on the website and encourage applicants to apply,” Knight-Burney said.

Since HEA representatives are responsible for organizing the task force, Knight-Burney declined to comment on its objectives or timeline for achieving them. She said that the district is receptive to teacher demands and has planned a lecture about the neurological effects of trauma in January.

Schools Update: Educators share successes, concerns with Harrisburg School Board.

January 18, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

A surprise awaited students at Scott Elementary School when they returned from winter break. Their science laboratory, which they use for STEM lessons, received a fresh coat of paint and decorations, thanks the brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

This “great gift” excited the students and teachers, said Eugene Spells, Scott Elementary School principal in a presentation to the Harrisburg School District Board meeting Tuesday night.

Harrisburg Education Association President Jody Barksdale also spoke to the board, following up HEA’s concerns regarding support for students and teachers.

“Students ask me, ‘When are we going back to the science lab?,’” said Spells.

The laboratory will be dedicated next month to African American biologist Ernest Everett Just in recognition of his groundbreaking research and humble beginnings, Spells said.

The fraternity brothers, who attended the meeting, mentor about 40 boys in kindergarten through fourth grade twice a month.

“Having men come in and work with young boys is important. So many of the teachers and mentors they already have are women,” Superintendent Dr. Sybil Knight-Burney said.

Last week, the kids and mentors spoke about dreams. Soon, the kids will learn how to tie ties, Spells said.

During the public comment section, Barksdale asked the board to raise hands to indicate if they read the more than 100 letters she delivered to them in December. Students and teachers wrote these letters to show board members what daily problems they face.

Board President Danielle Robinson said she “read each and every one” last month. Tonight, about half of the board members raised their hands.

Robinson told Barksdale the board is putting together a plan together, which they will work on during an executive session meeting next week.

Barksdale said a response from the school board has taken longer than expected.

“It’s good to know things are progressing,” she said.

The academic achievement expectations created by the state-imposed Recovery Plan are unrealistic, she said.

“We are trying to give real-life examples of why it’s difficult to achieve those expectations,” she said.

The Recovery Plan outlines goals and initiatives for all aspects of the district, including finances, workplace development and education.

The education goals show large gaps to fill. For example, the graduation rate should reach within two percentage points of the state’s average, 84 percent, according to the 2016 version of the plan. For this school year, the district is required to have a graduation rate of 74 percent, when 52 percent of students graduated in the 2014-2015 school year.

Chief Recovery Officer Dr. Audrey Utley said the district has completed about 60 percent of the Recovery Plan’s initiatives. Next month the CRO will complete a semi-annual report that will outline the remaining initiatives to attain in the recovery process.

Author: Danielle Roth

A Warm Welcome: 100 Men Greeting extend a hand to Harrisburg students.

August 25, 2016 | by Susan Ryder

A Harrisburg student leaps high as she is greeted at Ben Franklin Elementary during 100 Men Greeting.

The weather cooperated on this day, the cool temperatures and sunny sky adding to the bright faces and cheery “good mornings” exchanged between students and greeters.

The young learners donned new sneakers, pressed clothes and freshly beaded hair. Some jumped up to meet the hand that greeted them; others tentatively held it out for a tap.

The 10 men standing outside Ben Franklin Elementary on Monday were part of 100 Men Greeting, welcoming students to the first day of school in the Harrisburg School District.

Jamar Johnson, a graduate of Harrisburg High School, helped coordinate the event. He said he feels that young people only hear about negative and violent things that happen in the city and wanted to offer them an opportunity to see smiling, friendly people as they begin the new year.

“If you bring all these men together, they can be a positive movement,” he said.

The concept is simple. Local men greet students and teachers with high fives and words of encouragement. Johnson said all men, from every walk of life, are invited to participate.

On Monday, men greeted students outside all 11 schools in the district, with the goal of having 10 men at each school. Outside Ben Franklin, a financial adviser, a Vietnam veteran, two state employees, an attorney, a housekeeping manager and a web developer participated.

Many of the men have worked with Floyd Stokes, the program’s executive director, on other projects, including the American Literacy Council’s 500 Men Reading Week.

This is the second year for the event, and Johnson said that district Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney reached out and asked that they return this year.

While it served as an example of men doing positive things, greeters also started their day at Ben Franklin for another reason.

Calvin Hynson, past PTA president and open gym organizer for Ben Franklin, said he participated because he wants to “show support for the kids and teachers.” As he greeted the students, he admonished them to “get some education and respect your teachers.”

Logan Street resident Charles Ray spoke up from his electric scooter.

“It teaches the kids that we, as a whole, care for them,” he said, adding that his time in Vietnam impressed upon him the need to show kindness at every opportunity.

Students and teachers alike appreciated the morning.

“From a cultural perspective, it’s beyond wonderful to see my brothers greeting the kids,” said 24-year teaching veteran and second-grade teacher Kalem Calien.

Louise Roman thanked the men as she stepped off the sidewalk after bringing her children to school.

“As a single mother raising six kids, to have a male influence that’s not the father is a blessing,” she said,

Ben Franklin Principal Will Towson added the greeting is valuable because “students get to see positive role models on the first day of school.”

The line of students trickled down, and the men began heading off to work, welcoming the stragglers as they went.

“It’s wonderful for fathers and men to take a stand and make a positive impact for children and literacy in the community,” said Nick Linn, who greeted the children, his own two young sons by his side.

Author: Susan Ryder

To Books . . . and Beyond: Floyd Stokes may have retired his cape, but the SuperReader lives on.

January 30, 2015 | by M. Diane McCormick

SuperReader’s origins weren’t very superhero-like.

He wasn’t jettisoned from an exploding bookstore, bitten by a spider that crawled from an unabridged dictionary, or endowed with great wealth after the death of librarian parents in a tragic bookslide.

SuperReader was born in 2000 because Floyd Stokes wanted to do something with kids. He was running a music business in Carlisle and deeply involved in community causes—too many to have a real impact, he realized.

“I wanted to focus on the importance of education, so I narrowed it down to reading,” Stokes says. “I wanted to create a character who would stand for something positive and tell kids they could start using their brains.”

And so along came SuperReader, in blue cape and yellow mask, encouraging pre-K and elementary students to read books.

Today, SuperReader has hung up his tights, but his alter ego Stokes has evolved into a children’s book author and a force for literacy throughout central Pennsylvania and nationwide.

He founded and directs the American Literacy Corp., which designs supplemental literacy programs that promote the importance of reading. Through family festivals, 15 published books and counting and the annual 500 Men Reading Day, Stokes and the ALC have created a reading culture that attracts devoted fans and supporters.

Stokes started writing books because SuperReader’s presentations involved fairy-tale skits that students would stage. Always seeking feedback, Stokes heard from a teacher who asked why the skits didn’t include a literacy element. A light bulb went off. The boy who cried wolf suddenly did so because he ran out of books and got bored. Goldilocks tried reading Papa Bear’s book first, but it was too hard. Then she read Mama Bear’s love story, but it was too mushy.

“Everybody always cracked up at that,” Stokes says now. “The next book was on her level. She could read it. It was just right.”

The skits became books that Stokes published and began to read for the kids. But, by 2008, he still felt that one guy, promoting literacy on his own, couldn’t do enough. He remembered all the encouragement he got as a boy, an African-American kid growing up in Mississippi, and wanted to “create an opportunity for men to get some face time with children, so children will see one more positive role model.”

“For some reason, I came into contact with a lot of people who believed in me,” Stokes recalls. “It was confusing, but the encouragement I received fueled me. Those positive contacts motivated me to want to reach higher and do more and be the best person I could be.”

Of course, recruiting other men to read to classrooms meant asking them to do something very scary—“as scary as the scariest Halloween costume out there.”

So, Stokes created 100 Men Reading, building strength in numbers by bringing together men to read to classrooms in school-wide events. As more and more men signed on, the event became 500 Men Reading, spanning a week in March, in Harrisburg-area schools and in York.

George Nahodil co-chaired 500 Men Reading in 2013 and 2014. Nahodil, the Members 1^st executive vice president for retail delivery and marketing, met Stokes through financial literacy events and thought, “Wow, this is pretty awesome.”

“He was so passionate about reading to the kids, preaching the gospel of literacy,” Nahodil says. “You gotta read. You gotta learn to read. You gotta educate yourself.”

Nahodil is a former high school teacher, but he jokingly thanked Stokes for assigning him to read, not to cute second-graders, but to middle school students “taller than I am.” They asked questions about his job, his salary and his career path.

“The kids were awesome,” Nahodil said.

When students are exposed to adults “from all walks of life and all different career types,” who stress that they owe their jobs to their reading abilities, they realize that it’s not just their teachers who want them to read, Nahodil says.

“When they’re looking at you and really digesting what you’re saying, then you’re definitely having an impact,” Nahodil says. “These kids want to be successful. They want to do well. To me, if Floyd changes one kid’s life, it’s worth it.”

Stokes also teaches parents around Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Schuylkill County how to bring reading into the home. It’s part of the National Institutes of Health’s massive National Children’s Study, a longitudinal study tracking the well-being of children from birth through age 21.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity to reach parents and to share my passion for reading to children and just teaching the lessons learned throughout the years, and not just from reading to schoolchildren, but reading to my children,” he says. “I’m a parent, and that’s the angle that I share from.”

Harrisburg School District Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney says she so loves Stokes that she will “stop, drop and read” whenever he calls. It’s not just about 500 Men, with “all of these multi-racial, multi-colored, multi-talented men” coming to city schools, jumpstarting conversations about reading and life goals, she says. It’s about Stokes himself, who has adopted a third-grade class and will help whenever the district needs it—for instance, soliciting food donations to feed volunteers building a new playground.

“It’s a wonderful thing to see African-American men and an African-American man who’s taken on literacy, where so many kids don’t know the importance of reading,” says Knight-Burney. “They see it through him, and he lives it and breathes it 24 hours a day.”

An emphasis on literacy helps the district raise achievement rates, Knight-Burney says. Many students start school far behind in grade level, so they need to be encouraged that “even though it may seem difficult to do, once you master reading, the more you do it, the more you want to do it,” she says. “That’s the message that Floyd gives. As many different entities as that message can come from, it helps. It’s all around. It’s pervasive.”

For the future, Stokes expects to “just do more of what we’re doing. Try to learn as much as possible how to reach children and get them on the right path and developing a love of reading. That, to me, is more important than teaching kids to read early.”

And the now-retired SuperReader? He accomplished the mission he was put on earth to do. As Stokes walks around town, people still call him SuperReader. Many don’t know his name, “and that’s fine.”

“When they see me now, they know what I stand for, and it’s reading,” Stokes says. “It’d be hard to think of me and not think of reading. That was intentional.”

Learn more about the American Literacy Corp. at www.superreader.org.

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