Bradford City Council has taken the first step in allowing
additional development along South Kendall Avenue in the city
limits.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, changes were approved to the 6th
Ward Area Tax Incremental District to allow project developer Nick
Cummins to expedite tearing down the old school.

“In the original plan, we were going to demolish the old school
in nine years,” Cummins explained after the council meeting. “In
the proposed plan, we’ll demolish it as soon as it is approved and
build an eight-unit apartment building there. Taxes will come off
it to pay for infrastructure and the TIF.

“There’s no risk to the taxpayers,” Cummins added. “We want to
get the school down. There’s been a lot of complaints from the
residents … I live there, too.”

He explained the apartments will be higher end units with all
utilities included, and will have off-street parking for about 18
to 20 vehicles.

Changes to the TIF – a temporary change in tax assessment to
allow for development in blighted areas – must still be approved by
the Bradford Area School Board and McKean County Commissioners, the
other taxing bodies involved in the area.

“The school board is usually the biggest hurdle,” Cummins said,
but added he’s hopeful the project will be approved. “It’s good for
everybody. It doesn’t cost anyone anything and they get taxes from
(the apartment building).”

The TIF was approved a year ago to allow for the building of 11
private homes on Chelsea Lane as well as to permit the demolition
of the old school.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, council authorized change orders to
two contracts for work at Old City Hall.

The contract for general construction with Mistick Construction
was increased by $58,810 to a total of $1,948,775. According to the
resolution, the changes in work include wall penetrations for
installation of mechanical systems, extending the parapet wall on
the annex wall to hide HVAC units, handrails, oak shoe molding,
additional doors, walls and baseboard and exterior site work.

The contract with Pure Tech Inc. for electrical work has
increased by $4,000 to $234,540. The changes in work include
installing a telephone line to the elevator and additional
electrical outlets for the second and third floor, changing
receptacles located in wainscot from white to brown and relocating
conduit and circuitry in fire stairwell for outside lighting,
according to the resolution.

In other business, council passed on first reading changes to
the compensation for the city treasurer. As of Jan. 1, 2008, the
office of treasurer will garner $26,000 and the office holder will
also garner $8,000 for serving as tax collector. As of Jan. 1,
2010, the city treasurer will garner $27,000 and $8,000 for serving
as tax collector.

The measure must be voted on again before it can be enacted.

Council also

* approved a purchase of a Bobcat skid-steer loader from the
Government Sales Department in the amount of $12,029;

* approved payment of $4,490 to Micale Fabricators Inc. for
three new Dumpsters;

* approved payment to Carpet Store of $6,045 for carpeting
installation in Old City Hall; and

* appointed two men to permanent positions with the City of
Bradford Fire Department, Gregory Lewis as a firefighter/EMT and
Jeffrey Kloss as a firefighter/paramedic. Both men have completed
their probationary periods with the department.

The next council meeting will be held Feb. 13.