Two-term Bradford City Mayor Michele Corignani has announced
that she does not intend to seek re-election to her post.

Corignani, who served four years on Bradford City Council before
running for mayor, said Wednesday, “It was well stated after the
last election that would be my last term. Twelve years in public
service is a lot. I have three grandchildren now. I want to be able
to relax.”

And she’s satisfied with the progress she’s seen in the city, as
some of the biggest projects started during her tenure have either
been completed or are in the works, such as Old City Hall, the
Historic District and the Elm Street Project.

“Everything is either completed or has gotten enough steps
forward that things should continue to happen,” Corignani said.

She spoke of the stormwater improvement plan which addressed
flooding in several neighborhoods throughout the city – such as
Jackson Avenue, Sanford and Petrolia streets – as one of the
projects which she will remember.

“Things like that mean more than structures and anything else,”
she said. “You’ve improved where people live.”

However, what she will remember – and what she appreciates –
most about her 12 years of public service is the sense of
cooperation between agencies and entities in the area.

“There’s a core that holds this community together and that’s
critical to anything,” she said.

A considerable amount of progress has taken place in the city
with Corignani at the helm.

During her years as mayor, Bradford was placed on the National
Register of Historic Places. The designation came in 2000, and
allows for tax credits for people rehabilitating buildings
considered contributing structures in the city’s Historic District
and opens up eligibility for facade improvement grants.

In 2001, changes were made to the code enforcement laws which
allowed faster action for correction of code violations. Also, the
changes allowed for the city to recoup the costs for the abatement
of a problem.

“We have a process that’s a lot more efficient and less costly
for the city,” she said of the revisions, thanking special counsel
Greg Henry for his work on the changes.

In 2002, the city obtained the title to the Pennzoil Building to
assist in the $4.9 million expansion of the Bradford Family YMCA.
Part of the Pennzoil Building was demolished, leaving the oldest
section standing. That part was rehabilitated into doctors’
offices.

That street corner now houses an expanded and renovated YMCA, a
nearly $6 million renovation of Old City Hall and the privately
renovated Pennzoil Building.

To add to that, the city is beginning plans to beautify the
streets in that neighborhood and add some traffic calming measures
in a streetscape project.

Onofrio Street, which began as a street full of blighted homes,
was rehabilitated into a street full of moderately priced homes for
working families, and will continue with the development of 13 new
homes in the coming year.

In addition, Bradford City entered into the Impact Bradford
Project, which partners the city with Bradford Area School
District, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Zippo Manufacturing
Co. and Bradford Regional Medical Center. The entities together
sought funding and got a huge response – in part, Zippo has added
jobs, BRMC has undergone a $14.5 million expansion and the city has
received funding to complete Old City Hall – and that’s not the end
of the project.

And the city has entered into an Elm Street neighborhood
revitalization project to rehabilitate two blighted areas in the
city.

“When we were totaling up dollars for (the Old City Hall
dedication) with what we’ve secured, in retrospect, I started going
over the things we’ve done and I even surprised myself,” Corignani
said. “The administration and I have accomplished a lot.”

To date, only City Councilman Dan Costello has announced his
intention to seek the position of mayor. Costello’s current term on
council is up at the end of this year.

When contacted by The Era Wednesday, Councilman Tom Riel
confirmed rumors that he is circulating a petition to have his name
on the ballot for the position of mayor.

“I already have more than enough signatures,” Riel said.
However, he declined to make a formal announcement of his intention
to run for mayor.

Riel’s term on council has two years remaining. According to
Pennsylvania election law, should he run for mayor and be defeated,
he will remain on council for the rest of his term. If he should
win, he would have to vacate the council position to serve as mayor
and another person would be appointed to the position.