Some changes to the City of Bradford’s property maintenance code were on the agenda at Tuesday’s council meeting.
And at the meeting, two-term councilman Fred Proper announced he is not seeking re-election.
“My personal feeling is two terms on most elected groups is enough,” he said with a smile. “I do admire those who choose to do more. It’s been a great pleasure to serve for the last seven years.
“I encourage those people who are out in the community, who are responsible and want to see the city grow, to take a shot at running for city council,” Proper said, adding that he will serve out the remainder of his term, through the end of the year.
There will be three seats up in the May primary election. Councilmen Tim Pecora and Brad Mangel have indicated they plan to seek re-election.
Under new business, council approved on first reading amendments to the property maintenance code ordinance.
Jeff Andrews, who oversees property maintenance, explained. “Over the last two years of the new department, there were sections in the code where either the definitions or the wording made it difficult to enforce.”
These changes are to clarify a few things, he added. He made note of two important changes in the code as well — parking will not be allowed on sidewalks, curbs or in yards, and all residences in the city will be required to have working carbon monoxide detectors.
Andrews explained the ordinance will require every house — even owner-occupied houses — have an operational detector. The city will not go into owner-occupied structures to check for the detectors, but should the occasion come about where the home must be inspected, owners will be cited if they do not have a detector.
Andrews said he and his wife, Sara, lost two “very good friends to carbon monoxide poisoning. That provision is very close to my heart.”
Also at the meeting, council approved a sales agreement for 87 Congress St., one of the homes built by the Office of Economic and Community Development in the Second Ward neighborhood revitalization area. The home was purchased for $135,000 to a couple moving here from Boston, explained Sara Andrews, OECD executive director.
“This is two out of three sold,” said Mayor Tom Riel, pointing out that contrary to rumor, the houses are not being rented out by the city.
“This all resulted from the removal of blighted properties thanks to the Neighborhood Partnership Project and Northwest Bank, Zippo Manufacturing and American Refining Group,” Sara Andrews said, mentioning the project’s corporate partners.
“We were able to build three new homes with the assistance of a grant,” she said. “We are replacing blighted homes with new homes and improving our housing stock and the tax rolls.”
In other business, council rescinded a resolution from a January meeting regarding the submission of Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant applications for $1 million each for the YWCA Bradford and Bradford Regional Medical Center.
The grant applications have been revised, and now, the YWCA is applying for $1.4 million, and BRMC, $1.35 million. The YWCA funds are for the purchase and renovation of the former Second Ward Elementary School on Congress Street. The funds for BRMC are for capital improvement costs of the building, the resolutions indicate.
Council also approved advertising for bids for a streetscape project in the Second Ward project area, including Park Street, Leland Avenue and Jefferson Street between Park Street and Leland Avenue.
The next regular council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 28.
