Elm Street and Congress Place are about to look a little brighter.
A design for streetscapes improvements to the two streets are a little closer to becoming reality now that a contractor has been picked for the project. At Tuesday’s meeting, Bradford City Council awarded the job to M & B Services LLC, which submitted the lowest bid of $345,371.
The improvements are part of the second five-year plan for the Second Ward Neighborhood Partnership Project (NPP) and will include curbs, sidewalks, street lights, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, crosswalks and drainage.
M & B’s bid was the lowest of three opened during the March 13 meeting.
The contract is funded through the city’s Community Development Block Grant Program and a Keystone Communities grant.
Another improvement under the Second Ward Neighborhood Partnership Project is one step further along, as council awarded a $73,744 grant to Richard and Lindzie Williams for the rehabilitation of 48 Jefferson St. The pair plans to use the grant to eliminate lead hazards and address code issues at the home.
The grant is available through the city’s 2014 HOME and 2015 CDBG programs.
Home safety was also addressed at the meeting, when council designated April as Pennsylvania 811 Safe Digging Month. Councilman Brad Mangel read the proclamation, as Mayor Tom Riel was absent.
The designation is meant to “encourage all excavators and homeowners of McKean County to dial 8-1-1 or 1-800-242-1776 at least three business days before digging in order to ‘know what’s below,’ avoid injury, protect the environment and prevent millions of dollars in damages,” the proclamation stated.
According to the proclamation, three business days’ notice is the law. More can be found at www.pa811.org.
Council also:
• appointed Darlene Davis as deputy city treasurer;
• appointed Dan Minich to the Bradford Area Public Library Board of Trustees to fill the unexpired term of Dr. Steve Hardin;
• approved payment of $12,379.45 to Breathing Air Systems to upgrade the Breathing Air Fill Station for the Bradford City Fire Department; and
• approved a post-construction stormwater management plan and request for waiver of the stormwater management ordinance for the Graham Packaging Warehouse expansion project.
Prior to the regular council meeting, the pension board approved a request by Sue Raabe for her non-uniform pension. Mangel said she is retiring after 26 years of service to the Bradford Sanitary Authority, effective April 13.
Council also held an executive session on real estate prior to the regular meeting.
The next council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. April 10.
