Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

To hear a recording of the meeting, go to WESB.com/listen , click on the "local programs tab, and scroll to "Bradford City Council 4-14-15. A group of rude and unruly people – some from the townships – disrupted Tuesday’s Bradford City Council meeting to the point where Mayor Tom Riel threatened to adjourn the meeting early. While the eight or so were loud enough that council and the media had to ask them to quiet down, the rest of the standing-room-only crowd was polite and respectful. The antics came about when council was asked about several issues including business privilege tax, a proposed storm water fee and the crime rate. Mayoral candidate Paul Berg, who seemed to be making statement rather than asking a question, wanted to know why General Electric (parent company of Dresser’s) does not pay a business privilege tax. Riel and City Solicitor Mark Hollenbeck tried to explain that the Interstate Commerce Clause precludes them from paying it. Riel also added that t...

You can take the "acting" off Teri Cannon's title as Bradford City Council voted to make her city administrator during a special meeting late this afternoon. Cannon was named acting city administrator earlier this month. After council voted Cannon into the position Mayor Tom Riel noted that she is a fourth generation city employee, with her family having served Bradford for more than 80 years. She has been employed by the city for 23 years. Her father, Ed Sutherland, worked for the city for 31 years, most recently as director of the public works department until his retirement. Riel also read a letter from John Peterson, who retired as city clerk after 14 years in that position, and 28 with the city fire department. (The city no longer has a clerk position, as it has been replaced with the administrator.) Peterson wished the city’s first administrator the best and says he’s confident she will be able to lead the city for many years to come. Peterson also took the opp...

It's official: The owner of Kabob Kafe in Ellicottville is buying The Option House. Bradford City Council approved a $50,000 loan on Tuesday that completes the funding package he needed to buy the Main Street building from Sam Sylvester. Other money is coming from the McKean County Redevelopment Office and The North Central Regional Planning and Development Commission. Owner Sheikh Iqbal is also investing $40,000 of his own money. Debbie Huston of the Office of Economic and Community Development says the outstanding job Sylvester did in renovating the building is what attracted him to The Option House. In a news release, Huston added that Sylvester is pleased that Iqbal has decided to bring his highly popular restaurant to Bradford's Main Street as "he is a widely experienced restaurateur and caterer." She adds that over the past few months Sylvester and "Icky" -- as Iqbal likes to be called -- have developed a close personal and business relationship. Sh...

In an effort to make it easier for the city’s new financial officer to do his job properly, Bradford City Council has approved on first reading changes to several tax ordinances. During its meeting Tuesday night council OK’d changes to the Local Taxpayer Bill of Rights, Mercantile License Tax, Business Privilege Tax, Local Services Tax and Public Utility Tax Ordinance. City Solicitor Mark Hollenbeck explained the changes give Michael Shanks “the ability to monitor the ordinances, enforce them as part of his duties with the city.” Mayor Tom Riel stressed that council is not raising taxes or creating new taxes. In other matters, council authorized the filing of a Keystone Communities Façade and Public Improvement Grant for the Second Ward Neighborhood Partnership Program. The $400,000 grant would go toward the NPP façade program, streetscape improvements and new construction. The city is also seeking a Home Program grant from the state’s Department of Community and Economic Develo...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Smile, you’re on “Candid Camera.” Well, you will be after the much-talked-about security cameras are installed in downtown Bradford. City Council on Tuesday opened three bids for the cameras. Police Chief Chris Lucco will review the bids and council is expected to award the contract during its June 11 meeting. The cameras are being paid for with private donations, not tax dollars. An East Washington Street business owner asked if businesses not on Main Street and its side streets will be able to hook into the city’s system once it’s installed. Mayor Tom Riel said other business owners and church leaders have asked the same question and the answer is, yes, they will be able to connect to the system. On the other end of the spectrum, city resident Ben Palagonia asked if there has been an increase in crime in the city to make the cameras necessary. “I haven’t felt unsafe,” he said of walking in Bradford at night. “I feel more unsafe walki...

Candidates for McKean County Sheriff and Bradford City Council participated in a forum Thursday night at the Bradford Area Public Library, sponsored by the American Association of University Women. The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford's Dr. Stephen Robar was the moderator. To give you an opportunity to form your own opinions on what they had to say, we are providing you with the audio of the event. Candidates for McKean County Sheriff : Steve Caskey, Brian Gustafson, Brad Mason (pictured) Candidates for Bradford City Council Brad Mangel, Tim Pecora, Fred Proper The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

There still time to submit questions for the Candidate Forum set for Thursday night at the Bradford Area Public Library. The forum, sponsored by the American Association of University Women, is set to start at 7:30 p.m. and will include candidates for McKean County sheriff as well as Bradford City Council. Dr. Steve Robar, political science professor at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, will be the moderator. Questions can be emailed to aauw_bradford@yahoo.com  The sheriff race is a contested race between Republicans Steve Caskey, Brian Gustafson and Brad Mason. Three candidates are running for three seats on Bradford City Council. They are Brad Mangel, Tim Pecora and Fred Proper, all Republicans. The forum is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. The primary election is May 21. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The American Association of University Women - Bradford Branch is holding a Candidate Forum for the upcoming Primary Election. This Forum, featuring those running for McKean County sheriff and Bradford City Council, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18, in the community room of the Bradford Area Public Library. Dr. Stephen Robar, associate professor of political science at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, will moderate the forum. There are three Republican candidates running for sheriff – Brad Mason, the current sheriff, Steve Caskey and Brian Gustafson. There are also three candidates running for three seats on city council. They are incumbent Fred Proper, Brad Mangel, who was appointed to fill the unexpired seat of Rick Benton and newcomer Tim Pecora, all Republicans. “Our group is excited to be able to bring this forum to the voters of McKean County,” said Sandy Rhodes, co-president of AAUW. “We are hopeful that this will give voters the information they...

Bradford City Council on Tuesday awarded the $1.8 million contract for renovations to the Callahan Park ice rink to Kessel Construction. Councilman Brad Mangel said he is glad the contract went to a local company. The project will paid for with $500,000 in grant money and through the refinancing of a general obligation bond, which council also approved last night. City Clerk John Peterson explained that $1.8 million for the renovation was included in this year’s city budget. Listen to the entire meeting here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director In what Mayor Tom Riel called a rare occurrence, Bradford City Council was presented with a resolution for a change order to reduce the cost of a construction project. OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews explained during Tuesday’s council meeting that they knew going into the Pine Street Pedestrian Bridge project that they could reduce costs and, with the help of contractor Bob Cummins, they were able to lower it by more than $17,000. One of the biggest ways they reduced cost was getting boulders from the Bradford City Water Authority instead of going to Marienville to buy them and transport them. The water authority said the city could have boulders on their property, and would just have to pay the cost to transport them. That saved about $10,000, she said. Cummins also suggested building the entrance steps on-site instead of having pre-fabricated steps brought in. They also scrapped the plan to have lights on the railings. “We felt that was ...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Brad Mangel has been sworn in as Bradford’s newest city council member, replacing Rick Benton who died June 16. His term expires on the first Monday of January 2014. Mayor Tom Riel said Mangel, who has lived in Bradford his entire life except when he was in the military, probably attended more council meetings than any other member of the community in the last four or five years. “I’d like to thank the mayor and council for allowing me the opportunity to serve,” Mangel said. “I’d like to thank John (Peterson, city clerk) for administering the oath. Last but not least, I’d like to thank my wife for her support of my many endeavors, and especially this one. And, I look forward to sitting on this side of the table.” Riel thanked the eight people who submitted letters of interest for the position. “There were some fine people who submitted a letter,” Riel said, “unfortunately we could only choose one.” Also Tuesday, council opened three bids for the...