Future of Street Dreams Car Show
Discussed at City Council Meeting
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
A fork in the road to the next Street Dreams Car Show may have been straightened out.
Gary Hoy, president of the Street Dreams Car Club, had said that the club would take the show elsewhere in protest of the City of Bradford's new $25 fee to hold an event downtown.
Additional costs would be incurred if an organization needs services from the city, including having barricades delivered and set up for street closings, delivery and/or pickup of trash receptacles, and electricity.
"Your fees are preposterous to us," Hoy told Bradford City Council Tuesday night. "We, as a group, refuse to pay this."
Mayor Tom Riel explained that the city raised fees for various services in the city, not just for organizations holding events downtown.
"Because we have such budgetary problems, and because we're having trouble making ends meet, we've taken away people's jobs," Riel said. "We've forced people to pay double and triple for their health care. The vast majority of the the city workers received no pay increase this year."
Calling the fees very small and modest Riel added that they "don't come close to covering the cost the city incurs for some of these events, but they help cover a small fraction to offset that."
Councilman Jim Evans, who was not a member of council when the board approved the fee structure in December, said that he has a great appreciation for the financial difficulties the city is in.
"If we don't work together as a team to try to solve some of these problems, we're going to have more major ones," Evans said.
"We're going to have to look for every possible source of revenue," he said.
Riel also pointed out that the Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corporation has agreed to pay the fees to keep the car show going.
OECD Executive Director, who is also treasurer of the DBRC, told Hoy that proceeds from the car show (which are donated to the Downtown Bradford Business District Authority) help to fund other underfunded events such as Lunch in the Square and the Main Street Moviehouse.
"We want to work with you," Andrews told Hoy.
Hoy said he will talk with members of the club about the offer.
"We will not call this a dead issue at this point," Hoy said.
In other matters, council gave approval to submit a fiscal year 2011 appropriations request for $2 million for a Local Roadways Resurfacing Project. The request will be submitted to Senator Bob Casey and, if necessary or required, to Senator Arlen Specter and/or Congressman Glenn Thompson.
Also Tuesday, council accepted a $6,874 quote from 6-V Excavation to demolish 31-39 School Street.
The cost will be paid from the city's Elm Street and 2010 Community Development Block Grant programs.
Councilman Ross Neidich joked that he is going to contact the former residents who lived across the street and thought that property would never be torn down.
Council also authorized city engineer Roy Pedersen to prepare specifications and bid documents relative to a roofing repair/replacement project at the Department of Public Works facility on Holley Avenue.
WESB/WBRR News Director
A fork in the road to the next Street Dreams Car Show may have been straightened out.
Gary Hoy, president of the Street Dreams Car Club, had said that the club would take the show elsewhere in protest of the City of Bradford's new $25 fee to hold an event downtown.
Additional costs would be incurred if an organization needs services from the city, including having barricades delivered and set up for street closings, delivery and/or pickup of trash receptacles, and electricity.
"Your fees are preposterous to us," Hoy told Bradford City Council Tuesday night. "We, as a group, refuse to pay this."
Mayor Tom Riel explained that the city raised fees for various services in the city, not just for organizations holding events downtown.
"Because we have such budgetary problems, and because we're having trouble making ends meet, we've taken away people's jobs," Riel said. "We've forced people to pay double and triple for their health care. The vast majority of the the city workers received no pay increase this year."
Calling the fees very small and modest Riel added that they "don't come close to covering the cost the city incurs for some of these events, but they help cover a small fraction to offset that."
Councilman Jim Evans, who was not a member of council when the board approved the fee structure in December, said that he has a great appreciation for the financial difficulties the city is in.
"If we don't work together as a team to try to solve some of these problems, we're going to have more major ones," Evans said.
"We're going to have to look for every possible source of revenue," he said.
Riel also pointed out that the Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corporation has agreed to pay the fees to keep the car show going.
OECD Executive Director, who is also treasurer of the DBRC, told Hoy that proceeds from the car show (which are donated to the Downtown Bradford Business District Authority) help to fund other underfunded events such as Lunch in the Square and the Main Street Moviehouse.
"We want to work with you," Andrews told Hoy.
Hoy said he will talk with members of the club about the offer.
"We will not call this a dead issue at this point," Hoy said.
In other matters, council gave approval to submit a fiscal year 2011 appropriations request for $2 million for a Local Roadways Resurfacing Project. The request will be submitted to Senator Bob Casey and, if necessary or required, to Senator Arlen Specter and/or Congressman Glenn Thompson.
Also Tuesday, council accepted a $6,874 quote from 6-V Excavation to demolish 31-39 School Street.
The cost will be paid from the city's Elm Street and 2010 Community Development Block Grant programs.
Councilman Ross Neidich joked that he is going to contact the former residents who lived across the street and thought that property would never be torn down.
Council also authorized city engineer Roy Pedersen to prepare specifications and bid documents relative to a roofing repair/replacement project at the Department of Public Works facility on Holley Avenue.
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