A service of Tube City Community Media Inc., a non-profit based in McKeesport, Pa. The arsonists were later convicted and sent to prison. That will be Lous real legacy. An overdue $69 electricity bill was Giles latest worry. That's what I did, I signed it," Lawson said.In 2013, the city redevelopment agency went to court to take her property and three others by eminent domain. It was just an example that we could always laugh together without embarrassing one another. You dont get to come into a council meeting, embarrass me, and ask for help, the mayor told them. City Mayor in District of Columbia: $100,799. The average salary of City Of Mckeesport jobs will vary according to location, department, and job description. "That's a $22,000 savings for you as the home builder, right?" Lou's salary was $22,000 per year, while he and Jean were trying to raise two growing young sons who . "Not another community can keep up with your city for the projects we're doing, pound for pound," he said. Only three new homes, including the mayor's, were built in the past decade. "It depends on how you look at it. "When people say, 'Well, what does Fifth Avenue mean to me?' The students that are learning at our world class universities in nearby Oakland take what theyve learned here and start new industries and expand the US economy (some place else). Honey, I was in the house about 60 years," Lawson said.All that's left are fragments of the foundation. Reducing salaries would be a penny wise and a pound foolish. He was considering asking his staff to accept a weeks delay on their next pay. Why are we struggling every year to try to meet a budget when other agencies dont have that problem? he wondered aloud. "Who would have thought that we would be hit with one the worst financial crises in the country's history in 2008? Then, the properties were turned over to Mayor Cherepko. These people legit are like my family.. I want to get my life together for the first time in my life and have my family be proud of me, he said. That the way it works in business, and that is why Walmart and Costco are so huge, and the small mom and pops where the owner spends the profits on a new car, a new boat, and a cabin in the woods are not. Apr 2017 document.write(first+second+third); Pittsburgh's Action News 4 at 11pm Saturday, Old restaurant eyed as strip club burns in McKeesport, Action News Investigates: City ignores elderly woman's pleas to tear down neighboring dilapidated house. "The good old days that we think of today are gone," he said. The mayor said he's offering the same deal to anyone who wants to build a home in McKeesport -- a city peppered with derelict buildings. Also, the city wiped away tax liens worth nearly $10,000. Mar 2017 Previously a City Councilman, who worked as a fifth-grade teacher in the McKeesport Area School District, Michael Cherepko was elected in 2011 to serve McKeesport's near 20,000 residents as Mayor. Nov 2015 No data is available based on your input. Michele Matuch, president of the board of the nonprofit McKees Point Development Group, said shes pleading with the authority to proceed with the development of a new Penn McKee Hotel, either by restoring the existing building or building a new one on the site. No, yet the guy in McKeesport is expected to work for less money for doing the same job. I think the Whole Foods idea is a good one, John. Cherepko had a lot to trumpet at the Oct. 6 meeting of McKeesport City Council. Are schools ready? Oct 2015 That's more than the city's 2021 budget, which was $22.1 million, and was down slightly from the prior year. Gerald Mitchell, a First Step Recovery Homes resident, becomes emotional as he tells a group of residents about his difficult road. Im talking about money to help First Step with the homeless, with the drug and alcohol issues, and dont tell me you dont think theres an opioid crisis here in the community.. On this November morning, he was back at First Step Recovery Homes in McKeesport, where he spent most of the prior two months. Click here if you wish to opt out and view the full site. The most enjoyable part of my job is that i was able to play around with some of the kids had fun with the water with some kids it was a nice summer job. document.write('Jason Togyer<\/a>'); "We have to learn to accept the cultural changes that have occurred." What businesses are we trying to attract here, honestly? var domain = 'gmail.com'; He added that in his town, elected officials conduct ourselves with integrity and the utmost respect for each other.. Tube City Online is still not a significant source of saturated fats or Minnesota Fats. But he also has larger obligations, including the four buildings and seven employees. He never found the funding. In the end, all McKeesporters poor and rich, young and old, male and female, all races and religions mattered to him. City officials are working hard with what little is coming in and the staff members who get grant money for the City ought to be congratulated. McKeesport mayor sees big savings on new house after tax liens wiped out, Program is 'absolutely' available for anyone else in city, Michael Cherepko says. Poor people who live here arent going to abandon the Dollar General to go shop there, and itll be a cold day in hell before anyone else decides to drive past their already-local 3 or 4 other Wal-Mart locations to get to one in McKeesport. Sep 01 - Sep 30, 2014 If you ever played the Daily Number (I didnt) you know how funny that is, and when the young lady running the lottery machine said you cant do that, everyone got a good laugh but not at my expense. Aww gee, the Penn McKee. Here's what people are saying about City Of Mckeesport. Those who worked with Mayor Lou will never forget him. Box 94, McKeesport, PA 15134. Of course, the History section is done, since that is all anyone can focus on around here.Adam - December 08, 2009, John, next time I need to call 911, I will just call Sarah and ask her to connect me to to Sherriff Taylor, unless he is at Floyds getting a shaveAdam - December 08, 2009, All right, simmer down, or Barney will have to nip this in the bud. The building, however, deteriorated. Mayor's Office Previously a City Councilman who worked as a fifth-grade teacher in the McKeesport Area School District, Michael Cherepko was elected in 2011 to serve McKeesport's near 20,000 residents as Mayor. Jul 2015 Action News Investigates has learned that the mayor of McKeesport got the property for his house on the cheap, using a city program.Mayor Michael Cherepko says he was given no special favors, but . No content from Tube City Online may be reproduced in whole or part in any digital or print publication without express permission, except that short excerpts may be used with attribution in commentary or for critical purposes. MOST READ PUBLICSOURCE STORIES Rich is the managing editor of PublicSource. Whole Foods would be good. Because you are viewing this site from a location address that appears to be covered by the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 ("CCPA"), many of the features of TribLIVE.com -- like videos and social media elements -- are disabled. McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko (Photo by Ryan Loew/PublicSource). More by Rich Lord. The mayor hopes to move into his new home in the next month. My relapses are a pattern, he said. Mon-Yough area news, views and announcements, powered by volunteers, local writers and your donations! they're right," said Brewster, which is why the city will "aggressively" continue demolishing abandoned houses in all 12 wards. As things got worse, the boss, as I was privileged to call him, partnered with the newly created Allegheny Regional Asset District. Patrolling a city by foot or car brought different challenges. Click the banner to return to the Almanac's front page, or click here to visit Tube City Online. The cost of doing nothing except roof repair, and then allowing the building to sit, would also be around $1 million, though that would not advance economic revitalization or remove public safety hazards, he noted. Try maybe fixing Grandview Avenue so people dont have to drive on the wrong side of the street, or fixing sidewalks so the handicapped in wheelchairs dont need to drive on the street.Adam - December 08, 2009, Um, I believe switchboard operators name is Sarah. McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko posted the following statement on Facebook: "As mayor of the city of McKeesport, I feel compelled to publicly address an issue that has come to my attention via . Click the city name to learn more about the City Mayor pay level in these cities. He spent it at a Narcotics Anonymous convention in Erie. Feb 2017 When the call came to share, Aaron Bunting leapt to the podium. Once a hotspot, now a liability, the landmark could get a shot at restoration if funding allows. Lou Washowich only his beloved bride of 58 years, Jean, was allowed to call him Louis! Nip it! http://www.monroeville.pa.us/_DocArchives/misc/2010ProposedBudget.pdf After the fire, the city spent $12,000 to tear down the two homes that were burned and another abandoned home next door. Two abandoned houses on East Street in McKeesport were torched. Wounded McKeesport police Officer Charles Thomas is hugged by Mayor Michael Cherepko during a candlelight for fallen McKeesport police Officer Sean Sluganski on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at . In response to the pandemic, though, Giles gives each man a single room, capping the population at 12, of whom just a few are employed. Tube City Online is edited by Jason Togyer, member, National Writers Union, AFL-CIO, and Online News Association. Aug 2016 Employers: This data could be used as reference point in your market pricing, but not the only source, due to differences across jobs locations, and sizes of companies.Consider additional sources like our Employer reported data. (The city did not provide requested documentation of the charge by the time of publication. "That's an area I was born and raised in," Cherepko said.After the fire, the city spent $12,000 to tear down the two homes that were burned and another abandoned home next door. $80,035 - $106,409 7% of jobs $106,410 - $132,784 4% of jobs $132,785 - $159,159 4% of jobs $162,798 is the 90th percentile. It didnt matter than most of the people using the facility could or did vote for him. "I signed it over to McKeesport. Contractors might, however, be able to remove the south wing and then retrofit the north wing, removing the asbestos and repairing the roof and steel framing, said Anselmo. We are also getting $480,000 from the Liquid Fuels tax, and oddly enough, thats the exact amount we want to spend on Street Lighting. Here are some other companies that are located close to City Of Mckeesport. "It depends on how you look at it. He was faced with a nearly impossible task and had to make critical decisions to assure streets were cleared of snow, garbage was collected, and that fire and police would remain in place and have the equipment necessary to maintain safety for residents and business community alike. Regardless, they were his people and as McKeesporters, he felt responsible for them and would not forget them. His record includes state time for drug and gun possession charges in the 1990s, and federal time for a drug charge he drew in West Virginia. And remember, the city previously paid $12,000 in grant money to demolish the buildings. He said he tried to walk away from the argument, but Giles kept drawing him back. Van Osdol asked. Salaries above this are outliers. But no one wants to come here. Next years goal: demolition of 200 to 300 abandoned homes. Van Osdol asked. I know the kid," Lawson said. Unfortunately, Mayor Washowichs visionary dream died on the political steps of the State Capitol, in return for a promise of governmental support to find adaptive reuses for the former National Works, now the RIDC industrial park. I think the Mon Valley could support something like that. The public comment portion of the meeting followed, and Giles stepped to the podium. Even in business. Lawson now lives in an apartment, where she got a visit from a McKeesport official asking her to give up her property. Rich Lord is PublicSources economic development reporter. Monroeville and North Huntingdon have their budgets online, and you can compare their expenditures with what McKeesport is paying: Box 94, McKeesport, Pa. 15134. He said First Step was in arrears by $89,000, and mulled whether a utility would really shut him off over $69. Full-time officers starting in the department earn a minimum base pay of $68,000, according to the city's 2022 budget. The McKeesport community is mourning the loss of one of their police officers who died in the line of duty. He said he couldnt distribute public dollars to organizations that werent in good standing., Giles didnt dispute the debt. (Photo by Lucas Zheng/PublicSource), In McKeesport, a demolition drive pauses at the door of a once-glamorous hotel. I dont understand why we cant get any assistance helping this population in McKeesport, he told council. Im not even going to start.Adam - December 07, 2009, By all means, Adam, start, start!Webmaster - December 08, 2009, Here goes..OK. First, it seems the only business in McKeesport is the politics business. All this money and they are worried about a measely $48,000 for the Palisades which is one of the only well maintained busy places in McKeesport. We want to try to replicate it here, Giles said as he brought out a binder full of materials on the program and laid it on his desk. Following the hearing, which was required as part of the EPA grant, the public has 30 days to submit written comments to the authority. TM - The Tube City Almanac and Tube City Online are trademarks of Tube City Community Media Inc., registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Is More Than a Website Its a Community Instigation. What should happen are municipal mergers that would put all of these towns on a level field but the voters hate the idea. The American Rescue Plan Act [ARPA] steered $130 billion to local governments, including $24.7 million to McKeesport. "I'm optimistic we are going to turn things around here," says McKeesport Mayor Wayne Kucich, who is making good on a campaign promise to donate $15,000 a year of his $60,000 salary. Graduating in Pennsylvania is about to get more complicated. I wonder how many other businesses have asked for a small amount of help but were told no becuase we had to offer people like echostar dealsAdam - December 09, 2009, It appears to me that the City Council is doing the best it can with the revenues it receives and Im always impressed to read about the grants awarded to the City. People at a McKeesport shopping complex who spoke with Action News Investigates were unaware of the city program and skeptical of the mayor's motives. Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications. One day, while enjoying coffee with Police Chief Jim Lundie and Lou, the boss sent me to buy a daily lottery ticket. With 39 officers, the bonuses totaled $117,000. Management took the running of the city seriously, and worked with the police in trying to make it a safe place. First Step CEO Keith Giles believes that the city armed with $24.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act [ARPA] funding should help to stabilize the financially struggling program. "Tube City Online" and "The Tube City Almanac" are trademarks of Tube City Community Media Inc. registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Oct 2016 Now he has an annual budget that hovers below $500,000 a year, anchored by an Allegheny County Department of Human Services allocation that is $312,000 in fiscal 2021-22. (Photo by Ryan Loew/PublicSource), In years past, hed gone to recovery homes to avoid winter on the street or meet terms of probation. Base Salary (USD) $780,849/year View Hourly Rate Low:$676,965 All of us will remember the positive impact he had on the lives of his city and his close friends there are too many to name, but I would be remiss for not remembering Bill Lickert Sr. in particular. All city officials are wasteful, crooks, and nobody voted for them. Sep 2015 City of McKeesport Salaries How much do City of McKeesport employees make? Get an estimated calculation of how much you should be earning and insight into your career options. If the Penn McKee cant ultimately be saved, that reality wont define the city, he added. Sep 2016 Hed like to counter that. Last month, McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko hosted a delegation from three federal agencies (Department of Housing and Urban Development, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture) advising on funding possibilities to speed the redevelopment process along. To comment on any story at Tube City Almanac, email tubecitytiger@gmail.com, send a tweet to www.twitter.com/tubecityonline, visit our Facebook page, or write to Tube City Almanac, P.O. The 2022 Festival of Trees featured 64 entries from community groups, service agencies, churches, and student organizations across the McKeesport area - welcoming guests to the Jacob Woll (Main) Pavilion in Renziehausen Park on December 1 through 5. If the homes are at their capacity of 23 men, and a reasonable number are working, thats meaningful revenue. Only three new homes, including the mayor's, were built in the past decade.Cherepko is not the first one to use this program, but he says he is the first to use it to build a house. They wont cover needed basement and sewer work on his buildings, though. Saving McKeesport's Penn McKee Hotel would cost millions, but the mayor wants to give it a try. While assessments were skyrocketing in the bubble days, the county cut the real estate tax rate (the only local tax Richmond benevolently allows us) to lower levels to lessen the impact of the higher assessments. Id hate to see it go, said Robert Baum, owner of a real estate agency in the city, and one of three members of the public to testify at the hearing. See our privacy policy. Keenon Mikell, who leads the health and wellness program at First Step Recovery Homes, approaches the nonprofits gym on Market Street in McKeesport. The only name Ive heard in the past few years is Wal-Mart, and thats a horrible idea on all fronts. Honey, I was in the house about 60 years," Lawson said. "Oh, God. In the coming weeks and years, I hope everyone who knew Lou will share their stories. . . The latter was not a problem, because Lous ability to judge people which he developed back when he coached the Little Tigers helped him find, trust and obtain the folks he needed to initiate and implement his goals and objectives. Once a hotspot, now a liability, the landmark could get a shot at restoration if funding allows. How much does a City Mayor make in Mckeesport, PA? Mayor Lous time in office spawned a second park, named for one of his friends teacher, coach and city councilman Richard Gergely. I dont know where we are buying light bulbs, but we better ask the guys at Sun-Ray for a deal, becuase I think we are being ripped off. He joined the team in 2020, serving as a reporter focused on housing and economic development and an assistant editor. On this November day, the subject of the morning discussion was avoiding relapse, and that had not been an area of strength for the 67-year-old McKeesport man. New York beats the national average by 4.0%, and Washington furthers that trend with another $6,345 (7.9%) above the $80,064. McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said he cant help First Step because the organization owes the city reimbursement for costs incurred demolishing a building it owned. ShotSpotter, which is currently used in the City of Pittsburgh, is a company that offers gunshot detection systems that . The Allegheny County Health Department found 347 housing code violations across two troubled McKeesport properties over four years but only collected one penalty, for $2,250. If you're unsure of how to do this, click here for a quick guide. The authority previously had a daily treatment capacity of 21 million gallons at its plant in the Tenth Ward. If we owned everything, you wouldnt see a lot of these buildings empty.. The following job titles have similar responsibilities as a City Mayor. Instead, he said, McKeesport must continue seeking new revenue streams, which will include attempting to market the drilling rights for natural gas trapped in Marcellus shale under city-owned property, and continuing to offer services such as police protection to neighboring communities who request it. Nip it!John M. - December 09, 2009, Please can someone guide me to the citys light switch so I can turn it off and we ( all the decent citizens still left) can all finally leaveCox's Jimmy - December 09, 2009, I get this feeling that if we all got free chocolate ice cream and $2,000 tax rebate checks, half of us would bitch because we wanted vanilla, and others would complain about the lines at the bank.Webmaster - December 09, 2009, So true. Giles said he called the editor to clear up any misunderstanding regarding the Shaw Avenue propertys demolition, and that when the mayor found out he nixed the meeting. At council meetings they average 5 to 10 people showing up to speak. Aug 2015 If echostar moves out and a huge successful shopping district moves in, I would agree with people being paid these sums, but when we are in a depressed area, I do not. Meanwhile state subsidies to our state universities have fallen, forcing schools like UVA, William & Mary, and Virginia Tech to take more out of state students to make up the difference in their budgets. He was 81. City of Baltimore, Mayor's Office of Employment Development, ional Construction Company at City of Baltimore, Mayor's Office of Employment Development, e Director of Construction Training at City of Baltimore, Mayor's Office of Employment Development, Junior Camp Counselor -Mayor's Circle Of Excellence Camp- City of Orange, NJ, City Attorneys Office Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Administrator Mayor's Office of Social Equity and Innovation, Common questions about salaries for a City Mayor. He currently lives in Mt. I think the White Oak Chrysler corner would be an awesome spot. Mayor Michael Cherepko estimated that 99% of the people that know anything about McKeesport can relate to the Penn McKee. For that reason, the fate of the old hotel, empty for 30 years, will resonate well beyond the borders of the city of 17,727. I would not have bought the property with all the liens.". But you do have to be competitive, no? I know the kid," Lawson said.Cherepko said he remembers Lawson but he did not know where she was living when he took her property. Neither will those Little Tigers, who got a summer vacation to Camp Soles or who traveled with Coach Lou to play football games in Virginia Beach, Florida and even Mexico and in the process, enhanced the reputation of McKeesport around the country and the world. Lous character was forged early in life, growing up poor in a tough industrial town without benefit of a standard nuclear family. McKeesports new website is looking really good these days. First Step was the first program that he approached with a sincere desire to get well. Two others house the men they serve, and the fourth includes a gym. As a city tries to demolish its way to rebirth, a veteran team of addiction recovery workers struggles to avoid fiscal collapse. D-McKeesport, said he was mayor of the city and serving on the authority board when the idea . He joined the team in 2020, serving as a reporter focused on housing and economic development and an assistant editor. In my early days working with Lou, we would meet at G.C. Youll have to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Lum if you want it removed; its their building now.Webmaster - December 08, 2009, I think SOMEONE should talk to Mr and Mrs Lum, becuase they are screwing up bigtime. The average salary is $72,004 a year $53,660 - $80,034 11% of jobs $82,308 is the 75th percentile. In my high school/college days I worked at Gilbert Lumber on Walnut, when they were going under in 1996, a group of employees went to the city and asked for help to save the business( which was going under for poor business decisions and a flood, not a lack of customers), the city said, no way.