The Monessen Civic Center needs money and city council is stepping in to help – despite an apparent rift between the mayor and the center authority board.
At its Feb. 23 meeting, council is expected to approve an annual $3,000 stipend for maintenance and upkeep of the Donner Avenue facility.
“At this point, it just needs some tender loving care, and we're more than happy to provide that,” Councilman Josh Retos said.
Retos said the stipend would be budgeted starting in 2016. Council is also expected to use $6,700 in grant money for four wall-mounted heaters in the Civic Center gymnasium.
Owned by the city, the building is used for events ranging from youth basketball to religious services.
The pending aid was welcomed by Eugene “Geno” Sedlak, who addressed council during Monday's work session. Sedlak chairs the Monessen Civic Recreation Authority.
Sedlak said he came to discuss a “rift” between the authority and Mayor Lou Mavrakis. Sedlak claimed he heard the mayor had criticized the authority for raising rental fees for the Monessen Midget Youth Basketball League from $1,500 to $2,000.
“Sometimes you just have to sit down, bite your lip and do what's best for the city,” Sedlak said. “I'm not against you. … It's time to put differences aside and work together for the common good.”
He told Mavrakis that any rate hike was to keep the building functional and that he did not want the mayor “bad-mouthing” the authority, as he purportedly did to a group of residents during a recent activity at the center.
Sedlak said he is a volunteer with a full-time job whose motive is to maintain the Civic Center, citing approximately $13,000 per year in upkeep and utility costs. Sedlak said the heating bill in October alone was $2,000.
Mavrakis took exception to Sedlak's comments, emphasizing that he hasn't charged the city a dime since taking over as mayor last year.
“You weren't there,” Mavrakis bellowed at Sedlak. “I'm a volunteer, too … more than you are.”
Sedlak referred to Mavrakis' campaign promise that, as mayor, he would not charge the youth league to use the gymnasium – and that the promise compromised the authority's ability to keep the Civic Center operating.
“If we don't have funding for the building, then there is no building for the kids,” Sedlak said. “I'd love to have the kids play for free – if we had the money to do so.”
Sedlak and Retos expressed hope that the Monessen School Board will provide additional money to the authority.
The city and the school board once provided money annually to the Civic Center.
Sedlak added that the authority planned to go outside the city for financial help, including from state Rep. R. Ted Harhai – something Retos encouraged him to do. City council, under the previous administration, dissolved the authority in April 2010. The authority was reinstated last February.
Council also heard from Herb Lippincott of the Monessen Youth Activity Center. Lippincott asked council to aid his group's effort to acquire a building for activities ranging from sports to tutoring.
A 1985 Monessen High School graduate and Iraq War veteran, Lippincott said he was heartbroken to learn numerous children rely on the school district for meals.
“You have an elementary school student right now who's always in trouble. He's not there for an education, but he has perfect attendance,” Lippincott said. “Why do you think that is? Because they know they're going to have breakfast, they're going to have lunch and they probably won't eat until they come to school the next day.”
Lippincott said he is trying to secure space in the former Washington Elementary School at the intersection of Ninth Street and Summit Avenue. He said his organization's goal is to pay college students to tutor while possibly organizing group sports like lacrosse and field trips.
But Lippincott said his immediate concern is to make sure children have somewhere to go besides the street.
“In the summer, that's when it hits hard,” he said.
Mavrakis mentioned several other building possibilities and promised Lippincott he would call Westmoreland County to make sure the properties are clear of tax liens.
City solicitor Gary Matta told Lippincott and Sedlak the organizations would be best to combine as a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization so donations and grants could be more readily obtained. Matta offered free legal services to accomplish that task.
Sedlak and Lippincott agreed to meet with Matta in the next week.
Rick Bruni Jr. is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at rbruni@tribweb.com or 724-684-2635.
