Oct 26, 2018 4 min read

MONESSEN – Council members were questioned Wednesday about whether the company hired to demolish three city nuisance properties was the most qualified for the job.

The questions came after city resident Ernie Telegraphis said Ritenour and Sons Construction Inc. failed to disconnect gas lines before starting the job at a former mini-mall building downtown. Demolition was put on hold last week when People’s Natural Gas discovered the gas lines were live, officials said.

“If there would have been a spark or some sort of hit by those bulldozers, there would have been an explosion,” said Telegraphis. “We don’t know even how many people would have been dead.”

The Connellsville-based construction company has previously handled other demolition projects for Monessen. Council members said the company submitted the lowest bid at $168,000 and was awarded the contract. When Telegraphis asked why council did not seek more than one bid for the project, Councilman David Feehan said the city advertised for bids but got a response only from Ritenour and Sons.

“If only one construction company bids on it, what do you want me to do?” Feehan responded. “Are you going to start a construction company and come bid on it?”

Lou Mavrakis, the city’s former mayor, said he believed a second company also submitted a bid. Judith Taylor, city administrator, confirmed that A.W. McNabb LLC submitted a higher bid.

City Controller Wayne Vlasic said the city followed the proper protocols for accepting bids and awarding contracts.

“These are sealed bids, and they are opened at a certain date and time in front of the engineer and usually one or two city employees. I’m usually there when they open them up. There are specs they have to follow. And then the lowest bid gets the job. If you give the bid to someone else, they will sue us. That’s the process,” said Vlasic.

Added Feehan, “If we experienced any problems with Ritenour in the past, we could have picked the next higher bidder if they were the most reputable company for the job.”

Feehan said he is meeting with WEC Inc., the city engineer, to determine when it is safe to resume demolition of the former mini-mall building.

In other business, council:

• Approved submission of an invoice to the DCED Early Intervention Grant Program in the amount of $53,637 for the first year of the City Administrator Salary and Benefits Grant.
• Approved the 2019 contract for Hoffman Boarding Kennels for performance of dog law enforcement services in the amount of $445 per month and for emergency calls in the amount of $85 per call.
• Approved the Business Service Order Agreement from Comcast to provide internet, voice and security services at the Monessen Civic Center.
• Approved the employee health insurance renewal for 2019 with TEC Benefits through United Health Care, the current carrier, for an approximate annual premium cost of $261,855. Councilman Anthony Orzechowski had concerns about the costs but joined fellow council members Feehan and Lois Thomas in voting for the renewal.
• Approved the resignation of Cheryl Fleming from the Recreation Board, effective Oct. 17. The council also approved a motion to advertise for letters of interest for an appointment to fill the unexpired term of Fleming’s seat, which will expire the first Monday in January 2020.
• Approved a quote from Martel Electronics Inc. in the amount of $7,883 to purchase 15 body cameras and one 24-terabyte hard drive for the Monessen Police Department. The equipment will be paid with donations from the Lions Club and FCSLA, with the remainder to be paid from the Grant Fund.
• Entered into an agreement with the Department of the Auditor General to conditionally release the city’s 2018 municipal pension aid allocation.
• Tabled a motion to reappoint Ronald Barron to the Mon Valley Sewage Authority for a five-year term that will expire Dec. 23, 2023.

Also, during the meeting, Feehan thanked ArcelorMittal USA for donating $4,000 each to both of Monessen’s fire departments for breathing apparatus equipment and $10,000 to the Monessen Police Department that will help defray the cost of purchasing a new vehicle. ArcelorMittal USA also donated an unspecified amount to Mon Valley EMS.

In addition, Vlasic thanked the Monessen Lions Club and the Monessen/Rostraver Rotary Club for donating $150 each to the Salvation Army to help defray the costs for refreshments for children who participated in the city’s Halloween parade.