Jan 29, 2022 5 min read

MONESSEN – Since Ron Moser became mayor, he has said his goal is to have the city thrive again.

At Thursday’s meeting of council – Moser’s 24th day in office – he asked for time to help reach that goal. He also stressed he has no intention of having the city enter into Act 47 status.

“Give me a chance – that’s all I ask,” Moser said Thursday. “I have no intention of going Act 47. That is not my intent, never was, never will be.”

Act 47 of 1987, the Municipalities Financial Recovery Act, was enacted to provide a broad-based program of fiscal management oversight, technical assistance, planning and financial aid to municipalities experiencing severe fiscal distress.

Michael Foreman, local government policy specialist of the Department of Community and Economic Development, was on hand to explain the difference between the Strategic Management Planning Program (STMP) and Act 47.

“The Strategic Planning Program was brought into being in 2008 as a mechanism or a tool or an instrument to try to stop and mitigate communities from falling into greater financial distress that would bring them into our Act 47 program,” he said. “This STMP program offers a community in partnership with us the opportunity to implement recommendations that the city can use to advance its current state of affairs.”

STMP provides matching grants to assist municipalities experiencing fiscal difficulties to develop comprehensive multi-year financial plans and establish short- and long-term financial objectives.

“The city of Monessen has not requested, nor do I believe will imminently request (Act 47),” Foreman said. “My sense is that we will work through the city with the Strategic Management Planning Program going forward.”

Moser did say challenges lie ahead, but he has some plans to help the city move forward.

“It will never be the steel town it once was, but it can be a lot better than it is today,” Moser said. “I can’t remember the last capital project that was done in Monessen that wasn’t funded by (Community Block Development Grant). We need to change that. We need to find new ways to drive this city, new tax dollars to move it forward.”

Moser said he was hit with big challenges from the moment he took office.{

“It was a blow to find out we had something shy of $19,000 and a payroll the next day of some $80,000,” Moser said. “I called Mike Foreman and he said this is an emergency, you have no other options than to borrow money from the line usage fund. Against the recommendations of our solicitor, with a lot of caution that he gave us, this council individually put ourselves on the line to come up with payroll and that was through the line usage fund. Since then, we’ve existed on the garbage collection. That’s how we’re paying any of the bills we’re paying right now.”

Moser stressed the city remains in grave financial peril but said give him until the end of the year to provide a good stable government. If it doesn’t happen by then, he will take the blame.

“I really want this city to survive,” he said. “I want it to survive, thrive and prosper.”

Councilman Don Gregor said he would give a Moser a chance.

“I think we should give you an opportunity,” Gregor said. “You seem to have a good grasp of the situation. I’m more than willing to work with you to make this happen.”

Moser presented a budget for 2022 at Thursday’s meeting. The spending plan lists revenues at $5,833,528 and expenditures at $5,643,014. Millage will remain at 43.11 mills, meaning no tax increase.

The budget presented Thursday provides the requisite time for the spending plan to be reviewed. The budget will be up for adoption when council reconvenes Feb. 10.

Earlier this month, the new council approved last year’s budget to be able to spend money until a new spending plan can be approved. A budget was not approved by Dec. 31 since it had not been advertised by a date that would have allowed the public to have ample time to review it.

According to state law, the city has until Feb. 15 to amend or correct the spending plan.

Also, council unanimously approved a motion to advertise for a new city administrator at a starting annual salary of $50,000 to $65,000, based on experience.

The city has been without an administrator since John Harhai retired Dec. 31.

“We need to do it quickly,” Moser said. “This city is drowning without any help.”

Before someone is hired, interim options are being explored.

Jason Dailey submitted a proposal to handle the task on an interim basis and addressed council at Thursday’s meeting.

Dailey said he has experience as a municipal manager and most recently served as utilities director in Cranberry Township.

“My proposal is to provide hours throughout the week on the administrative side to work through the issues you’ve discussed,” Dailey said. “A lot of the things you are dealing with on a daily basis are really the responsibility of a city administrator.”

He said his rate is $125 an hour with a not-to-exceed clause of $6,500 a month.

Council also unanimously approved hiring Marvin Davis as a code enforcement officer on a part-time basis. He will be paid $16 an hour. There will be no benefits with the position.