(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)
It was a succinct and somewhat short meeting for the Beaver Falls City Council to close the month of February, but it wasn’t without major announcements regarding the future.
During the meeting, the council approved for a tournament to be held by the Beaver Valley Youth Basketball Association from March 10-12 at Beaver County Christian School, with police protection for the event provided by the city’s police department. The policed department also received approval for a three-year agreement with PlateSmart for software services (PlateSmart had acquired the company from which the department had been previously using software). General Fund expenditures were approved at an amount of $331,952.80.
The Farmer’s Market was approved for return by the city council, as the market will be held behind the Brodhead Apartments beginning May 1 until November 20. The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority Board had the five-year term of Anthony Comer approved by the board, along with the purchase of the property at 108 14th Street by Devay Owens.
13th Street will be closed from 3 PM until 9 PM on April 29 for the launch event for the new group Beaver Falls Core at March Park, while another park has received name suggestions. Community Development director Rochelle Burks announced that she had a list of 18 names that were submitted for the new park by the Carnegie Free Library, which is set to be open in the summer.
The biggest reveal of the evening, however, came near the very end as councilmembers provided their updates…and longtime councilman Leonard Chiappetta had a major one.
“After prayerful thought, I will finish my term now, I will not seek re-election in January,” Chiappetta announced. “It’s hard for me to step down, but now is the time to do it.”
“We’re really sad to hear that, but we’re thankful for all the years that you’ve invested in our city,” Mayor Kenya Johns stated. The rest of the council concurred in thanking Chiappetta for his many years of servitude on the Beaver Falls City Council.
The next Beaver Falls City Council meeting is scheduled for March 14 at 7:00 PM.