(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Beaver Falls has been a city for 95 years, and the current city council spent their May 9 meeting acknowledging a major part of their past…while also discussing current success that they hope creates a brighter future.

First, a past contributor to the city was honored with a proclamation for his decades of service. Mayor Dr. Kenya Johns presented Sound Ideas LLC owner Mark Peterson with a proclamation acknowledging his 37 years of service with WBVP/WMBA, including ownership of the Beaver Falls studios from 2014 until his retirement in 2021. Peterson was there to accept his proclamation certificate along with his wife and Sound Ideas co-owner, Cyndi.

“It’s really neat that this comes from the Beaver Falls council chambers,” Peterson reminisced, recalling how he used to use a since-removed landline phone labelled “WBVP” to carry the live feed of the city’s council meetings when he started in 1986. “That was one of my earliest memories of the station seeing that thing over there, that was one of the earliest places I sat, and here I am again.”

Peterson wasn’t the only one to have fond memories of the past at Monday night’s meeting, as many members of council and several department heads lauded the first events at the newly renovated Library Park that occurred since the last meeting. Community Development leader Rochelle Burks, who was chief in organizing the two events, was happy to see community support and council’s support during the launch of Beaver Falls CORE and the recent Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

City manager Charles Jones was also vocal about his support for the park’s first events, highlighting the beauty of community gathering and the new possibilities that have been made available. “People in the downtown who aren’t ever really able to get out because of wheelchair access or issues with walkers; they were able to just enjoy that space in the downtown,” Jones stated. “And that makes us all feel good, that we’re providing a great venue and space for everyone to come out and hear music and experience things that a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to.”

As far as the recent damage done to the new “THE FALLS” sign soon after the sign was erected, Jones claimed that the structural integrity was at fault and the city is “going to be working with the designer” to move forward on any issues with the sign being negated.

Future events for the city are being anticipated as well: Burks announced that the next event that Community Development is working on is the city’s Juneteenth event, as well as the beginning considerations for the creation of a city flag. She also stated that the early planning stages of the next annual “Back To School Bash” are underway. Councilwoman Vanessa Ford Taylor announced that the “End of School Bash” fundraiser to benefit Ruhe Park’s renovation is set for June 2nd, and city clerk Paula Durish reminded the public about the Beaver Falls Car Cruise on June 10.

Additionally, an event by Hope Community Reformed Presbyterian Church was greenlit by council, as they unanimously approved a recommendation to the Safety Committee by Bethany Warren to close parts of Pear Alley and 5th Avenue to hold their annual block party on July 22. The council also unanimously approved General Fund and Payroll expenditures totaling $418,706.46.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for May 23 at 7:00 PM.