NEW CASTLE Missing ad sets council vote on borrowing

Council members approved a grant application that will pay for housing for victims of domestic violence.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Because of a computer glitch, city officials will have to wait about a week longer than expected for the $1.9 million they borrowed.
The city didn't meet the advertising requirements for the bond issue when the area newspaper lost its legal advertisement during a computer meltdown, said James Chiafullo, attorney for Cohen & amp; Grigsby of Pittsburgh.
City officials were unaware of the problem when they voted May 10 to approve the loan. Chiafullo said they only learned of the error later when they were checking to make sure everything had been done correctly.
Council members had to vote again Thursday to approve the bond issue. Chiafullo said all advertising requirements have been met this time.
The delay and need to vote again will mean the city won't get the money until June 20. Projects funded by the bond issue shouldn't be affected, city council members said.
Most of the $1.9 million will pay for work being done in conjunction with Cascade Development's Warner Bros. theme mall. It will include street resurfacing, new sidewalks and utilities on East Washington and Mill streets.
A $5 million state grant also will be used for the project.
About $200,000 of the bond issue money will pay for a new maintenance building at Cascade Park, and new roofs for the Mahoningtown Fire Station and the old train station at Cascade Park.
In other business, council agreed to apply for a $247,450 grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development. The money will go to the Women's Shelter/Rape Crisis Center of Lawrence County for the construction of a transitional housing unit.
Jeanette Rice, executive director of the shelter, has said the new unit will allow victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to spend up to two years in the facility as they finish their education and find jobs.
The transitional housing unit will be part of the new shelter and offices to be built on State Street near the city-Union Township line.
A matching grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will pay the remaining costs for the transitional housing building, Rice said.