CITY COUNCIL Sharon appoints treasurer

Renovation of the community library is going to be delayed a month.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- Saying she's done a good job as deputy city treasurer for the past five years, city council appointed Diane Thut to fill the vacancy created by the death of Treasurer Richard Fragle.
Thut, of Service Avenue, was one of three people to apply for the post after Fragle's death May 18.
Fragle had been re-elected to a four-year term last year but the appointment will run only until the next municipal election.
Thut told council she would seek election to the office if given the appointment.
That means she'll have to campaign in the spring 2005 primary. Her appointment will run only until the first Monday in January 2006.
The job pays $35,525 a year.
Thut, James Wolf of Case Avenue and Julee McCamey of Elm Street all sought appointment to the post, which also carries the title of tax collector.
Wolf is retiring in July as business manger for the Sharon City School District while McCamey is a home heat credit manager/administrative assistant for Frenz Petroleum.
The three applicants all got a chance to address city council at a work session before Thursday's regular council meting.
Unanimous decision
When the appointment came up on the regular meeting agenda, the motion to name Thut to the post got a unanimous vote.
Thut immediately took the oath of office.
She told council that the office is running efficiently and she would like to continue doing the job she's been doing for the past five years. She said she will keep the two employees currently working in the tax office.
Her promotion to treasurer creates a vacancy in the office.
Thut, who has a banking background, began working under former Treasurer Leo Hanley and continued in her position when Fragle took office.
In other business, council voted to reject the general construction bids for the Shenango Valley Community Library renovation project.
The city is looking to rebuild a two-level parking deck and do some major renovations to the library building.
However, general construction bids opened June 3 came in much higher than anticipated.
Project funding
Sharon secured a $625,000 state grant for half of the work and put up another $625,000 from money borrowed through a bond issue.
The lowest bids that came in June 3 totaled $1,368,598.
Fred Hoffman, council president, said the project architect recommended rebidding the general construction work, cutting out new windows and other items in an effort to reduce the cost.
That will put the project back about a month, he said.
The electrical and heating and ventilating bids are considered to be good offers and council voted to table contract awards for that work until a meeting July 28, at which time new general construction bids should be available for consideration.