Duquesne Officials Establish Duke City Youth Council

By Cami DiBattista
The Tube City Almanac
February 06, 2018
Posted in: Duquesne News

A new youth organization is being launched by Duquesne city officials to give young people a chance to work together constructively.

Duquesne City Council unanimously approved creation of the Duke City Youth Council.

Councilwoman Fawn Taylor-McDaniel introduced plans for the newly established organization, which aims to provide fun and positive experiences to youth in the Duquesne community.

“Being a part of the Duke City Youth Council will allow youth to become more involved in their community, be a voice in the community, socialize and have fun, and it presents them an opportunity to volunteer during city activities,” McDaniel said.

The purpose of the DCYC is to educate Duquesne's young people about history, music and politics while encouraging them to become successful leaders in the future, she said.

Youth between the ages of 10 and 18 are invited to participate in the program, which McDaniel said will be designed to encourage a sense of responsibility while implementing youth activities and field trips.

Mayor Nickole Nesby endorsed the youth council's creation.

“By working with businesses and education leaders, we can empower our youth and ensure they are better prepared for today's competitive economy,” Nesby said.

An application is available on Facebook.

For more information, call program director Bill Jakub at (412) 841-2665 ​or Taylor-McDaniel at​​​​​ (412) 559-1786.

In other business, Nesby said city administrators and employees are working to address any concerns about how the city processes payroll checks and accounts receivable.

New City Manager Cha Sayles said he is in the process of determining what the city's past practices were in terms of payroll, accounting and finances.

Council voted 3-0 to retain ADP as payroll vendor at an annual cost of $12,098.80. Nesby said the city's Act 47 coordinator will provide training on accounts payable to help staff address deficiencies.

Sayles said he is also examining all vendor relationships including that of CyBerJaz of Aliquippa, which provides IT services for the city. He is currently reviewing an unpaid bill for services provided from June 1, 2017 until  January 8 of this year, he said.

McDaniel reported that Dominique Alexander of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services has asked council about using Polish Hill Fields as a location for a community garden. The garden would be started and maintained by the children who attend the summer food program.

Additionally, Duquesne Youth Athletic Association would like to continue use of Polish Hills Fields for their upcoming baseball season. Council members said decisions would be made after the city receives more details on the requests.

Also at council's meeting:

• Council accepted the resignation of City Controller Beth Kracinovsky and hired Thyais Walker as the new executive assistant for the City of Duquesne.
• Council appointed Randall Taylor as the chair of the Health and Human Services Commission for a two-year term and Carmen Brown as a board member for a two-year term.
• Council authorized Steel Rivers Council of Governments to pay $4,600 for demolition services provided by KCA Demolition Company, Inc.
• A representative from Keystone Tax Services, Jason Lawson, gave a presentation to council detailing the services the company has provided to Duquesne in the past. The city’s contact with the company expires in April.

Cami DiBattista is a freelance writer who covers Duquesne, White Oak and other topics for Tube City Almanac.

Originally published February 06, 2018.

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