MAYOR’S
Corner
MICHAEL CHEREPKO
PHOTO BY GARY YON
cKeesport
CITY OF MCKEESPORT NEWS
Summer is here, and with most public pools and recreation
facilities remaining closed or decreasing their capacity, this
may not seem like the season we know and love.
As I shared in the spring, the novel COVID-19 coronavirus
made an impact on our operations within the City of
McKeesport, as well as in the daily lives of each and every
one of our residents. It is just as important now as it was
then to remind ourselves what makes the McKeesport
community strong. Even as we learn to function within
Allegheny County’s “green phase” of COVID guidelines, we
will continue to observe social distancing, hygiene, and safety
recommendations from national and state officials. It remains
important that we keep open our lines of communication
with our neighbors, local businesses, and local leaders. Check
in on folks who may need assistance with food or other
services during these uncertain times, and be on the lookout
for new information via regional news outlets and the “City of
McKeesport – Mayor’s Office” Facebook page for local updates
to changes in our services as well as surveys that help the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania determine what resources
may be needed in our community.
In the pages of this summer edition of the “In McKeesport
Area” magazine, you will read about four instances where
members of the McKeesport Area community – residents,
parents, students, and business owners – have gone above
and beyond to get our community through the coronavirus.
Our Living the Message Awardees have used their talents
and their love of the McKeesport community to reach out
to McKeesporters in need. Incoming eighth-grader Riley
Sheposh showed her respect for Meals on Wheels volunteers,
church groups, and others who needed reusable masks by
learning to make them herself. Dawn Weichler and Jill Erny
of Sable Kennel, the city’s animal control provider, set aside
a portion of their space to provide donated pet food to petowners
who were out of work during COVID. Tasha Chism,
the mother of McKeesport Area graduating senior Kevonte
Simpson, took to social media to rally our community
around the senior class with the Adopt-A-Senior program.
And last, but not least, Kelly and Mike Doyle, founders of the
McKeesport Agape Center, are following their faith to serve
the hungry.
16 MCKEESPORT AREA
The magazine also features updates on our events for
the remainder of 2020. Unfortunately, you will notice that
International Village officially has been canceled for this year.
I initially hoped our “worst-case scenario” would be take-out
service, because so many local organizations depend on this
revenue. However, circumstances beyond our control have
influenced the decision to cancel. There is no International
Village without the vendors, and the vast majority of those
vendors have made the difficult decision not to participate.
We respect their concerns, and we are hopeful that we will
move past this pandemic to host a beautiful Village in 2021.
In closing, I would like to direct your attention to the
very next page, which features an article about one of my
most respected colleagues and best friends. It is with a
feeling of tremendous loss that we talk about the life and
accomplishments of the late Jamie Brewster Filotei, our
Council Vice President who passed away on May 12.
With Jamie’s passing, we lost somebody who gave her
heart and soul into just trying to make McKeesport a better
place to live. As a Councilperson and as a teacher, the number
of lives she had the opportunity to impact in such positive
ways – it’s truly immeasurable. She truly is going to be missed
by everyone in our community. It’s more than just the ways
she served us, but also in the person who she was. I have met
a lot of people in my life, and I will honestly say that she is,
without question, one of the best. When you strive to be like
somebody, look no further than Jamie. I, for one, will be very
satisfied with life if I end up, someday, being half the person
she was.
During the June council meeting, we were joined by
Jamie’s husband Kenny, their son T.J., her parents Linda and
state Sen. James R. Brewster. We presented Jamie’s name plate
to her family, and we watched as Jamie’s sister, Jill Brewster
Lape accepted an oath of office to fulfill Jamie’s term. I
humbly welcome Jill in her service to the City of McKeesport
and encourage all of you to do the same.
Thank you. And as always, I am thankful for those, like
Jamie, who make the City of McKeesport the community we
know and love. I invite all of you to join in “Working Together
for a Better McKeesport.”