Crafton council approves one-time sale of 1,900 reclaimed street bricks to local contractor after debate

Crafton Borough Council approved a resolution to sell 1,900 reclaimed street bricks to a local contractor, Celente, for $1 per brick after discussion about inventory, public benefit and the borough’s legal options.

The resolution, introduced at the April 10 meeting, passed on a 3-2 vote. Council members cited the borough’s large existing stockpile and the contractor’s need for a specific color and type of brick; opponents said the borough should preserve the supply for future local repairs.

The matter drew questions during public comment from resident Greg Wozniak, who asked whether selling bricks signaled the borough no longer needed the material and raised concerns about potential damage to bricks during removal and handling. Wozniak said the borough’s reported amounts — “30,000 to 50,000 old bricks” — and a proposal to sell “1,999 bricks” prompted him to question the value of the sale.

Director Tedesco replied that a local contractor approached the borough seeking 5,000 bricks but the borough had legally limited options for a direct sale without competitive bidding. Tedesco said the contractor, who has worked in the region, planned to hand-sort bricks for the specific color and type needed. He told council, “we are no risk of running out of bricks,” citing the borough’s estimated inventory and additional bricks expected during the Broadhead project.

Council members explained the legal constraint the borough was following: for a personal property sale the borough may dispose of up to $2,000 in value without a bidding process. The council offered Celente the lower, immediate quantity rather than pursue a competitive process for a larger sale. A council member said the sale would generate $2,000 that could be used for brick-street repairs.

Opponents questioned the speed of the decision and whether the borough had enough information about how many bricks were in reusable condition. Director Tedesco and other staff acknowledged there is not yet a detailed inventory of brick condition and that the 30,000–50,000 figure was an estimate provided by a contractor with experience handling reclaimed brick.

The resolution also carries a one-year limit on additional sales to the purchaser: council said the borough could not sell more than the approved amount without a separate process. The council approved the resolution after discussion; the motion passed 3-2.

The borough stores the reclaimed bricks in large outdoor piles at public works. Councilors said staff would continue work on a brick-road assessment in spring and summer to better catalog types and condition of existing bricks and help guide future reuse.

Votes and next steps: the council approved the sale and staff said they would document the bricks sold and proceed with the one-time transaction. The broader brick assessment and an eventual plan for sorting and reuse will be developed through the planned brick-road assessment and public-works follow-up.

For now the contractor’s immediate need and the borough’s legal limit on direct sales shaped the outcome; council members urged continuing the larger inventory and condition assessment before future disposals.