Jan 6, 2024 By Paul Paterra 3 min read

Avery Turner would like to see more activities for youths in the city of Washington, similar to those that a recreation center might provide.

Turner, founder and director of LOYAL (Leading our Youth to an Abundant Life), explained at Thursday’s City Council meeting that teenagers have outgrown the LeMoyne Community Center, the Brownson House is outdated, and broken beer bottles and drug paraphernalia often litter local parks.

“Our youth, they need and they deserve a recreational center like the one in Upper St. Clair or the one they built in Peters Township,” Turner told council. “We’re not looking just for another sports facility. Our recreational center would provide guidance and structure. We want to teach them discipline and respect.”

Turner said kids are getting in trouble and an alternative needs to be provided.

“They’re underprivileged, they’re undervalued and they’re overlooked,” he said. “They’re only being looked at when they’re face to face with a judge. We need to give them some direction and some guidance. We need to put some programs together to help the whole family. They have no structure and we’ve got to provide it.”

Mayor JoJo Burgess said a comprehensive plan needs to be put into place for the city to address a facility such as a recreation center and encouraged Turner to share his ideas with council.

“We need to know what you guys want,” Burgess said. “If we don’t have people like yourself voicing that, telling us what to do to make this city better, we don’t have it. It hasn’t fallen on deaf ears. It’s something that’s already been discussed by me with the members of council.”

Burgess added he has met with state and federal officials to explore how to obtain funding for

such a project.

“We have a map on how to do it; we have to put a plan together that shows it,” he said. “We want this city to improve in all areas.”

Also addressing council Thursday was Fern Sibert, who said bottle caps will be sorted Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Fourth Presbyterian Church. She said 6,000 pounds of bottle caps will eventually be used to create eco-friendly park benches.

Also Thursday, Neal Isiminger was on hand to make the family’s annual donation to the city’s police and fire departments.

The Isiminger family, who owns Isiminger’s Towing Service and Isiminger’s Splish Splash Touch Free Car Wash, typically make annual $500 donations to each department.

“It’s just a little something to get them started if there’s anything they might need to start the year with,” Isiminger said.

In other business, council unanimously approved a two-year contract for City Administrator Donn Henderson that includes a $1 per hour raise, putting his annual salary at $74,243.

“Mr. Henderson has been productive for the city,” Burgess said. “There’s some changes that were made in certain areas, but his job remains the same.”

Henderson has been city administrator since May 2022.