Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Jobs courtesy of the stimulus package

Here's a look at four people whose lives have been affected by the federal stimulus money.   Police Michelle Avallone and Thomas Bergey

Here's a look at four people whose lives have been affected by the federal stimulus money.

Police

Michelle Avallone and Thomas Bergey

Age: 36 and 29

Home: Mayfair and Bridesburg

Salary: $44,600

Stimulus funding: Both were hired as part of a police class funded with a $43 million Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) grant.

Their work: The partners, who hit the streets in October, are assigned to the tough 22nd District, foot-patrolling an area bordered by 10th and 12th Streets from York to Huntingdon avenues.

What it means to them:

"It's something I've always wanted to do," said Avallone, the mother of three sons. "I'm grateful."

Bergey said: "I wonder what happens when the money dries up. If we do what we're supposed to do, we'll be fine."

Schools

Elizabeth Randol

Age: 26

Home: Fairmount

Salary: $51,674

Stimulus funding: Randol was hired as part of the school district's Imagine 2014 program, which is partially funded through a $22 million stimulus grant for special education.

Her work: She works at Vaux High School in North Philadelphia, teaching mostly low-income kids with special needs.

What it means to her: "I'm the only special-ed math teacher at the school, so without the stimulus I personally wouldn't be able to have the impact that I do."

Construction

William Buckley

Age: 40

Home: Newtown Square

Salary: Workers on the project he oversees make an average of $24 per hour, plus benefits.

Stimulus funding: Buckley's company got a $25 million contract from PennDOT to renovate the Gustine Lake interchange with the City Avenue bridge at Ridge Avenue and Lincoln Drive.

His work: Buckley, the project superintendent with Buckley and Co. Contractors, is overseeing the renovation and replacement of five bridges that are part of the interchange, originally built by his father in the 1960s. Buckley's company hired 30 workers for the project.

What it means to him: "It didn't look too promising for us, but with the stimulus package we've picked up three [projects] that provide us with two or three years of work," he said. "We're up to about 125 employees at the maximum peak over the summer."