Council members delayed the vote because of the city’s uncertain fiscal condition and ongoing state and federal investigations into allegations of misuse of funds.
Williamsport City Hall had been condemned. All but several city police officers were relocated after leaks in the roof caused significant water damage during thunderstorms in mid-July.City Council Thursday night voted 6-1 to table“Not only did the sale get tabled, but progress and development in the city did also,” JBAS president John Basalyga said Friday.
He said, however, he would not be withdrawing his proposal that includes spending an estimated $5.5 million to transform and renovate the building. His plans for 25 to 30 one- and two-bedroom moderate to upscale apartments would bring life to the building and generate foot traffic in the downtown, he said. Plus, it would be on the tax rolls, he said. Basalyga questions whether council members considered the condition of the more than 125-year-old building, that needs a new roof, if it sits vacant for another winter. Mayor Derek Slaughter who favors selling the building also was disappointed by the delay. “Not taking a vote is not leadership,” he said. The mayor was criticized by several council members for not having a long-range plan with cost estimates for city offices if City Hall is sold.City Hall was condemned in August 2021 and offices moved out a month later due to significant water damage from a two-day rainstorm. Additional damage was done thatThere have been rough estimates of up to $20 million to repair the damage and bring the building into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as required by a federal court consent agreement. Councilwoman Bonnie Katz believes city offices could be consolidated on the first floor of City Hall for a little more than $5 million. Doing so would eliminate the immediate need for some of the ADA work including a new elevator, she said. Non-profits have expressed interest in renting space, she replied when asked about the other floors. Slaughter believes the building is too large for the 25 to 30 employees who would occupy it if the police department remains elsewhere, as he says it will. The unanswered questions acknowledged by mayor and council are attributed to the city’s uncertain fiscal condition and ongoing state and federal investigations into allegations of misuse of funds. The city just received a draft report of its 2019 audit. Audits for 2020, 2021 and 2022 are in progress. Those need to be completed before the long-range plan sought by council can be developed, Slaughter said. No one would loan the city money at this time, he claimed. He favors keeping city offices in their temporary locations until the results of the audits and investigations are known. “You’re talking about the city being homeless for next three to four years,” Miele said. Council President Adam Yoder citing the financial uncertainty said the city should hold on to as many assets it can including City Hall. Why did council agree to retain a real estate firm to seek buyers for City Hall if it was not going to sell it, asked Councilman Jon Mackey, the only vote not to table.Councilman Vincent Pulizzi questioned if grant money might be available for the building that is on the National Register of Historic Places. The mayor claimed there is not. Yoder later suggested that council try to find sufficient money to hire a third-party person to look at City Hall to determine the scope of the required work. Previous information came from a city engineer and a codes administrator neither of whom are with the city any longer. Prior to the debate among council members and the mayor, 10 citizens gave their reasons why City Hall should not be sold. The building was constructed in the 1890s as a post office. It also contained a courtroom and chambers for a federal judge. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
City Hall offers conflicting counts on Venezuelan migrants eligible for workAdministration officials were grilled on Wednesday over multiple revised counts on the number of Venezuelans in the shelter system who qualify for work permits.
Read more »
Democrats visit City Hall seeking Dallas Mayor's resignationDemocrats now claim Johnson violated his trust with voters by publicly switching to the Republican party last week, just months after being re-elected as the mayor.
Read more »
La Mesa Police Department will ask city hall to approve more license plate readersLa Mesa Police Department officers already have the technology to read your license plates in their squad cars. Now they want to add additional readers on traffic lights so they can have extra eyes in the sky, like neighboring El Cajon.
Read more »
La Mesa Police Department will ask city hall to approve more license plate readersNBC 7’s Omari Fleming spoke to drivers about the controversial technology.
Read more »
Migrants in Chicago: City Council members to debate city's sanctuary city statusAs migrants continue to arrive in Chicago, City Council members debate Chicago's status as a 'sanctuary city.'
Read more »
Dianne Feinstein Blazed a Path From City Hall to SenateThe former San Francisco mayor served five terms in the U.S. Senate, where she fought for gun control and against torture and always knew how to cross the aisle.
Read more »