Despite public outcry, City opposition, County to make offer on ex-Giant

POTTSVILLE – Business and community leaders from the City of Pottsville, along with residents from the Greater Pottsville area, spoke up and out against Schuylkill County’s plan to purchase the former Giant supermarket, though it wasn’t enough.

County Commissioners voted 2-1 Wednesday morning, during their regular board meeting via Zoom, on an eleventh-hour agenda item to make an offer on the former Giant at 500 Progress Avenue in downtown Pottsville.

Commissioners Chair Barron Hetherington and Commissioner George Halcovage, both Republicans, voted yes on the matter, while Commissioner Gary Hess, a Democrat, voted no.

The motion was brought forth by the County Solicitor’s Office.

Public outcry — Business, community leaders denounce purchase

During the public comment portion, Savas Logothetides, of Pottsville, owner of Wheel and executive director of the Pottsville Area Development Corporation (PADCO) denounced the way the matter has been handled.

“Your choice to purchase the former Giant parcel in the city has been met with resounding opposition,” Logothetides said. “While I’m disappointed to find out that you’re continuing to pursue this acquisition, I’m more disappointed in the manner with which you conduct your business, as your constituent.”

“The fact that this item, certainly a nearly $1 Million deal, failed to appear on the agenda until this morning is appalling,” Logothetides added.

Logothetides continued on, denouncing the move the county made to limit public comment to agenda items only, and the trend of placing items in a “New, New Business” section typically not released to the public until it is brought up at the meeting.

“This is the second time a million dollar deal has appeared on New, New Business. That the public has had their basic civil rights taken away, that they cannot comment on these deals prior to a vote by the commissioners. This isn’t the transparency any of us expect of our local leaders,” Logothetides continued.

The fact that this item, certainly a nearly $1 Million deal, failed to appear on the agenda until this morning is appalling.

Savas Logothetides | Executive Director, Pottsville Area Development Corporation

Jeff Dunkel, Palo Alto, questioned the “New, New Business” section, requesting that Hetherington reveal what is on the agenda. Hetherington responded saying that the section was posted to the county website at 8:30am.

“So you gave 90 minutes for businesses and constituents to look up this ‘New, New Business,’ and if they weren’t aware of it, then they’re screwed, they can’t comment on it,” Dunkel said. “That’s very transparent, Mr. Hetherington. That’s one thing you told me in one of our early conversations, that you want to be as transparent as possible. You’re doing the complete opposite.”

Pottsville Business Association President and Councilman David Clews shared the sentiment that the county’s purchase of the supermarket would negatively impact the business community of the city.

City Councilman Mark Atkinson chimed in as well.

“You have been met with criticism from the state delegates in your own party,” Atkinson said. “If I were in that position, I would be thinking very hard about my next decision, but you have gone on with a very clear lack of transparency and hell-bent desire to destroy the City of Pottsville.”

According to Atkinson, the county is the largest property owner in the City.

“That means, the taxpayers of the city have to pay an extra dollar for every piece of property that you purchase,” Atkinson said. “You enjoy one of the best police and fire protection in the entire county, but every time you purchase property there, you are taking money from the police and fire budget, and you are hurting our ability to protect our people, hurting our ability to revitalize our city and to make Schuylkill County prosper.”

“I’m not sure where you see the savings in here, because the amount of money that you’re saving is offset by the losses of the city,” Atkinson said.

Mayor James T. Muldowney, Pottsville, urged the county to table the matter in advance of an ongoing dialog between the city and county.

“I do have two developers that approached me about the development of the Giant lot which would keep it on the tax rolls,” Muldowney said, “which would be very important to the city, as you well know.”

Muldowney later mentioned that one of the possible developers “changed the look of the city,” with its hand in the Geisinger/Extol building and the SAM Building.

James Haluska, Norwegian Township, asked the county what alternate sites in lesser-populated areas the county had explored.

“Thank you for your comments,” Hetherington responded.

“That wasn’t a comment, that was a question. What alternate sites have you explored for the Giant lot,” Haluska rebutted.

“Our policy says we don’t have to take public comment. We appreciate your comments,” Hetherington said.

Regina Gargano, Pottsville, added that the fiscal and real-estate look at the situation is “old-fashioned business.”

“To have all types of property and all types of services and locating everything and building this real estate empire in one location, when really, the whole world in the last 25 years has moved to more mobile ways to do business, to do services,” Gargano said, noting that many services aren’t accessible to the spread-out elderly population of the county.

Diana Prosymchak, Schuylkill County Historical Society Executive Director, expressed fears that the use of the Giant building as a prison pre-release center would “kill” the tourist industry of Pottsville.

“We have the oldest brewery which brings business into the city. If we do what the commissioners want to do here, it’s really going to kill the tourism here in the city,” Prosymchak said. “We’re working hard at the historical society to bring business into the city, along with all of the other businesses here in the city, and what the commissioners are proposing is going to kill everything that’s going on here in Schuylkill County.”

Ian Lipton, Executive Director of the Pottsville Parking Authority, noted that a meeting was scheduled for 11:30am with city and county leaders, and noted his belief that there is common ground to be found.

“The county and the city aren’t necessarily enemies, and it certainly seems at this point we’re reinforcing really divisive rhetoric,” Lipton said. “Please, give us the opportunity, at 11:30am, we look forward to having a dialog.”

Stephanie Buchanan, of Pottsville, expressed belief that the matter is “ill-advised and being done under a cloak of darkness and without any transparency.”

“For the last two months, you have been publicly denying or downplaying your intention to purchase this building,” Buchanan said. “At this point, you are willfully ignoring the opposition of your constitutents.”

Commissioners Halcovage, Hetherington approve; Hess left in dark

The motion was raised following a short executive session to authorize county administration to make an offer on the property, to be used for “County general purposes.”

Hess motioned to table the matter. With no second, it failed.

Halcovage made a motion to approve the matter, seconded by Hetherington.

Prior to the vote, Hess said he was “very, very displeased with my colleagues.”

“When I’ve had to get a call at probably ten minutes to 5 from Commissioner Hetherington to say this is going to be on the agenda, with no discussion prior,” Hess said, noting that he was at the courthouse Monday and Tuesday and could have been notified that. “I’ve had a good working relationship with my colleagues here on the commissioners bench, and I’ve worked to the greatest extent to make sure my decisions, my vote, was good for all of the citizens of Schuylkill County, that’s what I strive for.”

Hess said that work sessions are typically when items like this are brought up for the agenda, which didn’t happen.

“We’re always told that we have a week to deliberate, to check on things and public comment, that didn’t happen,” Hess said. “I walked in my office at 8:40am this morning, and this New New Business was in my packet, which it wasn’t the day before. That’s where I’m displeased.”

I have no idea what we’re even going to offer. Something’s going on here that I’m not apprised of, and it has me very, very disappointed.

Gary Hess | Schuylkill County Commissioner

“Again, I’m not sure on what the full purpose of this facility is going to be. All it is is hearsay, whether it’s going to be parking, storage, a pre-release center,” Hess said. “After we buy this facility, how much is it going to cost to renovate it? We don’t even have a feasibility study to know what this thing is going to cost.”

Hess expressed fears, after a 2012 matter to purchase the CYS building happened in a similar manner, that this would happen again. He then asked how the facility would be purchased, if it would be purchased through CARES Act funding. He was told it would be purchased through the general fund and, if the money is not there, the county would borrow.

A member of the public questioned how a commissioner voting on the manner couldn’t be briefed on the cost of the purchase, and was subsequently muted.

“I have no idea what we’re even going to offer,” Hess said. “Something’s going on here that I’m not apprised of, and it has me very, very disappointed.”

Halcovage then spoke about the matter from the standpoint of county commissioner and resident of Pottsville.

“I want Pottsville revitalized as much as everyone,” Halcovage said. “The county has been looking at this location for over two and a half years. This particular location serves great purpose to the county with its location being close to the main workings of the county.”

“As a county commissioner, I have taken an oath to explore all opportunities that are presented for the good of the county,” Halcovage said. “I respect the arguments that have been presented and I will continue my work with the city and all other stakeholders in the revitalization of Pottsville and the county as a whole.”

Halcovage spoke of the senate bill aimed at prohibiting counties from purchasing property within a city without the city and school district’s approval.

“It is unfortunate, and not fair to the taxpayers of Schuylkill County,” Halcovage said, “I believe in Pottsville, and I believe in Schuylkill County.”

Hetherington said that when he became a commissioner, he was briefed on the situation with Giant, noting that the company had seen the potential closing two years out, that if their situation at that point didn’t improve, they would close.

Hetherington then spoke of the importance and benefits of owning over renting.

“When you pay rent, for parking space, for storage, you have nothing to show for at the end of the day,” Hetherington said. “You buy the property, once the property is paid for, you own it.”

“This is about saving money for the county,” Hetherington added. “With all due respect, I don’t represent just one municipality.”

An ongoing effort

Since Giant closed in July, the county has been pursuing the purchase of the store.

According to Coal Region Canary, the county paid $1,500 to Gownley Appraisal Group for an appraisal on the property, the results of which the county refused to publicly release.

Public opposition has grown since, recently including State Senator David G. Argall (R-29)who proposed Senate Bill 1296 to block counties from purchasing property in third class cities without the approval of the city and school district. The bill passed committee and is moving to the senate.

“Officials from the City of Pottsville, Representatives Mike Tobash and Neal Goodman, and local businesses including the Yuengling Brewery have been working on a bipartisan basis to revitalize downtown Pottsville. That effort is now endangered by our county government, which is just wrong,” Argall said in a media release on the matter. “I crafted this bill in the hopes that local people in Pottsville will have the opportunity to decide on the future of their downtown.”

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