AGENDA TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING JULY 13, 2009 6:00 P.M.

[Guest]

You can do a preliminary expense management report. Estimate the renovations, cost of operations, insurance, etc... Those don't change whether the building cost is 2 million or zero cost. Then you can say this is where our costs are estimated excluding purchase. Those numbers alone may make the purchase unreasonable even if there is no cost for the property.

As I said, I have bought homes and always done that before I entered into a discussion on price. I have declined homes based on failed septic and an oil tank- one home. I knew regardless of the price that it was unrealistic to purchase that home or enter into a discussion. I don't know many people who simply entered into a negotiation then said okay we know the cost of the home now let's do a budget on the repairs we will need to make.

[Guest]

All that happened last night at the meeting was that the TC voted to allow the Mayor to talk with PNC and what the price might be - in short, to get more information.

I see nothing wrong with that.

[Guest]

I don't think it's wrong to get more information. I do think it is wrong to make statements that they have funds to cover the costs and then not present the budget for the costs and available funds.

[Guest]

My understanding is that PNC will not let full engineering reports of the facility until there is a Letter of Intent and our township committee, rightfully, is no where near doing that. Last evening the Library Board said that they did look at the estimated operating expenses, estimated renovation cost and they can cover those expenses without increased taxes. For this prelimiary analysis, they just need more information....without spending money. Engineering reports cost $... So getting the price is crucial, because if it is too expensive, then the option will not work.

[Guest]

You can't do a full cost analysis without the price, but you can start estimating the other costs. The problem I see is that if PNC comes back with a cheap price for the building, the board will feel it's a now or never deal (which I think is already the feeling) and it will be pushed down our throats and the taxpayers will be stuck with the bill, whatever it comes out to be.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Right, but when asked they did not present them and said they needed PNC's price first. If they had these numbers they would have presented them. That is the problem.

[Guest]

[Unhappy Cranburian]

[Guest]

You're not crazy. The library Board of Trustess just won't drop it.

[Unhappy Cranbarian]

What has changed since last year? Just a new mayor (who was already a TC member) and the downturn in the economy.

The library is asking the taxpayers to pay for the PNC bank and use the huge library surplus which is already taxpayer money to fund this poor proposal.

The Mayor should not be allowing this to fester and say "No" to the library since the TC already voted on it. This is terrible. No wonder why the mayor is sell her house. Is she moving out because our taxes will be too high?

[never hurts to ask??]

Those in our Village wanting the PNC building to be used as a library were well organized, well orchestrated and well rehearsed. Our Mayor, I suspect, may have even written the cue cards. If not, she certainly read from the script.

The question presented seemed quite simple "why not just ask PNC what they want for the building, or if they want to donate it to the Town". How could you not answer "yes" to that question? So, with Mr. Cody the only dissenting vote, the answer was "yes".

But, in large part, that question was answered long ago when the bank listed the property for a particular asking price. That is apparently the amount of money that PNC wants for the building. PNC has not reduced their asking price, so that is apparently still the number they want for the building.

So, the true and real question that the library folks want the Mayor to ask PNC is "what will PNC take for the building". To answer that question, one must be willing to talk about price, to discuss the market, to address proposed uses, to talk about how long the property has been on the market etc. That kind of talk is called "negotiating". And, here its called "negotiating about price". And, therein lies the "rest of the story". In authorizing the Mayor to discuss price with PNC, the TC really authorized our Mayor to negotiate price with PNC, all carefully veiled under the guise of "can't we just ask them what they want for the property". From there, the slippery slope begins. We are all along for the ride, but not all of us have the script.

Ultimately, in a quiet and very clever manner, our Mayor and the PNC library folks subverted the voices of the Villagers who over a year ago in the School cafeteria declared a resounding "NO" when asked if the Town should buy the PNC bank building. "NO" apparently does not mean "NO". It means, ask again later.

Kudos for their cleverness-will it be any surprise when the Town buys this site? One need not be a soothsayer to say how this story ends.

An interesting aside was that our Mayor remarked after the vote was taken that she had been texting with Mr. Stout (during the meeting) to have him available to cast any tie breaker vote that was needed. I am not sure how he could have voted without attending, but I did not have a copy of the script. In any event, I do wonder if our Mayor's texts must now be discosed as public records....

[Guest]

What I found interesting is that they used the excuse of the economy to justify the potential purchase. As they said to GW, it's the economy stupid. The unemployment rate is expected to continue past the 9.5% 26 year high and reach double digits.

The economy is the reason not to do this. I have a family and had zero salary increase last year. My wife does not work to stay home with our child and I have to pay more on my sewer this year, not get a homestead rebate and pay more in taxes to the state and school. How much more can they bleed from us before we wake up and say reduce our debt first then consider these purchases. We're already cut to the bone, stopped movies, eat out only at Teddy's or Americana as a once a month treat.

I know my taxes will go up because of the ballfield, dam and other projects. My neighbor lost his job and I know others in town who took pay cuts to keep their job. Yet, we are saying spend more money? We should be saying return more than the 18,000 you did. Their budget only went up because of the revaluation. They did not need the money today, but for some future use and they are only returning 18,000?

Pari's home is for sale so is she even the best one to be saying what is right for the town when there is a chance she may not even be a resident this time next year? Anyone remember tax and spend Becky who is now down in DC. I am definitely voting for the Republican candidates this year or I will have to leave town and uproot my child from school. It makes me sick that the Democrats on the committee don't want to see the harm they are causing.

[Guest]

I am firmly against buying the PNC site or pursuing a stand alone library right now.

But I do object to revisionist history too. I spoke against the the purchase at the previous meetings, so I was there. And its not accurate to say that "the room voted no." Like this latest meeting, the TC members pushing the PNC site had stacked the room with supporters. They did a raised arm vote at one of them and there were slightly more people in favor of the purchase than against it. The only reason it didn't proceed is two of the TC members voted against it and they needed 4 votes.

[Guest]

Also, to add the above comment, the vote last year and last night was about looking into the purchase of the PNC Bank.

[Unhappy Cranburian]

I still do not understand how the TC and Mayor can proceed to negotiate price for the PNC bank when they voted last year not to go any further in pursuing the "Once in a Lifetime Opportunity".

How is it possible to revisit an old issue that has not changed? It is the same proposal just presented by the Library. It is asking for the town to pay for the property.

Can someone explain this to me?