SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The Schuylkill Haven borough council continues to keep the public in the dark about its plans for the current borough hall, an old train station, but could be proposing a real estate swap.
At its monthly work session meeting Wednesday, the council voted “to authorize an advertisement of borough council’s intention to consider at its next meeting, Feb. 18, 2015, a resolution to exercise its power of real property exchange and acquire real property of equal or greater value to be used for municipal purposes.”
Real property as referred to could be buildings or land.
When asked specifically if that means the borough wants to exchange the borough hall, which it owns, for the National Penn Bank property at 333 Center Ave. along Route 61, council member and property committee chairman Tom Gordon said he could not answer that. The bank closed last year as part of a consolidation merger.
“At the public meeting, we will unfold what is happening,” Gordon said, which is slated for 6:30 p.m.
When asked again if the exchange relates to the bank building the borough wants to acquire for a borough hall, Gordon said, “It could be.”
The council is considering moving its operations from the borough hall at 12 W. Main St. to the bank because it affords more parking and is more spacious.
The council had previously agreed in December 2014 to a lease and agreement of sale with National Penn Bank for the lease of the building for $1,800 a month until June 30. However, the council voted last month to enter into an agreement with the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad to lease the building from the bank for $1 a month to Aug. 31, and voted to assign rights to the former bank building to the railroad.
Gordon said Wednesday he is not aware if the railroad or the bank have finalized everything yet. Council members and borough Manager Scott Graver would not comment about why the railroad is interested in the bank building.
Graver said previously he applied to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Program, which provides funding for “essential community facilities in rural areas,” according to the USDA.
Borough Mayor Mike Devlin said people and businesses in the community have concerns about the loss of foot traffic downtown if the borough hall is moved.
“I was approached by the Greater Schuylkill Haven Area Business Association and also business owners of Our Haven Foundation. They’re obviously very concerned about the possible sale if that happens of the train station. They are concerned about what the future holds for the downtown area,” Devlin said.
He said they want more information on the transaction.
“Ultimately, what we are doing is we are taking a key component of the downtown area and moving it from that area,” he said.
Graver said the draft of a borough newsletter was public knowledge and the mayor could share that. A draft copy of the newsletter was not readily available.
When asked about the action taken by the borough council Wednesday, Devlin said, “It seems like the next logical step in the course of this transaction,” referencing the issue with the bank.
Council member Jerry Bowman also said he had people who were concerned about the potential move but said people should wait and could be pleased with what happens with the train station.