The public was still not permitted to attend the Schuylkill County Commissioner's meeting on Wednesday due to COVID-19 restrictions, but that did not stop Pottsville City Officials and Business leaders from calling in to voice their concerns.Late last week, word spread that Schuylkill County was interested in purchasing the former Giant Grocery Store property on Progress Avenue in Pottsville for a Prison Pre-Release Center.
The Pottsville Republican also reported that Commissioner Hetherington stated that the county was looking at the building to purchase but did not specify any exact details.
On Wednesday, the first Schuylkill County Board of Commissioners meeting was held since word got out about the project which allowed many leaders to go on record to reject the project.
Since the topic of the purchase was not on the agenda, the public was required to wait until the 2nd public portion of the meeting to speak.
First to speak was Pottsville City Mayor James Muldowney, who stated "The purchase of the Giant property by the county would devastate the revitalization of downtown Pottsville. I'm also disappointed that I had to learn about this through social media".
Muldowney then passed to PADCO Director Savas Logothetides who stated "A prison pre-release center, while needed in the county, is counter productive and short sided use of one of the largest and visible properties in our downtown. Nearly 2,000 people signed an online petition in agreement. This type of use is the exact opposite of what our strategic plan spelled out. It would have a negative impact and act as a deterrent when trying to attract business to our downtown."
Logothetides also pointed out the amount of money the city, county, and school district would lose if the county purchased the property, "Currently, as a private entity, the property where Giant formerly resided, generated over $32,000 tax dollars for the city, county, and school district.
Logothetides referenced that if the property was replaced by a tax exempt entity the city of Pottsville would lose in excess $150,000 annually or $1.5 Million dollars every 10 years.
Logothetides finished with "Pottsville deserves better".
Dave Clews, Pottsville City Councilman and President of the Pottsville Business Association spoke next, "While a pre-release center is need, the Giant market property is not the place for it. Years of positive movement that the Continued Progress Project has made for the city of Pottsville and the hard work of the many of the local officials and business have made would be severely hampered by that choice. Please don't stop the spirit of a better and progressive Pottsville."
City Council Member Mark Atkinson also spoke on his experience on the topic, "The revitalization effort in this city has been unanimously bipartisan and has been very well supported by both parties. This particular plan to purchase the Giant Building has united us in bipartinsanship in that overwhelmingly we reject this idea.
Schuylkill County Commissioners Hetherington and Hess did not comment on the project.