NEW CASTLE —
New Castle City Council finally has a full complement of members.
On Wednesday, council appointed Thomas B. Smith as the fifth member, filling a vacancy that has existed for the last 2 1/2 months.
The vacancy was created by the election of Gary Mitchell, who earlier this month the court ruled ineligible to serve because of felony convictions on his record.
As borough manager of Seven Fields in Butler County and his previous experience in county government, Smith brings a unique perspective to council.
But what he also brings is a fifth vote that has been missing since the beginning of the year, a vote that obviously will break a tie. That is, when all members are present.
His appointment comes just in time perhaps for a vote on who, if anyone, should be given more than a million taxpayer dollars to develop the Cascade Center at the Riverplex, which has been vacant the last few years. I say perhaps because no timetable has been established as to when a decision may be made.
Plus, the city is reportedly about to receive another proposal — from attorney Paul Lynch.
The two proposals that have been presented to council so far offer different ideas as to what should be done with the building at the corner of Mill and East Washington streets. One wants to establish the New Castle Arts and Technology Center at the site, which it says would not only bring jobs, but also train for jobs.
The other, the Lawrence County Economic Development Corp., proposes a commercial development, and says it has a prospect that would bring 50 to 100 jobs to the city.
Both developers are seeking the money from the city to buy the building. Thus, their plans are contingent on getting the money, which is basically the remainder of a $5 million state grant. In other words, the city has no guarantee either idea will pan out.
How council decides on which proposal to choose may depend on each member’s perspective of what the building should be and the potential each proposal has for success on its own, and in creating a ripple effect in the downtown.
There is no way to know what effect any of the proposals will have in the long term, but city officials can establish some safeguards for the short term. Such as setting a deadline for development to begin and placing restrictions on how and when the funds can be released.
These are just two ideas, but they’ll provide some level of protection for the city.
John K. Manna
Related Photos
-
About John Manna: John covers politics for The News. His "Focus" column appears each Saturday.
Discussion
John K. Manna: New city councilman will participate in big vote
- John K. Manna
-
-
John K. Manna: Data shows decline in number of primary voters
Voter participation isn’t what it used to be. That’s nothing new, but there has been a significant drop in voting here in Lawrence County. And it’s happened suddenly, particularly in the so-called “off-year” elections.
-
John K. Manna: New legislative districts give advantage to local lawmakers
We finally have a map, and area state legislators have to be gushing with joy. The map, which reshapes state House and Senate districts in Pennsylvania, gained the approval of the state Supreme Court this week.
-
John K. Manna: Shortfall in state tax collections means painful decisions lie ahead
I don’t deny that there are really smart people in Harrisburg who deal with the state’s budget and taxes. But I have to wonder what any of them — including the governor — think when it comes to taxes.
-
John K. Manna: Term limits again considered
Some things just never go away. One of them is the idea to impose term limits on members of Congress. Once a big deal in the 1990s, discussion about imposing term limits has died down to a whisper in recent years. But the idea is apparently not dead.
-
John K. Manna: Western Pennsylvania’s population drop persists
Lawrence County is losing people, but it’s not alone. The counties surrounding Lawrence, with the exception of Butler County, also have been experiencing population declines.
-
John K. Manna: Why should local elections be based on party status?
If you want to win a seat on New Castle City Council, don’t run as a Republican. Nothing is impossible, but over the last 40 plus years, only a handful of Republicans have been elected to council. It’s not because Republican candidates have been of lesser quality than their Democratic counterparts.
-
John K. Manna: Spring ballot to have few surprises
The ballots are set for the May 21 primary in Lawrence County. There could be some minimum change after Wednesday, the last day for candidates to withdraw. But for all practical purposes, we know who the candidates are, and there are few surprises.
-
John K. Manna: Few elected officials show desire for higher office
Over the years, most local politicians have stayed local. I’m not referring to the late Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill who often said that all politics is local.
-
John K. Manna: An interesting mix emerges for ballot in local contests
Just when you were breathing a sigh of relief after the presidential campaign ended, here comes another one. Not a presidential campaign, of course, but one right in your backyard where some of your friends and neighbors — and enemies — are expressing an interest in running in the May primary for county and municipal offices and school boards.
-
John K. Manna: Republican electoral vote plan shows impact of gerrymandering
Politics can be a lot of things, but in the final analysis it comes down to numbers. Just this week numbers were released on how President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney fared in each of Pennsylvania’s 18 congressional districts in the November election.
- More John K. Manna Headlines
-
