Gift Horse or Trojan Horse

Many people who spoke at the Austin Borough Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 3, 2014, recommended the borough council not to rush to a decision on accepting or rejecting the Agreement presented to the borough containing a restricted use clause prohibiting the property from being used as financial institution at no time in the future, and maybe, waiting a week or two before making a decision.

When the issue came to a vote, the following individuals voted to accept the Agreement as presented:

1. Bucky Blainer
2. Victoria Setzer
3. William Solomon
4. Jesse Valenti

Those voting against were:

1. Nathan Burgett
2. Bernard "Mike" Fowler
3. Fred "Joe" Fowler

Let's examine the following:

Austin Borough has a population of about 550 people.  There are approximately 240 water and sewer hook-ups.

The Austin Borough wrote off nearly $20,000.00 in past-due water and sewer accounts in 2013.  I don't have the figures for 2014. yet.

The Austin Borough lost about $20,000.00 operating the water and sewer plants in 2014.

By accepting this Agreement from Northwest Savings Bank, the Austin Borough lost "only about $1300.00" in water and sewer fees and property taxes annually.

A citizen who spoke at the meeting Tuesday night reminded those present that the Austin Area School District would lose also about $1500.00 yearly.

The Austin Area School District needed additional funding in the neighborhood of $230,000 to operate this school year.

That's what we lost!

Now, let's look at some of the things that we gained.

Additional heating, electrical, insurance, maintenance and landscaping expenses to name a few.  How much? This question was never asked or answered at the meeting. If it was, I missed it.

Wouldn't it have been prudent to know this before acting so hastily to accept this Agreement?

Note:

One ole fella at the meeting stated that if it was him, and we did not accept the Agreement that night, he would be there with a bulldozer the next day leveling the building.

Two people spoke emphatically about how dirty the borough office was.

The Founder and Director of the E.O. Austin Home/Historical Society Museum spoke, recommending we accept the Agreement and make a borough office out of it. The Northwest Saving's Bank employee who was present at the meeting stated the same.

Time will tell whether this  gift horse turns out to be a trojan horse.