Coatesville Dems: Monday’s RDA meeting, Chetty agreement of sale and tonight’s Coatesville City Council meeting

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Public Corruption in Chester County, PA

I believe an unlikely mix of alleged drug trafficking related politicos and alleged white nationalist related politicos united to elect the infamous “Bloc of Four” in the abysmal voter turnout election of 2005. During their four year term the drug business was good again and white nationalists used Coatesville as an example on white supremacist websites like “Stormfront”. Strong community organization and support from law enforcement, in particular Chester County District Attorney Joseph W. Carroll has begun to turn our community around. The Chester County drug trafficking that I believe centers on Coatesville continues and I believe we still have public officials in place that profit from the drug sales. But the people here are amazing and continue to work against the odds to make Coatesville a good place to live.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Monday’s RDA meeting, Chetty agreement of sale and tonight’s Coatesville City Council meeting

Below is a link to a recording of the discussion and vote on the agreement of sale of the north portion of the Redevelopment Authority of Coatesville’s land called the flats to Chetty Builders. Chetty Builders townhouse development is on the portion of the former G.O. Carlson Steel Company north of the main line stone railroad bridge.

At the very beginning of the discussion it was noted that Chetty Builders asked for a tax abatement and that the RDA “had no ability to grant; that he needs to go to City Council for”.

The only person to question the proposal was RDA member Harry Colon. Mr. Colon’s questions had to do with the site plan and the reasonable expectation of the completion of the project. Without documents it is difficult to follow.

The recording is about 18 minutes. The discussion of the tax abatement is within the 1st minute.
The recording is here:
http://www.box.net/shared/cv66cnlf58

There was no mention at Monday’s RDA meeting of the Special City Council meeting held at 5:00 pm today.

I believe that there was a quorum of four Coatesville City Council members at this evenings Coatesville City Council meeting. I was told that they were Karen Jorgenson , Patsy Ray, Kareem Johnson and Kurt Schenk. Three Coatesville City Council members were not present. The vote was unanimous with 4 members voting. I do not know what they voted on, but I have a hunch it was tax abatement for Chetty Builders. I believe one more City Council member, Ed Simpson got to the meeting after the vote.

There is a regular scheduled Coatesville City Council meeting next Monday, December 28, 2009. That meeting is usually canceled because of the holidays. That meeting was canceled at December 14, 2009 Coatesville City Council meeting. If the tax abatement requires two City Council meetings to pass, I have a hunch the December 28, 2009 meeting may be reinstated. I'm not sure if the tax abatement includes the County and School taxes.

There was a small note in THE Tuesday December 23rd Daily Local News about the Wednesday December 24th meeting at 5:00 pm:

“PUBLIC NOTICE CITY COUNCIL MEETING The City Council of the City of Coatesville will be holding a Special Meeting. The meeting will be held on Wednesday December 23 2009 commencing at 5:00 p.m. in Council Chambers City Hall One City Hall Place Coatesville PA 19320. By: Harry G. Walker III City Manager”
http://dailylocal.kaango.com/feViewAd/15936375

This is from the Home Rule Charter of the City of Coatesville:

§ 2-211. Council meetings and procedures.
A. The Council shall meet regularly at least once in every month at such time and place within
the city as the Council may prescribe by ordinance or resolution.
B. At its first meeting each year, the Council shall designate and advertise the calendar of
regular monthly meetings for the remainder of the year. Special meetings may be held on
the call of the presiding officer by providing notice to each Council member at least 24
hours in advance of such special meeting, which meeting notice shall be prominently
posted at the City Hall. In the event of an emergency which makes it necessary to convene
a meeting with less than 24 hours’ advance notice, this requirement may be waived. The
Council shall, in the Administrative Code or other ordinance, adopt rules and regulations
for its meeting which shall be designed to assure full and equal participation in the
deliberations of the Council by all of its members and shall not be inconsistent with
specific provisions of this Charter. All regular meetings of the Council and any special
meetings at which official actions are taken shall be open to the public, and public notice of
such meetings shall be given.
206

§ 2-212. Agenda.
The Council shall cause to be prepared for each regular meeting an agenda of matters to be
considered by the Council at such meeting, including pertinent background information, which
agenda shall be distributed to the public in attendance at the start of the meeting. The agenda
shall be available prior to the start of the meeting. No official action may be taken on any
matters not included in the announced agenda for the meeting except by an affirmative vote of a
majority of the total number of the members of the Council. The agenda shall include
opportunity and reasonable time for public participation in the meeting.

THE PENNSYLVANIA CODE
CHAPTER 11. CITY OF COATESVILLE HOME RULE CHARTER
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/315/chapter11/chap11toc.html#11.2-211.

CORRECTION
It looks like Karen Jorgenson and not Robin (Scott) Johnson was the fourth city council member to vote at tonight’s meeting.