So, I want to update you on the EIT issue. Although I have gotten no response from the Gretna Borough on their current discussions about how to finance any return of an overpayment of EIT, I have been told by several neighbors that two ideas are in the works. First, one idea is to birth a "special assessment" and attach it to our taxes. Second, the Chautauqua Board is considering organizing an ad hoc financial committee to address this EIT issue.
The first issue, the special assessment, presents many of the same issues we have been discussing on this blogsite. First, how does that assessment get determined and enacted? Second, how do we prevent our expense budget from "blossoming" in response to the anticipation of increased revenues due to this assessment? Third, how do we ensure that the assessment absolutely dies when the "debt" is repaid? Fourth, why is it again that we haven't drawn from our receiver's/treasurer's/accountant's bond and that we are justifying collecting repayment from persons having nothing to do with alleged criminal activity associated with this under/over-payment problem?
The second issue is even more problematic, as the EIT issue is a Borough issue and NOT a Chautauqua issue. Or at least they would like to have us think that the two bodies are separate entities (which is probably why, in his financial ethics disclosure recently filed, Chuck Allwein fails to disclose his indirect real estate interest in property belonging to the municipality for which he is running for re-election this November)...but that is another post. So, why is the Chautauqua considering forming this committee--is the Chautauqua assuming responsibility for the EIT issue? or is the Chautauqua just trying to prepare for decreased revenues from the Borough? What's going on here?
I think the real frustration surfacing in all of this is that neither of these entities is acting with much transparency. Oh, sure, they say that you can go to the meetings, or that all the relevant documents are available for you to get copies of at the Borough office. But just try to go to a meeting or try to ask for a chance to see a set of documents. It's hit or miss whether you will be allowed to stay for all the meeting or whether you will be told that the document is not at the Borough office. And, how many of us have gone to a meeting and made a request only to never have it responded to...
I know that a neighbor has requested agenda time so that she be heard on some EIT related questions mentioned above. So this is a good time to attend the meeting and to demand transparency and accountability, at least from the Borough Council and in relation to this EIT issue. Our next Borough Council meeting is Monday, Sept. 14th, 7p.m. and I encourage everyone to attend.
Also, write to the Chautauqua Board and request that the meeting minutes be posted online. This was brought up at the last meeting, so now is the time to be heard on it. The address is:
The Pennsylvania Chautauqua, PO Box 637, Mt. Gretna, PA 17064
Attn: Peggy O'Neil, Pres.
I recommend sending it certified, as then you will have a receipt showing that you did actually mail them something.
Additionally, if anyone else has spoken out about something here and felt that they were then targeted or retaliated against, please let me know. viragogretna@gmail.com It will remain a confidential communication. And, just in case they manage to harass me right into jail on these trumped up charges, are there any volunteers to keep the blog going in my absence?
Let all your neighbors know about this blog, please!
I am having a wonderful time going door to door to meet you all, but the summer is over and many of you will be going back home. And, because I am having many long and honest conversations with you, I have not been able to meet everyone. So please pass on the url for this blog.
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7 comments:
Since you start the above accusatory blog but do not indicate who you are....are you the one who got arrested for spraying water on motorcyclists on Rte 117 that live in the 1/2 painted house? If so, I hope that you find peace in some manner here in beautiful MTG. After this weekend, things will slow down and you can catch your breath as a more quiet time comes.
Jail? This would be a low point in Mt. Gretna’s history; perhaps future encounters with Middletown police officer should be witnessed and videotaped for this blogger’s protection.
Speaking of videotaping, why not record the next borough council’s meeting and post it on YouTube; a similar concept has proved wildly useful in promoting civic understanding of government and transparency: C-Span.
Otherwise, it’s imperative that Mt. Gretna Borough Council makes a greater effort to communicate with residents; this is easily achievable via its already existing Web site http://www.mtgretna.com/Borough/ Mt. Gretna Borough should emulate Cornwall Township’s Web presence http://www.cornwall-pa.com/; which is very thorough, including posting township ordinances and EIT matters, etc. Even a good newsletter is sent out seasonally apprising locals of timely news. Frustration on part of Gretna residents, as this blogger points out, stems largely from being kept in the dark by the borough council; something that needs to be addressed; otherwise it’s time for a change in elected officials. Or more radically, perhaps Mt. Gretna Borough, one of the smallest in America, should be annexed by Cornwall or South Londonderry Townships with a Gretna resident on the board of either township.
Regarding the EIT debacle, according to 2000 census data (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Gretna,_Pennsylvania) There are 205 housing units in Mt. Gretna Borough. If EIT overpayment is $244K, then each household would be on the hook for ~$1171. Our neighboring municipality, South Londonderry Twp seems to have agreed, in principle, to possible 10-year payback (or longer? http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/06/south_londonderry_twp_supports.html), I believe; a similar payback plan for Gretna residents would, then, mean a special assessment of ~$117 per year. Doable? Seems so. I would hope that this special assessment would be paid directly to the new Lebanon Co. EIT collector of this tax: Keystone Collections Group, circumventing any payment to Mt. Gretna Borough. At the end of ten years, the bill would be paid in full, end of a bad story in Lebanon County’s history.
Finally, Borough Council President Chuck Allwein should recuse himself, due to obvious conflict of interest, on matters pertaining to lease fees and terms on land which Jigger Shop sits; he owns/maintains the structure, the Chautauqua owns the land.
Oops>>>Correction EIT repayment: $244K/205 households is ~$1190 per household or ~$119 per year over 10 years
To the anonymously posted comment wishing me to find peace here--Thank you.
I have recently learned that the gentleman-the motorcycle rider who so menacingly entered on a Gretnan's property, was earlier put on administrative leave for ALSO threatening (brandishing a pistol at) another woman with whom he was somehow irritated by while off duty. See http://www.prisoners.com/yodersi.html
Because the Cornwall police refused to file hrassment charges against this bully-cop, Yoder has been given a bright green light come pouncing upon us Mt. Gretnan's, to violate the sanctity of our homes, at any time one of us does something that he takes offense to. Or perhaps, when we do something that one of his cop colleagues takes offense to...
And, he is likely to still have his gun on him when he shows up.
About the videoing of the Council meetings--I am assuming that these meetings are wholly covered under PA's Sunshine laws, correct?
It is my understanding that the Sunshine laws were, in part, enacted to give citizens a vehicle by which they can ensure that elected officials aren't making "off the record" decisions. Is that correct, also?
As for Allwein and recusal, I would suggest that he also recuse himself when discussions and decisions need to be made about other Chautauqua leases. A former Board member informed me that Allwein worded his lease to include some very favorable clauses, one of which restricts any annual increase in his rent to the stay within the rents charged for another Chautauqua lease--the Gift Shop building, I believe. I think that this creates a conflict for him even when these other leases are discussed.
Further, that he is not on the Chautauqua Board anymore may not relieve his potential for conflict, as his position on the Borough Council puts him squarely in the decision-making process for the maintenance of the public land (Chautauqua) his business sits on,and which his business is surrounded by and supports with adequate parking, utlities, security, etc.
Were it not for the conversion of our "Wooded retreat", including our grassy spaces, into this "glorified parking lot" we live with for 5 months out of the year, would his business be making less profit? And, does he think about this when he is casting his votes and making decisions as a Council member- as the Council's President even? I think that it is an interesting question, the answer to which may also explain why Borough Council is not as transparent as it could be. I can't help but think that if I were in his position, I would make transparency even more of a priority, if simply just to ward off any suspicions of conflict or impropriety. But that's me.
The Borough webpage no longer has the minutes of the last meeting posted. Does anyone know if this is temporary? And why would any minutes be removed anyway, especially when there is no document at all posted at that link now?
Re: Sunshine Act of Pennsylvania: http://webpages.charter.net/gdsbmmllp/sunshine.htm#%A7%20711.%20Use%20of%20equipment%20during
1. Re: use of recording devices at meetings:65 Pa.C.S.A. § 711. Use of equipment during meetings
(a) Recording devices. — Except as provided in subsection (b), a person attending a meeting of an agency shall have the right to use recording devices to record all the proceedings. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the agency from adopting and enforcing reasonable rules for their use under section 710 (relating to rules and regulations for conduct of meetings).
(b) Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives. — The Senate and House of Representatives may adopt rules governing the recording or broadcast of their sessions and meetings and hearings of committees.
2. Exceptions to open meetings: "To consider the purchase or lease of real property up to the time an option to purchase or lease the real property is obtained or up to the time an agreement to purchase or lease such property is obtained if the agreement is obtained directly without an option."
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