Posted: Monday, August 26, 2013 9:27 pm
Posted on August 26, 2013
Morrisville is one step closer to getting a much-needed facelift for its borough hall, library and public works buildings.The majority of the council voted in favor of funding for the $1.2 million project, which involves a TD Bank loan with an interest rate of 2.99 percent for 17 years.
But one thing can stop it from moving forward — Mayor Rita Ledger's veto.
Although a strong supporter of improvements, Ledger is dissatisfied with the funding and process of the project, she has said. She wasn't at Monday's meeting, which council continued from last week because of a medical emergency.
There has been talk around town that Ledger would reject the measure, as she has done in the past with other votes.
For nearly a year, Morrisville officials worked with the consulting firm Johnson Controls on plans for environmental improvements such as lighting at the library and public works facility, streetlights and traffic lights, as well as the first upgrades to borough hall since it was built in 1948.
Councilman Fred Kerner said, "I'm happy that the project is finally underway."
Councilman Dave Rivella couldn't agree more.
"For the community, I am happy to see this project finally move forward," he said after the meeting. "These green improvements are well overdue."
Along with Ledger, council members Debbie Smith, Eileen Dreisbach and Todd Smith oppose the funding and the process, not the project.
They have had issue with Johnson Controls, and don't understand why the council hasn't been provided with bids for the project. Smith has said it would be irresponsible to move forward with the project without council looking at all the information.
"Where are the bids documents that Johnson Controls references," she said before the vote, adding that she's requested without success. "These documents to date were not provided to the council."
At the March meeting, the council turned down a promise of a 15- to 17-year loan from TD Bank totaling $1.4 million. The interest rate on the loan would have been 2.46 percent, with an option to negotiate the rate during the 16th or 17th year; or pay off the entire loan at the end of the 15th year, but no sooner, without penalties.
Taxpayers won’t have to pay a dime directly toward the loan, officials have said. The improvements are expected to save the borough nearly $2 million in utility and operating costs. Those savings would pay for the loan. And the remainder would go to the borough’s savings ideally, officials have said.
Smith thinks otherwise.
"Johnson Controls, at its discretion, can apply the amount of a surplus in energy savings to offset the years that there is any subsequent shortfall," she said. "Thus, there could be years that the savings are on paper and not actual cash."
Rivella believes the project should have been underway months ago.
"It has been frustrating for me to watch this project being used as a pawn, because it’s the community that loses," he said."Every person sitting on borough council had ample opportunity to get any information they felt they needed to vote in favor of helping the community with this project.
"Although I am very pleased with tonight’s vote, I am mindful that this could have been approved during the March council meeting, which would have resulted in a lesser interest rate and greater savings of over $100,000 more or a savings for each resident of approximately $100 per year," he said. "Had this been passed in March, our community would already have begun to see the benefits because the project would have been completed by now."
There has been talk around town that Ledger would reject the measure, as she has done in the past with other votes.
For nearly a year, Morrisville officials worked with the consulting firm Johnson Controls on plans for environmental improvements such as lighting at the library and public works facility, streetlights and traffic lights, as well as the first upgrades to borough hall since it was built in 1948.
Councilman Fred Kerner said, "I'm happy that the project is finally underway."
Councilman Dave Rivella couldn't agree more.
"For the community, I am happy to see this project finally move forward," he said after the meeting. "These green improvements are well overdue."
Along with Ledger, council members Debbie Smith, Eileen Dreisbach and Todd Smith oppose the funding and the process, not the project.
They have had issue with Johnson Controls, and don't understand why the council hasn't been provided with bids for the project. Smith has said it would be irresponsible to move forward with the project without council looking at all the information.
"Where are the bids documents that Johnson Controls references," she said before the vote, adding that she's requested without success. "These documents to date were not provided to the council."
At the March meeting, the council turned down a promise of a 15- to 17-year loan from TD Bank totaling $1.4 million. The interest rate on the loan would have been 2.46 percent, with an option to negotiate the rate during the 16th or 17th year; or pay off the entire loan at the end of the 15th year, but no sooner, without penalties.
Taxpayers won’t have to pay a dime directly toward the loan, officials have said. The improvements are expected to save the borough nearly $2 million in utility and operating costs. Those savings would pay for the loan. And the remainder would go to the borough’s savings ideally, officials have said.
Smith thinks otherwise.
"Johnson Controls, at its discretion, can apply the amount of a surplus in energy savings to offset the years that there is any subsequent shortfall," she said. "Thus, there could be years that the savings are on paper and not actual cash."
Rivella believes the project should have been underway months ago.
"It has been frustrating for me to watch this project being used as a pawn, because it’s the community that loses," he said."Every person sitting on borough council had ample opportunity to get any information they felt they needed to vote in favor of helping the community with this project.
"Although I am very pleased with tonight’s vote, I am mindful that this could have been approved during the March council meeting, which would have resulted in a lesser interest rate and greater savings of over $100,000 more or a savings for each resident of approximately $100 per year," he said. "Had this been passed in March, our community would already have begun to see the benefits because the project would have been completed by now."
21 comments:
1 comment:
OhWoeIsMe posted at 11:24 pm on Mon, Aug 26, 2013.
Posts: 16
David Rivella is a union electrician who has absolutely zero knowledge when it comes to dollars and sense.
His opinion is based solely on the IBEW getting work, thus he has a job to go to. period.
Ms. Ledger VETO IT! There has got to be some fine print that will screw the taxpayers!!!!!!
Thia typifies how SOC ignoramuses (or ignorami) make decisions.
Apply directly to the forehead. Whoever posted this nailed it.
"With SOC, you get a swirl of BS, followed by the empty feeling that you got even further away from the truth. SOC, I pity you for being so misguided, but I also condemn you for foisting it on the rest of us! The 1st step is admitting you have a problem, and it's a step you'll never take."
David Rivella is the only person I have ever seen on council who gets project done finding grant money to save the residents money time and time again.
Sorry I meant to put an "s" on that
"projects"
It would be nice, just once, if a project could be judged strictly on the content of its character, rather than the color of its detractors' perceptions.
I don't believe I have ever heard Mr. Rivella say what he does for a living. The only reason I even know his occupation is because losers like to bring it up during campaign season.
What is the occupation of all eight people on council? Why isn't this ever talked about?
I have no idea what Rivella's knowledge of dollars and sense is and neither to you. Suggesting you do makes you sound less than intelligent.
Veta Ledger do what you will, know you want to, it's the only thing you know how to do. Then in November get the hell out of office. First female mayoral disgrace. Put that on the side of the parade car.
sally19067 posted at 12:40 pm on Tue, Aug 27, 2013.
Posts: 6
Except that IBEW did not get the work - so your comment is false.
Rivella obviously has knowledge - he found a way to do essential upgrades, save energy, AND not raise taxes by a dime. Pretty smart.
If Ledger vetoes it - that is what will screw the taxpayers. Is that what you want?
Are you angry that electricians are getting jobs? Are you angry that jobs to install windows and weatherize buidlings are being created? Why do you have a problem with it?
This is a win-win. Only fools don't see it.
Great response. Alas, we have many fools who only see what they want to see.
Ledger missed the meeting when the vote took place. Is she still allowed to veto? How long can she take to veto? P.S. Veto.
dave rivella does things for political reasons put the money into fixing the police dept and work on rezoning etc for better businesses to keep the losers out the entire council needs to be replaced and start fresh
You obviously don't even know Dave Rivella.
"put the money"
What money are you talking about?
You really must not pay attention.
I don't at all see where Rivella has Jane Burger's big fish in a little pond syndrome. He has tried to move this town forward for years, even long before he was a councilperson.
He has been taking crap from cronies for a lot longer than I would be able to stand.
I appreciate his no nonsense approach to things and his ability to work on the town and try to save our money at the same time. He seems to have no time for anyone who has ulterior motives or isn't working for the community. If that makes him political, I guess I must be as well.
You know what? Let's assume for a moment that this is Rivella's only goal. Isn't it all about being a job creator anyway?
The reality is that the people who don't want to get the streetlights fixed are simply hanging an "Open for Business" sign on the entire boro for every thief who wants to visit. A no vote for the lights is a yes vote for crime.
I think what the poster above is looking for is not rezoning, it's spot zoning, which is illegal.
I can barely see straight I'm so pissed about the petty, abject stupidity of SOC elected officials and the people who keep voting for them.
Hijacked and held hostage by ignorant power mongers with too much time on their hands.
I am so tired of hearing SOC and friends talking about what Dave Rivella does for a living that yesterday I spoke with him about it. The guy has lived in Morrisville since 1992 and as an electrician he has never worked in Morrisville other than his helping someone out by working on their home electric for free. As a living he does not work on housing stock at all or on small projects. He mainly works on large scale, new construction and renovations, like hospitals, switch yards, solar panel fields, etc. He joked that he does bring the IBEW to Morrisville Borough once a year - to help Ron Scheese with the annual Morrisville Canal Cleanup.
SOC arguments don't hold up to scrutiny? What a surprise. Color me shocked.
We need an Alice's restaurant movement here in the ville. I challenge citizens to start showing up at meetings and asking these people to resign so some kind of progress can be made. If enough people keep doing this, perhaps it will catch on, and even the shameless will have no choice but to abdicate.
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