Tabor helps homeless to become self sufficient

NewsLanc personnel visited with management of Tabor Community Services last week.

Located in its own office building at 308 East King Street, Tabor is a not-for-profit corporation established in Lancaster 40 years ago as a housing and credit counseling agency for persons experiencing difficulties in those areas.

"We don't really have anything to give to them, but we can help individuals develop skills and strategies for personal success," said President Robert Thomas.

In addition to financial literacy counseling, mortgage counseling, consumer credit counseling, first time homebuyer counseling programs, matched savings programs, and the like, Tabor also owns three local properties as living spaces for those who were or would probably otherwise be homeless.

NewsLanc toured two of those facilities - the Market View Apartments and the Transitional Living Center.

Market View consists of eight apartment units for persons with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness. A kindly African-American woman and her grandson have been living in one of the apartment for about half a year. It consisted of a kitchen, living room and dining area and a bathroom and is similar to other moderately priced apartment in the city. It is approximately 750 square feet.

In order to qualify to live in Market View, one must be homeless and have a disability. The actual cost of each apartment is about $540 a month, but most of the cost is subsidized by the government, and the resident must pay only utilities and a relatively small program fee.

A couple of blocks to the west at East King and Duke Streets is the Tabor's Transitional Living Center (TLC). It is located in a converted old hotel.

The Transitional Living Center has 54 rooms of temporary housing and runs almost at full occupancy, according to "Team Leader" Doug Hopwood, the manager.

Though kept neat and clean, the facility is well worn and the rooms are tiny by current hotel standards. There is a common kitchen with bags with locks to enable occupants to safely store their own food. A portion of the former lobby area is used for a children’s play area during the day and a lounge in the evening.

Hopwood explained that the goal is to help people who are temporarily down on their luck to be able to return to independent living. "Life Skills" classes and personalized financial counseling are provided. An important part of the program is teaching people how to budget their income.

According to Hopwood, the outcome is that 73% of participants successfully move into permanent housing with the average length of stay at TLC being four months.

Hopwood explained that inhabitants must pay a daily fee which covers housing, education and enforced savings. The savings is held for the client until he or she departs and can be used for securing housing elsewhere. The rent is individually negotiated as part of an overall plan for the resident. Occupants are selected according to need.

Hopwood told of a middle aged man who was overwhelmed to learn that he had almost a thousand dollars saved up. The man exclaimed that he had never had so much money in his life.

The clients usually pay with funds received under various governmental aid programs.

Many who clean and maintain the hotel volunteer their services.

Last year, 205 homeless households were provided transitional housing coupled with supportive services to enable most to move on to permanent housing.

According to Thomas, Tabor thinks of itself as a Lancaster County organization, although in fact most of their clients come from the city.

But not all are low-income. "We've had persons with six-figure incomes come in for our mortgage default counseling," says Thomas.

He added that since the housing and credit crisis really boiled over a few months ago, "the volume of calls inquiring about our mortgage default counseling has about doubled..."

Tabor has around 50 employees and an annual operating budget of about $2.7 million. About a third of their revenue comes from contributions, about a third comes from government contracts, and the final third comes from program fees and property rentals, according to Thomas.

Thomas has been President of Tabor for two years. Prior to that he was a vice president at Millersville University.

In addition to their primary function, Tabor also facilitates "Lancaster City Living," a campaign to promote home ownership in the city and the East King Street Improvement District, the latter dedicated to improving the corridor from Penn Square to Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.

The East King Improvement District has raised money for such things as house numbers, flower boxes, garbage and recycling cans, street lighting, security cameras, and tree planting.

Before departing, a NewsLanc observer suggested that Tabor employees and clients set a good example by picking up and disposing of the excessive street litter near its headquarters.

No wheels on most downtown sidewalks under proposed ban

There is an ordinance in the City of Lancaster which states that no bicycling or skateboarding on sidewalks is permitted within one square block of Penn Square.

Tuesday night at city council was the first reading of a revision, which would expand that prohibited area to include all of the Downtown Improvement District, which is bordered by Lemon St. to the north, Farnum St. to the south, Lime St. to the east., and Water St. to the west.

The Mayor's Chief of Staff, Pat Brogan, said that the measure comes in response to complaints the administration has received from aggrieved pedestrians.

The current ordinance would merely expand the geographical area of the prohibition. Penalties can include a $100 fine or the impounding of a bike or skateboard, but usually police merely issue warnings, according to City Director of Public Works, Charlotte Katzenmoyer.

But not everyone is onboard with the idea.

One frequent attendee of city meetings pointed out that the ordinance includes an exception for the red-shirted James Street Improvement District Security force, but that they sometimes endanger pedestrians themselves with their behavior. He feels they should set the example.

City Councilman Jose Urdaneta said Tuesday night that he favors an exclusion for children under a certain age, like ten.

He said he feels like it would be imposing a burden on parents who sometimes need to let children expend some energy outside of the house, or if they're teaching a child how to ride.

Gray disagreed, saying kids on bicycles and skateboards may even be more of a nuisance than those who are older. The two agreed to discuss it more in private.

City Council is expected to vote on the measure at their next meeting, which is scheduled for November 25.

What's happening around Lancaster this week?

Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m., there is a meeting of Lancaster City Council in their chambers at Southern Market Center at S. Queen & Vine. The agenda can be found here. All city residents and taxpayers are welcome to attend.

Starting November 11, Rainbow Dinner Theatre is showing Deck the Halls and Clean the Kitchen. "Written by Cindy DiSavino, in 1997, this play is one of our most requested Christmas shows. We think we know why: because it's a story about everyone! All of us get so swept up in decorations, shopping and preparations, that we often forget the real meaning of the season. Deck The Halls And Clean The Kitchen reminds us all that when the big day finally arrives, our family and friends are the most important gifts we have!" Ticket prices and times vary. Visit http://www.rainbowdinnertheatre.com/shows.shtml for more information. The Rainbow Dinner Theatre is located on Route 30 East in Paradise.

On Thursday, Nov. 13, Millersville University is showing the film "Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone." The film is airing for free at 7:00 p.m. as part of the school's "Humanities Film Series." "In ‘Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone' actor Michael Douglas hosts a sobering look at exploited children in this war-torn country where diamonds are traded for weapons." The film is showing in the Reighard Multipurpose Room of the Student Memorial Center which is located at the end of South George St. in Millersville.

On Thursday the 13th, "Listen to 'The Odyssey' – comprised of Ticheli, 'American Elegy'; Galante, 'Redwood'; Van der Roost, 'Canterbury Chorale'; Camphouse, 'Symphonic Prelude'; Vaughan Williams, 'Toccata Marziale'; R.W. Smith, 'Symphony No. 2' – by the Franklin & Marshall Symphonic Wind Ensemble at the Barshinger Center for Musical Arts, F&M campus. 8 p.m. Free."

Also on Thursday the 13th, "Join other bookworms for a book discussion at the Lancaster Public Library, 125 N. Duke St. This group meets the second Thursday of every month. Today’s discussion is about “Five Quarters of the Orange,” by Joanne Harris. 10 a.m. in the Windolph Room. Free. 717-394-2651."

From Thursday the 13th to Saturday the 15th, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is The 8th Annual Underground Railroad Conference. "Join us for this exciting conference titled Education of the Enslaved African 1765-1865. You will learn valuable information about the Underground Railroad, education of those enslaved and free, and much more. Thursday: 5:30 -9; Friday: 7:30-8:45; Saturday: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm." There is no admission charge. Bethel A.M.E. is located at 512 East Strawberry St.

On Friday, November 14th, the Junior League of Lancaster is hosting an Author's Luncheon with David Oliver Relin, co-author of New York Times Bestseller Three Cups of Tea. Tickets are $60 and include lunch, presentation, and the book signing. The event is being held at the Eden Resort. Visit http://www.jllancaster.org/author.php for further information.

This Friday is Lovin' Lititz Every Second!, the borough's answer to First Friday. Every second Friday, "Join downtown merchants in a lively evening of shopping, live music performances, art exhibits, poetry readings, jewelry shows, special Lovin’ Lititz Every 2nd dinner menus & tastings, and much more!" Lovin' Lititz Every Second! runs from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 15th at 6:00 p.m., a Wine & Cheese Train runs at the Strasburg Railroad. "While enjoying the sights, taste rich cheeses and flavorful wines, getting full authentic experience of the Wine & Cheese Train. Passengers must be 21 years or older, and a photo ID is required to board the car." $30 tickets required. Visit http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/wine-and-cheese.php for advance tickets and further information.

November 16th is Sunday Market in the 300 block of North Queen Street. "Sunday Market runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking area outside of Building Character. Look for a smattering of interesting finds, including antiques, collectibles, artists' handiwork and other delightful treasures. And DON’T MISS delicious treats from Nick’s Pizza, famous BBQ from Catering Concepts Unlimited and sweet creations from pastry chef Eric Moshier. Vendor spaces available." Visit http://buildingcharacter.biz/market for further information.

TRRAAC attorney: F&M trying to pull wool over public's eyes

The Railroad Action & Advisory Committee (TRRAAC) held a press conference late this morning to explain why they are appealing the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's October 3 approval of Franklin & Marshall College's Remedial Investigation Report and Cleanup Plan for the former Lancaster Brickyard waste site.

The appeal, which was filed last Thursday, asserts that a "public involvement plan" was not made available prior to F&M's June 19 public presentation and did not address the issue of potentially friable asbestos at the site. A public involvement plan is required by state law.

According to TRRAAC attorney Bill Cluck, F&M and its engineer, the ARM Group, assert that the information boards and handouts made available at the June 19 meeting constituted public involvement.

Cluck says the law requires more.

"The first issue we've alleged in our appeal is that the document does not have a section or a summary written in plain language. It is a statutory requirement in Pennsylvania under section 901 of Act 2... that a remedial investigation report contain a section or a summary written in plain language and the purpose is to better inform the public of the proposed cleanup," Cluck said.

"This is just another example of trying to pull the wool over the public's eyes."

He went on to assert that the notice of intent to remediate did not include asbestos as a contaminant of concern.

"It wasn't until members of TRRAAC raised the concern with Franklin & Marshall early in 2008... that they did sampling," Cluck said.

And even then, they only collected 12 samples of the floor tile in total, according to Cluck, not 12 samples of each kind of material, as Orris claimed in an October 30 letter.

"Our primary concern is not the tile itself but the hydrocord backing," Cluck explained.

Manheim Township will host a meeting of the concerned parties on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at Manheim Township Middle School. The purpose of the meeting is to give the public opportunity to comment on the 1,000+ page Remedial Investigation & Cleanup Plan.

"We urge the affected public: come out to this meeting. Express your concerns about this material," Cluck said.

Cluck went on to discuss other concerns that TRRAAC has. He urges PA DEP to investigate whether Franklin & Marshall College dumped any material at the site in the 1980s.

The law says that if a person contributed to the contamination of a site, they are ineligible for public and state funds for its cleanup, he explained.

F&M expects approximately $20 million from the federal and state governments to help pay for the cleanup of the site.

So the propriety of the funding depends on whether Franklin & Marshall College is the applicant for the funding rather than the Lancaster Solid Waste Management Authority, which actually owns the site, and if F&M is the applicant, whether they dumped at the site after 1980, as some accounts suggest.

Cluck went on to say that it is inappropriate for F&M to be requesting $20 million in taxpayer dollars for this project of theirs - especially with its potential public health impacts - at a time when Governor Ed Rendell is asking state schools to find ways to cut more than 4% from their budgets.

Cluck is an environmental and land use attorney whose office is in Harrisburg.

He has been practicing for 20 years.

"I've never been in a situation where I've had my personal credibility attacked," he noted, referring statements made in the public dispute between TRRAAC and F&M.

F&M Director of Media Relations Dulcey Antonucci was present at the press conference but had no immediate comment.

Kenosha streetcar Gray cites does not run exclusively in lane of traffic

In his October 28th statement to City Council, Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray said, "In those cities where streetcar systems have been implemented, such as Portland, Oregon, and Kenosha, Wisconsin, the streetcars have been a success and have led to additional economic development and expansion of the original systems."

An important difference, however, is neglected. In Kenosha, the trolley car runs in its own right-of-way for most of the route! As seen and explained here, "The line is routed in a grassy median for about half its length, alongside the street for about a quarter of its length, and in the street for the remaining distance." The streetcar is also more expensive to operate than a bus and a 25 cent fare is charged.

MT to hold Rail Yard public meeting on 11/13

NewsLanc has received the following notice from the School Lane Hills Neighborhood Association:

The Manheim Township Commissioners will hold a Public Meeting Thursday, November 13, 2008 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Manheim Township Middle School Auditorium on School Road.

Representatives from the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority and Franklin & Marshall College have been invited.

This meeting will allow for public comment on the Brickyard Dump Remedial Investigation Report and Clean Up Plan.

PLANNING / REAL ESTATE: Let Lancaster be Lancaster!

A Nov. 9th Sunday News Business Section article "Divergent generations converging on the city" is occasion for reflection, especially in view of information gleaned from "A City Transformed, 1940-1980" by F & M Professor David Schuyler.

The article discusses the trend of empty nesters and young professional to locate downtown, a phenomenon long common in cities throughout the country and elsewhere.

Throughout the past century, misguided local leaders and officials continuously ignored our regions' natural attributes and limitations and instead tried to model Lancaster after cities with similar or larger populations that, unlike Lancaster, were centers for a large portion of their state.

The first mistake was the failure to recognize that, dwarfed by Philadelphia, Baltimore and Harrisburg and close to Reading, Lancaster was never meant to attract office tenants beyond those who would be servicing the immediate county market.

Secondly, leaders were unwilling to accept that, due to the post World War II population movement to suburbs, it was impractical for Lancaster to compete with Park City as a 'regional' shopping center.

Yet there was and are important roles for downtown as a center for government, banking, attorneys (due to the court house) and as a 'community' shopping center for an increasingly gentrified downtown community and with restaurants, specialty boutiques and activities that attract suburban visitors and tourists.

The future success of Lancaster will not be tied to unnatural implants that discourage rather than encourage prosperity, but rather to the logical evolution of a pleasant, traditional downtown area replete with small shops and restaurants and activities such as First Friday. And the best opportunity for a burgeoning downtown is the potential growth of the Pennsylvania Music Academy, which benefits from its proximity to major metropolitan cultural areas but yet provides a small town environment attractive to families sending their talented youngsters from throughout the world.

Lancaster’s leaders need to stop wasting money on wrong headed projects and, instead, concentrate on opportunities that further Lancaster's inherent strengths and opportunities, the public library being another example.

Towards the end of "A City transformed", Schuyoler states "Lancaster's long, painful experience in redeveloping North Queen Streeet convinced business and civic leaders that private investment, not federal programs, was the key to downtown revitalization." Three decades later the Convention Center Project mushroomed from a 50% / 50% private enterprise and governmentally funded project to one triple in cost and consisting of 90% state and city grants and guarantees. How quick we forget!

After three years of study of the local scene, I stand by my article published by the Sunday News in September, 2005 and reproduced below:

September, 2005


"Past Folly & Future Hope"

In planning for the future it is important to avoid mistakes of the past; and building on current successes is less risky than pursuing untested concepts.

With the proposed Convention / Hotel Center, it is especially urgent that we avoid the mistakes that led to the failure of Lancaster Square or we may go down the same disastrous road. The reasons for that failure, as given by former mayor and guest columnist Art Morris in the August 18th Sunday News, were very wide of the mark.

When Lancaster Square was developed a quarter century ago, it was anchored by the Hilton Hotel (currently the Brunswick) and the Hess Department Store. The Hess opening so contradicted the national trend that the Wall Street Journal ran a front page story heralding it to be the first new department store in a downtown location in twenty years. With department stores abandoning downtown locations in favor of suburban malls, Hess struggled from the outset and closed a few years later!

The newly opened Hilton Hotel was, as Art Morris correctly recalls, indeed a delight. But it could not survive national trends either. Downtown hotels struggled then and now in cities such as Allentown, Reading, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and Lancaster, while suburban motor hotels flourished and continue to prosper.

Further it is typical for hotels to serve the commercial market on weekdays and tourists on the weekends and over the summer. In our region, most commercial activity takes place in the suburbs and the primary tourist attractions (such as the Amish, Dutch Wonderland and the Rockvale Square outlet stores) are miles from center city. Also downtown Lancaster is isolated from major traffic arteries and thus downtown is not a suitable overnight spot for transients. Historically downtown Lancaster hotel occupancy rates have been very low and the average room price modest.

Recently purchased for a tiny fraction of reproduction cost, the Brunswick is being upgraded and will better serve downtown.

After decades of experience in developing and managing commercial real estate including five hotels (none local), my sense is that, given the current proliferation of convention centers and downtown Lancaster’s lack of comparative advantages, the proposed convention center may not prove viable. At best, the Conference Center is unlikely to generate nearly enough added room nights to support both the renovated 220 room Brunswick and the proposed, costly 300 room Marriott.

Is the downtown situation so unpromising that we need to do "something", no matter how great the subsidy, how much is put at risk and how questionable the prospects for success?

Fortunately this is not the case. We already have several institutions that have proven to be very successful and need only a moderate amount of community support to enable them to grow to their full potential.

1) The Lancaster Public Library on Duke Street, though it has not been enlarged or renovated for decades, nonetheless attracts some thousand persons a day despite being closed most evenings and on Sundays. Other cities take great pride in a new or recently enlarged and renovated library which serves as a cultural center and benefits all generations and the entire community. (The expanded and fully renovated Martin Library in York holds its grand re-opening in October.) A modernized and properly funded library would draw hundreds of patrons during evenings and Sunday afternoons and would encourage the location of professional offices downtown.

2) The Pennsylvania Academy of Music (PAM) (www.PAAcademyMusic.com) was formed to bring to South Central Pennsylvania the opportunity to pursue an accredited superior musical education. It has attracted distinguished faculty members from New York, Baltimore and elsewhere and students from outside this region and even from abroad. PAM could be developed into a private high school for musicians along the lines of Julliard in New York and Curtis in Philadelphia. PAM’s growth would require more school facilities, dormitories, and spur development of downtown cafes, boutiques, shops and housing. And its concerts would attract many local and out of town visitors.

3) Pennsylvania College of Art & Design (PCA&D) (www.pcad.edu) is an accredited professional art college offering bachelor of art programs in fine art, graphic design, illustration, and photography. Its expansion would further contribute to a downtown campus and cultural atmosphere.

4) Bethel Harambee currently performs "Living the Experience" at the
Bethel A. M. E. church and this dinner show already draws bus loads of tourists of all races and creeds. (www.LivingTheUndergroundRailroad.com) Its "Church Town Rediscovered" project envisions a 600 seat auditorium south of Center Square for live performances of this and other African-American cultural and historical presentations and use by other organizations. Development of this project would bring tourist business downtown and help revitalize the neighborhood.

By embracing and supporting these and other viable projects, we can avoid the white elephants of the past and create a vibrant downtown where companies will compete for prime sites and not require immense grants from government, generous tax abatements, and risky City guarantees.

Robert Edwin Field

County's reliance on scanned paper ballots vindicated

According to a Nov. 8 article at NewsMax.com, the election returns between incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democrat challenger Al Franken are undergoing a recount.

"Minnesota ballots are fed into optical scanners, which depend on voters filling in ovals to make their choice." This is how most voters cast their ballots in Lancaster.

A special concern was the statistically abnormal number of "under votes" for the senatorial race in certain Democrat leaning counties.

According to the story, "Recount teams will look for whether stray or light marks on ballots signaled a voter's preference."

Because there is a "paper trail" which enables each ballot to be physically inspected, the correctness of the final count will be virtually assured. As was noted from the 1980 presidential election, a lack of confidence in the voter count undermines public confidence in a leader.

Conestoga View appears in good hands

As part of our ongoing reporting on various Lancaster organizations, NewsLanc visited Conestoga View to see how the nursing home has been doing since the controversial 2005 sale by the county to its proprietary operator.

As Administrator Jennifer Zufall and Business Development Specialist Joni Bockey led a tour of the public areas and a residential floor, there was a positive impression with the size, scope, cleanliness, lack of odor, and overall professionalism of the operation.

According to their physical condition and preference, residents are fed in a pleasant dining room, in common areas on their floors, or in their rooms.

In addition to having 446 beds, with a current 98.89% occupancy rate, there is a cafeteria and snack bar with many options, several lounge areas, recreational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, modern bathrooms with whirlpool baths that stimulate muscle development, cable television access, internet access, an on-site barber shop, a chapel, and more. Virtually all services are on demand and without additional charge.

A small percentage of the patients pay directly at rates that vary but average about $1500 per week.

But most revenue comes from a combination of Medicaid/Medicare and private insurance.

Private pay constitutes only about 4% of the cost of care, says Zuffall.

If some were concerned about budget cuts and declining quality under private management, those fears appear to have been unfounded.

Zufall says that staff levels have actually been maintained or increased since 2005. There are some 650 employees in total.

She says that one of the first things they did upon taking over was provide cable television for the residents. Other equipment such as lifts have also been added.

At one point during the tour of a residential corridor, a high pitched sound was audible. Bockey explained that it is a "terror alarm," which alerts staff when a relatively non-mobile resident suddenly moves in such a way that might indicate that they have fallen or are trying to stand up. This enables a staff member to provide assistance.

Another impressive technological innovation was a fingerprint-accessed information console on the wall in each corridor. Staff enter updates after every service provided to residents.

Residents generally get referred to Conestoga View by one of the hospitals or by other social service agencies, Zufall explained. Most of them then stay for the rest of their lives.

But not all of their residents are necessarily elderly. Some simply have significant disabilities. They have residents as young as 18.

NewsLanc had downloaded from the Internet and reviewed with them their 2007 evaluation by the State Department of Health, which indicated no significant violations. Another report indicated that their nursing care time per patient is slightly above the national average.

Zuffall says she has an inviting attitude with regard to public inspections. "We'd rather be honest with them, and proactive with them, and use them as a resource," she said.

Zufall has been Administrator of Conestoga since 2006 and has worked in the healthcare industry since 2004. She is a graduate of King's College in Wilkes-Barre with a degree in Healthcare Administration and is currently working towards a Master's at Penn State.

Conestoga View was sold to Complete Healthcare Resources (CHR) in 2005 during the tenure of Commissioners Shaub, Shellenberger, and Henderson. At the time there was concern by some members of the public that treatment at the facility would deteriorate as a result of the sale.

SD of L sports continue to under perform

Fall 2007 / 2008 – Records for Varsity Sports
School District of Lancaster

2007 / 2008

Football 3-7 / 0-10
Boys' Soccer 1-17 / 6-12
Boys' XC 13-8 / 12-9
Field Hockey 2–16 / 3-15
Girls' XC 10–11 / 7-14
Girls' Volleyball 3–14 / 6-12
Girls' Tennis 1–13 / 2-11

Protecting our school children

Below are excerpts from an inquiry that NewsLanc posed to the Lancaster Police Department and the response from Sgt. Todd Umstead:


To: Sgt. Umstead,

On the issue of pedestrians in crosswalks, PENNDOT has clarified for us that drivers must always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. We continue to observe that many drivers don't seem to take this seriously, taking such actions as.. cutting it close in turning just in front of or behind pedestrians.. or swerving around other vehicles that are stopped, seemingly oblivious to whether people, especially children, might be crossing.

We understand that the police can't be everywhere at once, but what steps is the Lancaster City Police department taking to enforce the law about stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks? Do you agree that this is a problem? Do you issue citations for this?

Response from Sgt. Umstead

I would agree that failure to yield to pedestrians is a problem, and I know that officers do enforce this and sometimes conduct details (especially in the downtown area, where pedestrian traffic is highest) specifically targeting these violations.

An interesting section of the PA Vehicle Code does place some responsibility on the pedestrian (see below). One example of this would be a jogger who just runs into the crosswalk without even slowing / looking to see if any vehicles are already entering, or close to entering, the intersection.


§3542. Right-of-way of pedestrians in crosswalks.

(a) General rule. - When traffic-control signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

(b) Exercise of care by pedestrian. - No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close as to constitute a hazard.

(c) Limitation on vehicles passing. - Whenever any vehicle is stopped at any crosswalk at an intersection or at any marked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass the stopped vehicle...

Sore losers

The Intelligencer Journal opens its Nov. 6 editorial by huffing "The politics of negativity and misrepresentation worked to kill the proposed home-rule charter." In other words, the 60% of the voters who voted against it were a bunch of deluded fools.

We beg to differ. NewsLanc objected to the Charter on two major accounts: 1) It reduced the participation of the minority party to one in five instead of one in three. 2) Once appointed, the County Executive became a virtual Czar.

The Intell further implies a change was warranted because the current form of government "has been in place for more than 300 years." Well, the United States Constitution has been in place for about 217 years. Nevertheless, we would like to keep it.

We do agree with the Intell that we all owe the members of the Government Study Commission a huge debt of gratitude. Whatever position they took, they provided important information and views and thus prepared the public to make a reasonably informed decision.

A cry from the heart

Fifteen hundred people who use the Lancaster Public Library (Duke Street branch) each day have been deprived of the total upgrading and renovation of the building, for the first time since its construction in 1953. In an effort to reverse the startling reversal and impending action of the Library Board of Trustees, NewsLanc's publisher and library Project Manager Robert Edwin Field sent the following email letter. It proved of no avail.


October 23, 2008

To: Gary Weaver, Vice President, Lancaster Public Library

From: Robert Field, Project Manager

Copy: John McGrann, Bob Miller, Debra Rosser-Hogben, Karen Field

Re: Lancaster Public Library

Gary:


I am writing to you from Los Angeles. I was shocked a couple of hours ago to learn through my son Benjamin that the Board , under your ‘leadership’, had unanimously decided to turn down a half million dollar grant from the State and a half million dollar grant from Karen and me, and to trash $400,000 in architectural and engineering outlays plus the product of a year’s work by its president Karen and, considerable work on my part as Project Manager.

I would like for the record to remind you and the others of the following:

1) Earlier this year, the board unanimously approved moving ahead with the renovation and expansion of the library, a project that through the diligent efforts of Penncrest Construction, Debra, Vitetta, Karen , myself and others has come in on budget, a figure approximately 15% less than you had estimated would be the cost. If you want to suggest that the pricing professionally developed by Penncrest through solicitation of suppliers and contractors over the past six weeks is somehow unreliable, I think you should be prepared to defend an action for libel.

2) Upon the assumption of $3,000,000 in State grants, the board decided to proceed with the design of the project. Subsequently when the board was advised by Mayor Rick Gray that $2,500,000 of the $3,000,000 would not be forthcoming, the board decided to continue with the planning of the project. Furthermore, the balance of $500,000, the Keystone Grant, would also be lost because the renovation and expansion could no longer be assured of funding.

3) The library has over $3,300,000 on hand according to the most recently report and has received a bequest for about $500,000 which counsel advises us should be collectible.

4) According to consultants Todd Lindsley and Pat Stockwell, major donors had committed to contributing at least $2,500,000 towards the expansion and renovation of the library.

5) Karen and I had proposed and, through the unstinting efforts of Representative Mike Sturla and Mayor Rick Gray, the State has agreed to provide the $500,000 grant towards the renovation of the existing facility. The total cost based upon analysis of information on hand is estimated to come to about $2,300,000. With $500,000 from the Grant, $500,000 from Karen and me, only $1,300,000 remains to be covered. It is likely that much of that amount would be funded by those promising $2,500,000, and this was before we even commence a public fund raising campaign. And if there were a shortfall of several hundred thousand dollars, the library could readily pay the difference from its endowment fund.

I realize that the nation may be entering a recession, but there is so little money yet to be raised ($1,300,000) and such excellent prospect from major donors, county and conceivably a later state grant, that I see no serious concern to cause the cancellation of this project.

Among the many benefits of the $2,300,000 renovation would be: Major repairs to the HVAC system, installation of two modern rest rooms, installation of a fire sprinkler system throughout, installation of a ramp for the physically challenged, and a security and communication system.

In addition, the first floor would be fully renovated with new ceilings, lighting fixtures, floor coverings, new service desks and new furniture throughout. The same would apply to about half of the second floor with some improvements to the rest.

Debra met with Jim Keller, Mark Hodges, Karen and me at Vitetta Tuesday afternoon and said she was satisfied with all of the proposed layouts and renovations.

You and your fellow board members are unnecessarily depriving our community and especially our school children of a fully upgraded, modern library. Expansion as originally contemplated will still be desirable at some future point in time. Current renovations are compatible with the planned expansion.

The mayor’s letter and the Application for Revision of Scope needs to be sent off to the State by the end of tomorrow. I will recommend to Karen that she do so, since no harm will be done or cost incurred by her action while much will be lost if she doesn’t.

I encourage the Board to regain control of its nerves and to meet on Tuesday morning or some other time this coming week to reconsider its actions. I believe the Lancaster community will also find the boards actions unwarranted and regrettable.

Under Karen's brave, able and unstinting leadership, the library was regaining vitality and direction in various areas. The Board's rash action of earlier today will likely doom it to years of further rudderless dysfunction and growing failure to fulfill its responsibilities to our community.

I end with the observation that it is the very people who did the least to contribute to the progress of the past year who are undermining the work of its President, Project Manager, State Representative and Mayor. Perhaps had board members devoted more time and effort to the project, they would be better advised and act more rationally.

Please share this letter with all members of the library board since all need to reflect on the consequences of its rash actions. They all will suffer the public opprobrium that will follow the scrapping of this desirable and worthy project.

EDITORIAL: What TRRAAC is really about

QUESTION: Is TRRAAC opposing the relocation of the Norfolk & Southern rail yard?

ANSWER: No. They want two alternative sites given serious consideration.

QUESTION: Does it make sense to spend tens of millions of taxpayers dollars digging up a portion of a waste site that has been safely covered by dirt and growth for decades and trucking it to another location to be buried?

ANSWER: No.

QUESTION: Does it make even less sense to dig up asbestos bearing materials that were in their original safe state and converting them to friable (fragmentized and lethal) status through earth moving and trucking?

ANSWER: No.

QUESTION: Is John Fry credible when he says he asked Donnelley Corporation if they would sell a portion of their land and they declined?

ANSWER: No. What corporate management would definitively say no prior to hearing the price? Furthermore, the government has the right of eminent domain to take the land for the expansion of the rail yard and pay Donnelley its market value.

QUESTION: Is TRRAAC asking that the proposed "Brickyard" dump no longer be considered?

ANSWER: No. TRRAAC is asking that the PA Department of Transportation and both the PA and federal Departments of Environmental Protection perform thorough reviews of the current proposal and the two alternate locations. TRRAAC is also endeavoring to raise funds to afford counsel and its own experts. Unlike F&M (and LGLH), TRRAAC has not received hundreds of thousands in federal funds to engage consultants, nor does it have deep pockets.

QUESTION: Are consultants inclined to work in the interest of those who engage them?

ANSWER: Usually. Otherwise they are replaced with those who will.