Development plan needs $1.5M

Lawrence County officials are looking into a bank line of credit.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A development touted as Lawrence County's economic savior will be in jeopardy if county commissioner's can't find $1.5 million to back it up.
County Solicitor John Hodge informed commissioners Thursday that the Millennium Park project in Neshannock Township was in jeopardy if the county did not have the money secured within the next few weeks.
The money must be in place before the county redevelopment authority can proceed with the taking of two properties by eminent domain in the planned Millennium Park.
Won't sell
Three landowners, Thomas and Christie Whittaker and the estate of Dr. David Hamilton, have refused to sell their property to the authority and have taken the matter to court.
The authority filed eminent domain papers -- the government's right to take private land for public use -- for both properties last year.
Hodge said the authority will automatically lose its court battle if the money is not in place. The law requires the entity taking the property to have the amount of cash on hand at all times even if the matter is being litigated.
Promised a grant
Hodge said the Millennium Park project was promised a $1.5 million state grant by Gov. Ed Rendell through the Business In Our Sites Program -- a program intended to finance shovel-ready business sites in the state -- but that money has not arrived yet. That money is intended be used for the property acquisition.
He said the state has not yet borrowed the money needed to fund the newly created grant program and he's not sure when it would.
Legally the county redevelopment authority must have the cash available to pay at all times if the property owners decide to settle the matter while court proceedings are ongoing.
Line of credit
Hodge suggested the county take out a line of credit that would be tapped only if needed.
"It's highly unlikely we would need to draw it down," Hodge said. The note could be canceled once the state money is in place, he said.
County commissioner said they would look into the bank line of credit.
"If we don't do this then we are essentially voting to kill this project, and we don't want to do that," Commissioner Ed Fosnaught said.
Fosnaught noted the county has already spent $3.5 million on improvements and land acquisition for Millennium Park.
"I think the economic future of the county is at stake, and I'm not about to stand in the way," added Commissioner Steve Craig.
cioffi@vindy.com