The former City Hall at 245 West Fourth Street in Williamsport. Solicited bids on a possible purchase of the building will be due by noon on Thursday. KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Williamsport City Council won’t be deciding the fate of City Hall this week.
Instead, as was stated at the Finance Committee on Tuesday, it will mull over whether to accept or reject a $555,500 high bid by JBAS Realty, of Jessup, on Sept. 28.
John Basalyga, JBAS Realty owner, is also restoring the nearby Children’s Discovery Workshop YMCA building into market-rate apartments.
Mayor Derek Slaughter said the developer was comfortable with delaying a decision until Sept. 28.
The city council, legally, must accept the highest responsive bid or has an option to reject it.
The building has been condemned since Aug. 4, 2021, due to two incidents of significant water damage, and is not fully accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Estimates by engineers and architects to repair the building damaged by water and years of neglected repair have been placed at $6 million on up to $20 million.
The city government has been renting space in Trade and Transit centres, River Valley Transit Authority buildings and has its police patrol division in a former transportation museum.
Councilwoman Liz Miele asked the mayor to prepare a comprehensive plan and to begin to have a discussion on the future location of city government.
“I think we are ignoring the elephant in the room,” Councilman Jon Mackey said. He added the mayor made it crystal clear he is not interested in having the city government return to City Hall.
“Council can move money around and not approve a transfer ordinance for rent to force the mayor’s hand,” he said. “I personally don’t think that is good government.”
Councilman Randy Allison said, “Compromise is always the best solution.”
Council holds the purse strings, that would be “a nuclear option,” and “I believe there is a better way.”
Miele agreed that there was a lot of room for compromise, including taking the option on the table — JBAS Realty’s bid — or other considerations.
“It’s city government,” she said. “We govern the city,” she added.
The city Economic Revitalization Committee today will hear comments from the public to give them more than 3 minutes allotted during council meetings to air their views.
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