A vote by two of the three Lycoming County commissioners Tuesday led to an impassioned exchange as they split their vote on a proposed swap of county and city properties.

The proposed deal negotiated by solicitors representing the city and county involves the proposed agreement of sale of land below the Executive Plaza, which is land the city owns, and the land below the Third Street parking garage that the county owns.

City Council approved the deal last week in a 6-0 vote, Commissioner Scott Metzger said. Commissioner Rick Mirabito was against the deal saying he was given a copy of the final proposal two minutes before the meeting.

Metzger voted in favor of it while Commissioner Tony Mussare was absent Tuesday.

Metzger started out the discussion by thanking the city officials for working with the county on this, which, he said, will help the county get closer to making the sale of Executive Plaza “a reality.”

“We look forward to signing the agreement and moving forward,” Metzger said.

Mirabito then said he was going to register a no vote, which Metzger later in the meeting said he was blindsided on.

“I think there has not been as much transparency as there should be with this process, not as a result of anybody intentionally keeping information, but by misunderstanding,” Mirabito said.

Apparently, he said, council never saw appraisals of the land under the county property and under the plaza. The land includes the parking lot outside of the plaza on Pine Street.

“The city has graciously allowed us to use the parking lot for $1 a year since May 1998,” Mirabito said before providing examples of how the lot would be an asset and revenue stream for the city which is in need of revenue.

The parking lot transfers with the land underneath the plaza building to the county. The land on the parking garage owned by the county transfers to the city, which is good, except the plaza parking lot belongs to the people of the city and has economic value, he said.

“In a third class (code) city that is desperate for revenue we know that parking spaces rent for between $60 and $120 depending on where they’re located,” Mirabito said.

A parking lot downtown could fetch $120 per space per month, but for the sake of the argument Mirabito suggested the price might be $100 per month, or about $50,000 a year in revenue. “Over five years, that is $250,000,” he said.

Even though the city getting $25.8 million in the American Rescue Plan COVID-19 relief, “that money is not going to continue forever, and having an income stream I think is important to the city,” Mirabito said.

“The strength of our third class city is going to determine the strength of this county, because, quite frankly, the city itself is under pressure. It is the home to major nonprofits and while they provide jobs they do not pay any property taxes,” Mirabito said.

“Specifically, with this, I think that the city council was under the impression that if they swapped and severed the land that the lease would still be in effect,” he said. The fact that council didn’t see any appraisal on this or any of the land should give pause as to whether or not they were in possession of all of the facts, he said.

Metzger said he could not speak on behalf of council or the mayor but said the city officials were provided the information before the council voted.

“It means we can get more for the building,” Metzger said adding how a future deed amendment or memorandum of understanding with a new owner on how the parking lot can be used could be added.

“It can continue to be used by the public at night,” Metzger said.

The lot is open on weekends and after 5 p.m.

“Solicitors have gone back and forth on this issue, the mayor was advised and council was advised,” Metzger said.

The city can follow up on this, he said. “We’re not going to drag this out for many more months. We want to sell this building. The county has too much real estate and we are going to start selling things.”

Mussare is expected to be given a chance to comment before he votes on the proposed land swap. That vote might take place by next month.

The deal can’t move forward without the commissioners’ signature.