Council gives itself 2 weeks to decide on City Hall sale or reject high bid
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Williamsport City Council agreed Tuesday at a special meeting to make a decision on whether to sell City Hall to the highest responsive bidder, which it must accept, or to reject a Scranton-area developer’s bid in two weeks.
The highest bid is $555,500 from JBAS Realty of Jessup, which is owned by John Basalyga, who attended the meeting.
After a motion by Councilman Eric Beiter, Council President Adam Yoder said the city has to accept the highest responsive bid. “We will have Mayor Derek Slaughter draft a resolution so that City Council can vote in two weeks to accept it or reject it, Yoder said.
Basalyga listened to a number of residents during limited courtesy of the floor expressing their concern that City Hall remain the home of city government.
The developer acknowledged that while the bid was submitted the design plan is in development. The lower floor, for instance, could be for retail, an event space, a tribute to the former building and its historical relevance along with Williamsport history and perhaps a coffee shop.
He said he planned also to convert the second and third floors into market rate apartments.
His company is in the process of reconditioning and restoring the former YMCA Children’s Discovery Workshop building, a block down from City Hall on West Fourth and Elmira streets into the 35-unit apartment complex and recently asked council for approving $1.1 million in American Rescue Plan funds to complete the work.
That request for ARPA funds was made but has not been voted on.
Several on council expressed reservations about City Hall being sold but others noted how making repairs to it would potentially result in higher taxes.
“I’m all for history but at what cost?” Councilman Jon Mackey said.
But Councilwoman Liz Miele said she wanted to learn more about the process the administration took to get to this point and said between that need to understand the steps taken, the final decision would be predicated on the developer’s merit and the financial offer.
Look for more on this developing story in the Sun-Gazette.