RDA now holds 100-117 Lincoln Highway and adjacent E. Diamond Property
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
COATESVILLE – City Council approved the sale of city property at 105 East Diamond Street to the Redevelopment Authority at Monday night’s meeting.
The sale is the latest in a series of property sales on the northeast side of the Lincoln Highway-First Avenue intersection that have come as a result of developer interest. Since March, the city has sold the properties from First Ave. to 117 Lincoln Highway. Monday night’s decision adds the adjacent property along Diamond Street to that list.
In other news, two of the city’s part time police officers, Joseph Norcini and Claire Lang, were appointed to full time positions. Police Chief Jack Laufer said that the appointments were made to meet personnel requirements and replace an officer lost to attrition.
During the public comment portion of Monday night’s meeting, two residents voiced complaints about the conduct of Coatesville’s police force.
James Clark said that he intends on filing a law suit against the city for the conduct of one of its police officers. At a meeting last month, Clark claimed that an officer unjustly restrained and struck him while arresting Clark’s daughter.
Arden Hunt, whose brother was shot by officers, said that she would like to see City Council address police misconduct.
“Why does it seem trash collection is more important than citizens’ rights and issues?” she asked.
Hunt said that she saw her brother’s shooting as one of many problems that permeate Coatesville’s police department.
Council Member Linda Lavender-Norris said that she previously spoke to Chief Laufer regarding Hunt’s concerns. Because of a pending investigation, Laufer had to withhold certain information, but Lavender-Norris said that she would relay the information to Hunt as soon as the information is released.
Laufer said that residents who have complaints about officer or department conduct can file their complaints using forms that can be found on the city’s website or picked up at the district courts.
“There are mechanisms in place for people to express their dissatisfaction with the department. Every complaint is given consideration, is assigned a tracking number, and is thoroughly investigated, and every complaint gets a letter back advising them of the status of their complaint and what the investigation reveals,” he said.
Laufer also said that the complaints from Monday night’s meeting have been or are currently being investigated. Because they are personnel matters, he could not comment on them.
Council President Joseph Hamrick presented the idea of having Council meetings with residents to listen to concerns. Hamrick said that in 2004, meetings were held with an open discussion format, and the city could consider bringing those back. A resident at the time, he said that the meetings were a useful way for the community to communicate with council members and city administration.
Council members also discussed opening Palmer Park Pool this summer.
The pool was closed in 2008 because of the cost of maintenance and upkeep. However, council members said that in a meeting at Second Baptist Church, residents inquired about reopening the pool in an attempt to provide more activities for the city’s youth. Estimates from 2012 put costs of reopening and maintaining the pool at $10-15,000.
