Council Picks Boyertown Agency to Run Ricketts

The Ricketts Community Center.

Given the choice between four Pottstown-based organizations and one based in Berks County, borough council voted 4-2 Tuesday night to go with Berks to run the Ricketts Community Center on Beech Street.

Again.

Having just weathered the fall-out from being dumped by the Berks-based Olivet Boys & Girls Club, which was repeatedly accused of being out of touch with Pottstown's needs, Pottstown Borough Council said "that pleased the community so much the first time, why not try that again?"

Council members Ryan Procsal, Don Lebedynsky, Vice President Carol Kulp and Council President Dan Weand voted to begin negotiations for a two-year contract with Boyertown Area Multi-Service, best known for its Spring Street senior center.

Those who saw Weand, Procsal, Lebedynsky, Weand and Kulp with their heads together just before the meeting started may have reached the conclusion that decision was reached before the meeting.

Councilman Joe Kirkland, who represents the Seventh Ward where the center is located and

The Hall (Wall) of Fame inside the Ricketts Center.

Councilwoman Trenita Lindsay voted against it. Councilwoman Rita Paez also opposed the choice but because she is affiliated with one of the applicants, she recused herself from voting to avoid a conflict of interest.

The applicant with which Paez is associated is Centro Cultural Latinos Unidos, a Latino-oriented non-profit in Pottstown which was a late-comer to the group bidding to run the center, but never a serious contender.

In fact, not only was the group unable to make a presentation last Wednesday, when STRIVE Initiative, YWCA Tri-County Area and the borough Parks and Recreation Department made their proposals, the one presented Tuesday does not yet even have the support of its board.

Board chair Edie Sheehan-Hammond instead simply offered council an overview of CCLU and its programs. Council had no questions.

The dedication plaque outside the Ricketts Center.

But Kirkland had a few statements, speaking out strongly against the motion made by Procsal and
seconded by Lebedynsky to award the job to the Boyertown agency.

"I'm leaning toward having the borough take over running the center again. It's clear that's what the people want," Kirkland said to the many speakers who have addressed council in recent months, none of whom have asked for another agency from outside Pottstown to run the center.

"The more we keep giving this out to outside parties, the harder it will be to bring it back in, we're just washing out hands of it," Kirkland said.

His assertion gained traction when it became clear that most of council did not even know how long the contract is to be, as outlined by the borough's own request for proposals.

Hannah Davis from STRIVE had to call out the answer from the audience.

"We're going to award this contract and we don't even know how long it is?" Kirkland fumed. "We're always looking for the easy way out. Let's do what's right for a change," he said.

"Everyone said the center was best when the borough ran it. The borough (presentation) had everything the others did," he said. " We can take of this ourselves."

"I agree 100 percent," said Paez. "We have to do what's best for the children."

"We should keep this in-house," said Lindsay. "I have faith in our borough. I know we can do this."

The argument against have the borough take over operations is primarily financial. Parks and Recreation Director Michael Lenhart told council it would take an additional $37,000 to have the borough run the center. That's above and beyond the $40,000 the borough contributes annually toward the center operations.

Weand said the budget draft for 2020 already calls for a 4.5 percent tax hike and adding the cost of running the center could increase that.

"My constituents tell me they're not willing to take on any more expense," Weand said.

Procsal noted that Boyertown Area Multi-Service has strong financial backing and a record of professionalism. He said there is nothing that prevents the agency from working with parks and recreation in running the center.

Procsal said before the meeting he spoke to Johnny Corson, president of the Pottstown Chapter of the

NAACP "and he understands our reasons."

Mayor Stephanie Henrick, who does not have a vote, said financially, the Boyertown choice makes sense, but she is concerned that the center and agency being in two different counties could make getting grants more complicated.

"The smart move is to bring it in-house and ask STRIVE to help guide the borough through the first year or two," she said.

It remains to be seen how much collaboration among those who expressed interest in helping to run the center will occur come 2020.

And with that, given that I had a tooth pulled this afternoon, I am calling it a night.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Council Goes Back to Berks for Ricketts Role