Parting gifts and the budget

Tuesday is Coleen Vuono's last meeting - her last meeting to stick it to us. There will be a public hearing concerning the budget, and then the final vote. A neighbor of mine called Coleen on the phone to bring up the Rockwood Park improvement, which was bumped up (above the line) in the budget. Coleen had no idea what he was talking about. The abandoned parking lot is used for illegal activities and has been neglected for over thirty years. The plan is to cover up the parking lot with grass and fix the pathway. Coleen told her constituent that since there are two paths, we should only use the better one. Here is the link to the Manager's 2016 Recommended Budget. The amendments to the Recommended Budget can be found on the Commission Agenda.

Additionally, a gift will be presented to Coleen, outgoing commissioner. I should say gifts. I understand that the commissioners pitched in and bought her another "L" for her name. Additional parting gifts include a case of Prestone Antifreeze for her veins and a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat.

Seriously, Tuesday's meeting is very important. Not only will the commissioners be passing the budget, they will be adopting the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) as well as the 2016 Comprehensive Fee Schedule. I don't know if they will be voting publicly to take my RTK appeal to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, or if that will be done in Executive Session.

Oh, and they are going to consent to the Ninth Amendment to an Agreement of Sale and Purchase with Michael G. Zamagias Interests, LTD. What bullshit.

That is just what is going on in the Commission meeting. In the earlier Commission Discussion Session, Magistrate Blaise Larotonda and Lisa Borelli Dorn will be providing an overview to a proposed mediation program involving the District Magistrate and the Community Relations Board. Just a heads up, Susan Morgans is the CRB municipal liaison. I don't think any of the above mentioned should be involved in any mediation program.

I thought that deer sterilization was going to be discussed at this meeting. What happened to that?

Another chapter of the McGill and Feller Follies UPDATED

It's that time of year to write about the Zamagias property on the corner of Bower Hill and Washington Roads. I believe this project has been on the books for almost twenty years. We can't blame the current commissioners entirely. However the two individuals who have been involved from the beginning are Municipal Manager Steve Feller and Municipal Planner Keith McGill.

As Commissioner Fraasch has written on her blog post, Bower Hill/Washington Road Part II, the Commissioners will vote on December 9 to either extend the agreement for the ninth time with Zamagias or exercise their right to buy back the property. It only takes three votes to end this nonsense. I can't be sure, but I would think that Brumfield and Company would vote to extend the agreement for another year. They need all their unassigned funds for athletics. Much more money will be needed to complete the turf project at Brum Field.

Here are links to all the articles I have written about this topic.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

This is disgusting!

Friday, September 21, 2012

Letter to the Editor: The Importance of Being Earnest UPDATED 2x

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Informational Meeting about Zamagias Property

Monday, October 29, 2012

Zamagias meeting still on for tomorrow

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Tonight's Zamagias Property meeting

Thursday, November 1, 2012

It's not a loan. It's a grant.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Upper St. Clair doesn't fool around

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Maybe moving to Dormont is a good idea

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Comments on comments?

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Don't try this at home UPDATED

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Another TIF in our future? UPDATED

Update December 5, 2014 3:47 PM As I predicted. From the December 9, 2014 Agenda:

DB (Dave Brumfield)  20. Consideration of an Eighth Amendment to the Agreement of Sale with Michael G. Zamagias Interests.

This amendment would extend Section 23.7 of the purchase agreement pertaining to“repurchase.” 

Recommended Action: Move to approve the Eighth Amendment to extend theprovision until December 31, 2015.

Don't try this at home UPDATED

Today's Trib slams Mt. Lebanon on Zamagias.

It is under Tuesday's Takes

Intervention's lesson: There's no better object lesson in the folly of “government economic development” than the mess that is the corner of Washington and Bower Hill roads in Mt. Lebanon. The latest proposal to develop this parcel has failed after Zamagias Properties defaulted on taxpayer-backed loans used to acquire the property. The “state,” at least for now, is left holding a $1.78 million bag. Worse, Zamagias gets to keep the property. Don't try this with your local bank.

Read more: http://triblive.com/opinion/editorials/5487663-74/center-lesson-whether#ixzz2rhogxgza 

Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

Mt. Lebanon needs to exercise its buy back option and buy back this property. Zamagias Properties has the money and is getting away with it because they can. Commissioners, do the right thing.

Update January 30, 2014 10:20 AM Here are 9:31 AM's comments pictorially.

Upper St. Clair doesn't fool around

Torrente project to get under way in Upper St. Clair

The apartment boom is now reaching what might be one of the last places you’d expect in the region — Upper St. Clair, your suburb’s suburb. 

One of the region’s wealthiest communities with one of the strongest school districts, Upper St. Clair is set for a new apartment complex called Torrente, a 220-unit project consisting of nine buildings and a clubhouse on 25 acres of land at the end of Boyce Plaza Road.

Meanwhile, it's been almost a year to the day since there was an informational meeting about the Zamagias property across the street from St. Bernard's Church. Informational Meeting about Zamagias Property How many years have they been fooling around?

It's not a loan. It's a grant.

Sunday's Trib included an article about the Washington Park property, a.k.a. the Zamagias property. Tax-increment financing poses big risks in Pennsylvania

The apparent failure of Longvue and a residential development in Mt. Lebanon highlight risks inherent in projects backed by tax-increment financing plans, and they could cost state taxpayers at least $7.3 million.

It is costing Mt. Lebanon taxpayers, as well. The Mt. Lebanon School Board and Commission must approve giving up a portion of property tax revenues when authorizing a TIF.   

Neither the municipality nor the school district lost any money on the project, Feller said. Both collect taxes on the value of the unimproved land; only tax money from any buildings would go into the debt service fund.

Zamagias controls the land, through several extensions Mt. Lebanon commissioners granted; the company bought the site from the defunct Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority. The board in January granted the most recent extension, lasting until December 2013.

After consolidating its properties along Washington Road and Kenmont Avenue, Zamagias cleared the site, which remains empty.

Yes, Steve Feller is correct. However, as it was pointed out in a previous comment:

The Mt. Lebanon Parking Authority (MLPA) purchased the property during the 1970's for around $200,000 that it sold to Zamagias in 2005 for $520,000. That $520,000 was based on an independent appraisal by a state certified appraiser and agreed to by both buyer & seller.

There are also some interesting questions about the consolidation of Zamagias property parcels, County assessments, reassessments and owner appeals that I would like to see addressed by Municipal officials. In reviewing the County 2013 assessment website for the Zamagias properties (i.e. 098-P-100), one wonders how 8 former parcels that Zamagias paid a total of $1,520,000 for, reportedly with TIF loan proceeds, can be shown consolidated into a single parcel now comprising 1.7115 acres, has a cost basis of only $520,000, a 2012 assessed value of $609,100, and a 2013 reassessed value of only $428,000 that Zamagias is appealing as being too high ?

Now you see, Anonymous, why I rail against this and expose Posti...? You wonder why you aren't getting the fundraising support that you need. These decisions are costing us money. Don't forget to sign the petition.  

Links:
Letter to the Editor: The Importance of Being Earnest UPDATED 2x
This is disgusting!
Mt. Lebanon developer may avoid repaying tax-aided loan

Tonight's Zamagias Property meeting

Tonight, St. Bernard's hosted a public meeting about the Zamagias property located at Bower Hill Road and Washington Road. Two residents recorded tonight's meeting, so the podcast is available on Lebocitizens.com. The handout from the meeting is available here.

I did not go to the meeting, but I did sign the petition for the commissioners to enforce inspections of the property and consider exercising the buy back provision if reasonable movement isn't made by the developer.
http://www.change.org/petitions/mt-lebanon-commissioners-property-at-bower-hill-rd-washington-rd-inspections-and-consider-buy-back

Besides signing the petition, please consider the following:

1. Email commission@mtlebanon.org or call the commissioners with the following points:

• We would like to see it developed - provide ideas for use of the space       
• Enforce keeping it cleaned up - enforce inspections      
• If reasonable movement is not made by the developer, consider instituting the buyback provision for the property and do not extend the agreement   
• If Zamagias defaults on the TIF loan, ensure that they pay back Mt. Lebanon  

2. Attend the 11/13/12 Commission Discussion Session. Zamagias Properties will be making a presentation. Start time for that meeting is usually scheduled for 6:30 PM, but when the agenda is published and posted here and on lebocitizens.com, in addition to the municipal website, I will pass it on. As always, residents cannot speak at the Discussion Session, but Citizen Comments are always held at the start of the Commission Meeting at 8:00 PM.

Zamagias meeting still on for tomorrow

As far as I know, the Zamagias property meeting is still scheduled for tomorrow evening. Informational Meeting about Zamagias Property
If that changes, I will post it here.

Informational Meeting about Zamagias Property

Come Join Us - Informational Meeting about Washington Park (Property at the corner of Bower Hill Rd and Washington Rd; across from Pamela's and St. Bernard)

Meeting Details

Oct 30, 2012 7:00 PM

St. Bernard Parish (Clairvaux Hall; underneath the church)

Some concerned citizens have arranged an informational meeting about Washington Park (property at Bower Hill Rd and Washington Rd  - across from St. Bernard's and Pamela's) and have invited Kelly Fraasch (Ward 5 commissioner) to explain what is happening from the standpoint of the municipality. The developer and owner of the property, Zamagias Properties, has not yet presented an active development plan for the site.

Do you want the entrance to Mt. Lebanon to stay the same? Do you want it to be

more welcoming and beautiful?

Meeting topics to be covered:

Brief History of the plans for the property
Current status
What can we do as residents and business owners

For some background information, refer to these articles:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/mt-lebanon-condo-developers-detail-plan-to-finance-building-with-tif-423857/?print=1 PG, 2006 article

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/condo-construction-in-mt-lebanon-stalls-as-sales-wither-357855/ PG, 2009 article

  

http://triblive.com/home/2547227-74/lebanon-zamagias-tax-loan-tif-debt-million-money-project-developer#axzz27fqvUVMx Trib, 2012 article

Come and find out how to show your support and let Zamagias know that we care about our community!

Pass the word. All are welcome to attend the meeting!

Thank you to St Bernard's for graciously hosting the meeting!

Letter to the Editor: The Importance of Being Earnest UPDATED 2x

The following letter to the editor was submitted by Blog reader and Mt. Lebanon resident, Bill Matthews.

Several years ago, the Municipality embarked on a second journey to develop the property on Washington Road, across from where I attended first and second grade. We began our trip with an RFQ (Request for Qualifications). The thought was that by seeking out an established developer with the demonstrated credentials to build on this site, we would avoid the delays and ultimate failure experienced with the site's predecessor project. It was a good plan and we in fact received a response and proposal from one such firm.

Then we picked the other one. 

Zamagias Properties showed no experience developing residential condominiums when the firm was first selected to develop this property and handed more than $1,000,000 in TIF loan proceeds. Following a review of their website this morning, it appears not much has changed. Please see the attached letter I sent to the Commission regarding this project, more than six years ago. My letter includes the firm's original submission to demonstrate their competencies. 

The Municipality's web site indicates there will be a "Zamagias update" on October 22. It is time for the Commission to move on with a developer who maintains a successful track record for developing first class projects appropriate for this site. If the Commission elects to continue its partnership with this developer, it must also insist on the developer making good on the TIF loan. 

Bill

Update September 23, 2012 11:00 AM In response to today's 7:25 AM comment, Bill Matthews felt it was easier to post the documents rather than try to describe the repurchase agreement and extension.
Zamagias - MLPA Sales Agreement The repurchase section is on page 15 of the agreement.
Zamagias Agreement 6th amendment Note: The seventh amendment was in January 2012.

Update September 24, 2012 11:59 AM Here is supporting evidence of the conflict of interest mentioned in Bill Lewis' item number three of his 6:05 PM comment. Ballon Conflict of interest Ballon was the vice chairman of the Parking Authority and remained so until dismissed in July 2011.