by David Croyle
Unidentified sources in Ford City Borough are claiming that a letter has been sent by Council President Kathy Bartuccio to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to address the levying of a $581,000 repayment of a grant.
The EDA gave a Financial Assistance Award of $581,000 in September 2000 for the planned Heritage and Technology Park. By the end of 2009, the project went defunct and the property was seized by then-F&M Bank for repayment of additional loans of $1.3 million that was secured by the property.
In 2014, the EDA offered Ford City Borough the opportunity to settle the matter for $116,000, but the Borough never acted on the offer.
On August 13, 2015, EDA Interim Regional Director Tonya Williams wrote a letter to Ford City that said, in part, “…no compromise offer has been made to facilitate a resolution nor, as we had hoped, to renew the $116,000 offer previously discussed. Therefore, the EDA has not alternative but to disallow all EDA project costs and establish a debt with the United State Treasury against the Borough for the full amount owed (of) $581,000.”
Williams then instructed Ford City to reply within ten days with a plan that would repay the $581,000 over a three-year period.
Vice-President Jerry Miklos would not comment on the matter under the direction of Borough Solicitor Anthony Vigilante, stating the issue is a legal matter and not subject at this time to public discussion.
“There is a reason that legal matters are not publicly discussed and this is a legal matter,” Miklos said in a telephone discussion late Sunday night. “To do so is simply not in the best interest of the people we were elected to serve.”
Borough Council members have been the subject of scrutiny by taxpayers concerned over the fate of Ford City and its hardships.
“We want the taxpayers of this Borough to be assured that, at the appropriate time, they will be completed informed,” Miklos said.
Calls to Borough Manager Eden Ratliff were not returned. Ratliff is on vacation this week.
