Ymca Plans Grand Reopening To Mark Face Lift 
Major $5 Million Project Expands, Adds Services

Aldo Ferretti

By JOLYN RESNICK jolynr@leader.net
 Friday, January 11, 2002 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 8A 





WILKES-BARRE - Council on Thursday tabled a request by city Administrator
Jim Hayward to have the city back a $3.1 million loan to help fund the
now-completed Park N Lock North expansion project. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The group might meet in a special session to discuss the loan. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In November, Mayor Tom McGroarty told council the loan was set. Thursday
was the first time council was told that the city and the city Parking
Authority had not procured the loan. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``The administration has kept us in the dark,'' said council Chairman Tom
Leighton. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``It is unfair to ask us to guarantee the $3.1 million'' without giving the
group time to consider the request, especially because the administration has
been working on the problem for more than three months, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hayward said the city started working to procure the loan in August,
shortly before the project was completed. Hayward said the city had a
commitment from a bank, but dropped the commitment when the bank ``kept adding
hoops'' to the deal. ``We dropped them, but we shouldn't have.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's because the second bank the city approached in December, months
after the project was completed, rescinded the offer when the bank found out
there was an encumbrance to the lease. The Ramada Inn has an agreement to take
over the garage in about 30 years, and would not sign for the loan, Hayward
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hayward said the city now has a lease/rental agreement for a loan with
another bank. The deal is not completed yet, Hayward said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We have had many things handed to us at the last minute only to find out
there was a problem because certain parts of the puzzle were not given to
us,'' said Councilwoman Shirley Morio Vitanovec. She said often council had to
rescind votes because of this, and she didn't want a repeat. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``The mayor is not honest with us,'' she said. ``He doesn't tell you the
whole truth.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hayward said the mayor told the truth as it was in November. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a related matter, Leighton introduced four resolution modifications
designed to ensure council is kept informed on all city projects. Each
modification states that the project approval is ``contingent upon the city
council ... having final approval of the terms and conditions of all financial
matters relative to this project.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Two resolutions deal with the Park N Lock North expansion and two with the
proposed theater and parking lot. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Councilman Phil Latinski cast the lone dissenting vote to each resolution. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Also, council unanimously approved resolutions authorizing the city to
borrow $3.183 million from PNC Bank for six months. The loan is the yearly Tax
Anticipation Note, which will help the city pay its bills until taxes and
other revenues arrive. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Most of the money will be used to pay off the 2001 note, which is now more
than a week late. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jolyn Resnick, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7210. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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W-b Council Tables Parkade-expansion Loan For Study