Art Morris was unanimously re-elected as Chair of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority at its monthly board meeting, Thursday night.

Although candidates ran unopposed, there was an opportunity prior to voting for the nomination of additional candidates for the offices.

Morris expressed surprise that none of the approximately 30 persons in the audience chose to speak during the public comment periods. A wag in the audience offered “Don’t get used to it” to the amusement of all.

Morris reminded the public that the Authority is looking into the propriety of its contracts with Penn Square Partners regarding naming rights.

Reading from the summary of the Public Relations, Marketing, and Hospitality Committee meeting, Morris said, “A short discussion took place regarding naming rights. Mr. Morris asked the committee to recommend a board member to work with him in consideration of the next steps, including a meeting with Penn Square Partners.”

Morris went on to say, “At the request of Mr. Campbell, Mr. Morris agreed to talk with Ms. Chris Hauser, the solicitor, about the current meaning of the naming rights.”

Also Thursday night, the members unanimously approved an agreement between the Authority and Hospitality Management Recruiters Inc. to extend the search for an Executive Director.

The motion included an amendment, proposed by R. B. Campbell, “authoriz[ing] the Chair to take whatever action the Chair deems appropriate to advertise for the Executive Director position.”

Board member Kevin Fry said, “I would like the public to understand that we are working hard to find an executive director and we’ll continue that work. We’ve had some good candidates and we’ve talked to some good people but, for a number of reasons, we’ve decided to continue our search.

Fry continued, “I just wanted everyone to understand that we’re taking this very seriously and we want to hire someone who can find a good, qualified person, and that’s the reason for this.”

In other business, the Board approved engagement letters with Russell, Kraft, & Gruber of Lancaster for legal services, and Maher Duessel of Harrisburg for auditing services over the next five years.

The next full board meeting of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority is scheduled for Thursday, February 28 at 7 PM in City Council chambers at Southern Market Center.

Week after week I witnessed the abuse that Dick [Shellenberger] and Molly [Henderson] took at the Meetings. Me, I would have walked off the job and said whatever.

It is not easy to find a person to be the third commissioner. The overall atmosphere was like night and day after Shaub left.

In all respect, Ms. Nelson attended some of the LCCCA meetings to listen and get an idea of the project, knowing that after December she was gone.

This Center is what it is and it is going to get built. The board now has to get it done as cost effectively and timely as possible.

Looking back at the past board members of John Frey, Joseph Morales, the gentleman from the water department, Mr. Swenger, even the director and of course Mrs. Ware, all were the wrong people to initiate this Authority. That is why this project is a mess.

When I heard Mr. Morales say that he did not need to read the contracts that Stevens and Lee drew up for the board (when Douglass said she refused to sign anything without reading it first and approving it), I was disgusted. Ms. Nelson will probably add the same quality as Douglass to this board. We need to wait and see and realize that this project is what it is.

I just read your homeless article. Good stuff.

May I suggest that Art Morris has been a VERY good soldier. He is trying to force the project to fit within the unreasonable constraints that were left to him by Ted Darcus, Dave Hixson, Nevin Cooley, and Dale High. Against all odds, he is making progress.

Where Art Morris has proven to be a total and complete failure is in his refusal to look out for what is best for the taxpayers and citizens of Lancaster City and County. Art Morris has repeatedly refused to re-examine the agreements which were forced onto the taxpayers, and has clearly stated on more than one occasion that he will not attempt to re-negotiate any of these agreements.

Art Morris has been very good for the project. In doing so, he has again and again ignored what is best for the people.

Unfortunately, Art Morris and other project supporters often (intentionally) confuse what is best for the project with what is best for the people – and for Lancaster.

Editor’s Note: NewsLanc.com has found Morris to be cooperative in fulfilling requests for information concerning past activities.

I think the point is that it was clearly [Commissioner Pete] Shaub who was the problem, and it is likely that *whoever* was chosen to replace this lunatic would have had the effect of ‘pacifying’ the board. The bad behavior NEVER came from Dick or Molly. They always acted with grace and dignity.

As for Mrs. Nelson…. [For her] to not even form an opinion about the most costly (and divisive) project in the county’s history is either disingenuous or willfully ignorant. In either case, Nelson hasn’t been impressive at all on the issue.

Finally, Art Morris, it should never be forgotten, was *the* leader in the Conestoga View witch hunt that in the basest most disgusting way tainted the names of two commissioners who stood up honorably for the taxpayers. Arthur E. Morris has, as much as anyone, been responsible for this ridiculous project. And to lionize this person (as I read and hear so often) makes me sick.

Every morning, for more than 20 years, St. James Episcopal Church has been open for breakfast.

It all began when homeless people started knocking on the pastor’s door offering to work for food.

That gave the church leadership the idea to start offering free breakfasts under what they’re now calling the “Anchorage Breakfast Program.”

Today, the Church, located at 119 N. Duke St. near Musser Park, serves an average of about 100 people a day, according to a volunteer coordinator Clark McSparren. A recent Thursday morning was particularly busy, with the count totaling 133.

“We serve coffee, tea, OJ, cereal, [and] oatmeal,” McSparren said. “It’s a cold breakfast.”

McSparren said that St. James is the sole sponsor of this breakfast program, but he added that La Dolce Vita Courthouse Bakery down the street will often donate “sticky goods and breads.”

Some of the volunteers helping out, like Charles Green, who is retired, have been volunteering for a long time. “I’ve been doing this for about 23 years,” Mr. Green said. “I used to come here myself for breakfast.”

Beth Kohler, a teaching assistant at Donegal High School, brought three students to help out. The students are in the school district’s “Structure” program, which involves both academic study and “school to work” activities.

On this cold winter morning, the doors opened at 8:45 and a line quickly formed from the serving counter, across the room, and out into the hallway.

Most, though not all, of those availing themselves of the breakfast are homeless.

One young woman said that she has been homeless “since the end of September” because she could not pay her expenses after her husband stopped paying spousal support.

Another man said he was left homeless after a heart attack and expensive medical bills forced him into bankruptcy.

His friend interjected, “You gotta give up them cigarettes.”

“I tried,” he said softly.

One man was blunt about how he became homeless. “I’m in my position because of drinks and drugs,” he said. “I made some bad choices – spent a whole paycheck on drinks and drugs, didn’t care about paying bills.”

“Some people we hang out with just wasn’t good for us,” another man added.

“A lot of people in here had real good jobs,” the same person continued. “It can happen to anyone.”

Next week: in Part 3 of our series, NewsLanc will report on the state of the overnight facilities available for Lancaster’s homeless population.

The members of the Rotary Club of Lancaster listened to a presentation, Wednesday afternoon, by Metta Barbour, Executive Director of the Lancaster Coalition for Smart Growth.

The 5-Year old Coalition for Smart Growth, Barbour explained, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization devoted to promoting responsible growth management in Lancaster County.

Barbour spoke of the need for intelligently balancing the urgency of protecting agriculture and farmland with the inevitability of growth.

“‘No growth’ is not an option,” she said. “Balance is the key to growth management in Lancaster County.”

In order to achieve balance, Barbour continued, we need to set targets.

“Lancaster has enough land to accommodate about 20 years worth of growth at the current rate,” she said.

The answer, Barbour suggested, is making development more “compact.”

“Density can create vibrant, great places to live,” she said. “Density that is well-designed creates great neighborhoods and attracts a growing market segment.”

“As a matter of fact, trees can be one of the most important elements for communities,” she said.

Barbour continued, “Density creates transportation choices when density is more than 7 homes per acre. Density means fewer trips, shorter trips, and less dependence on cars.”

“Higher-density development also requires less infrastructure,” she argued.

Barbour pointed to Summit Hills in Mountville as “an example of where density supports property values.”

Lancaster Countians are concerned about high-density developments, evidenced perhaps most strongly by East Hempfield’s recent rejection of a proposed Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) ordinance.

Others are supportive of such plans.

“Where will our kids go?” asked James Miller, who is also on the Lancaster County Planning Commission. “Do we as a Community want to provide housing and opportunities in Lancaster County for our future generations? That’s the broader question that we should be prepared to answer as a community.”

At the outset of the meeting, the Commissioners held a moment of silence in memory of former County Commissioner Paul Paes, who, Commissioner Chair Dennis Stuckey related, passed away on January 19th in his home. Paes served as a Commissioner from March 1973 to January 1976.

During public comment at the Wednesday morning session, Debra Scoen Lower Windsor Township in York County said, “I’m disappointed to see that Lancaster County has posted a vacancy for a Park Naturalist, presumably to replace Lisa Sanchez, and I’m very disappointed that five weeks after Lisa Sanchez was fired, no one has contacted Lisa Sanchez to hear her side of the story except for one meeting with her supervisor, who had already demonstrated his disrespect for her by dismantling her classroom.”

“Lisa has declined to speak to the press, but she will speak to you,” Scoen continued.

Commissioner Scott Martin said, “I would just like to say that I find it quite admirable to see so many people coming in and taking it as their civic duty to speak up and although we can’t talk about anything that has to do with this issue, we truly appreciate your voices of concern.”

Commissioner Craig Lehman, the lone Democrat on the board, said, “I would only add that it’s a difficult situation for us because we cannot respond…I just want you to know that we respect what you all have to say and we are listening.”

Tim Scoen of Lower Windsor Township responded, “I know you heard what we said. What we want to know is, will you personally take action on this issue?”

Lehman, appearing impatient, said, ” I guess I would ask if you could give us the courtesy of giving us the benefit of the doubt, maybe, if that’s possible….I think it’s important for us as a Board and also for employees to know that when it comes to these types of issues, that the only responsible choice to have respects for all partied, is to do what we’re trying to do, at the same time being respectful to you all – and maybe that isn’t a good system – but if I have to take a hit from you all because of what I think is being respectful to all parties, I will do that.

Martin and Lehman said that they were surprised and disappointed to see that an advertisement has been posted for a new Park Naturalist.

Bill Bonanno of Rapho Township suggested that the Commissioners remove the job posting.

Just before adjourning, Commissioner Chair Dennis Stuckey said, “We’ll look into that.”

The Government Study Commission met at the County Courthouse in Lancaster, Tuesday afternoon, to further refine their draft of a Home Rule Charter for Lancaster County.

The members went back and forth on the precise wording of the proposed charter for three full hours, in front of four members of the general public.

The members of the Study Commission preliminarily decided, for example, that, if a Home Rule Charter is passed by the voters in November, there should be no waiting period before it can thereafter be revoked or revised. This was in opposition to the idea that there should be a five year waiting period before allowing the form of government to be changed again.

The members also refined the process whereby initiatives and referendums can be brought forward.

An initiative, under Article VI, Section 6.1 of this draft of the proposed Charter, is a process whereby citizens can place an issue before the Commissioners for their consideration. After entertaining the idea of requiring a certain percentage of voters or residents to have to sign such a petition, the Commission settled on making the requirement, “1,000 signatures of citizens of the County.”

The Commission was prepared to make the requirement that it be “registered voters” who must sign an initiative but members John Smucker and Heidi Wheaton expressed concerns about disenfranchisement.

Article VI, Section 6.3 of the proposed Charter deals with the referendum process, which is different. Referendum, as defined here, is the power of the Board of the Commissioners to place questions on the ballot in both primary and general elections.

The Government Study Commission will meet again February 5 and February 12 at 2pm in room 502 of the County Courthouse.

Study Commission Chair Carol Phillips said she hopes to have a complete draft of the Home Rule Charter prepared by the end of the Commission’s meeting on February 12.

At today’s Commissioner’s meeting, I gave the three new Commissioners their first month’s report card.

‘A’ for appointing Sharon Nelson to the board. She will ask the tough questions and is bi-partisan. She brought stability back to the Commissioner board after Pete Shaub went south.

As for their handling of 150 N. Queen and appointing a company to evaluate the situation, that will cost money BUT save in the long run.

‘D’ for the way they are handling the Lisa Sanchez situation.

Tomorrow evening will be interesting. It is too bad that there are three meetings of public interest at the same time: LCCCA, public meeting on the Sunshine Act, and Hourglass.