PUBLIC SPEAKS OUT AT COMMISSIONERS� MEETINGS

Large turnouts in Ephrata and East Hempfield Air Views on Convention Center Project

Lancaster County Commissioners Dick Shellenberger and Molly Henderson heard from the public on what it perceived were the "material benefits" of the proposed downtown hotel and convention center. On consecutive nights (June 22 and 23), the Commissioners sat before county citizens who packed the Ephrata Public Library and the East Hempfield Township Municipal Building to listen to viewpoints on the controversial $165 million project.

In Ephrata, for over two hours, the large crowd listened as citizen after citizen stood behind a microphone to comment on the plan, and its impact on them. And while many of those who spoke against the project are found at the regular commissioners� meetings, there were those in attendance whose voices aren't normally heard. "I don�t see how this project could possibly work," said Glen E. Spangler, retired, of Ephrata, who spent more than 30 years in the hospitality business around the country. "I am extremely concerned that this project will not be successful, and then the local people must pick up the tab." Of those who spoke, opponents of the project outnumbered proponents four to one.

The next night in East Hempfield the same ratio of opponents to supporters aired their views. Bill Arnold, assistant manager of the Manheim Auto Auction, said, "People talk about this as a tourist tax, but with our competitive business, more and more we're picking up the cost of that hotel room." Mr. Arnold said his business has paid $500,000 since the tax was levied and said, "This tax doesn't benefit this business at all."

The project's financing was raised by several audience members, with many saying building a convention center was fine, but asking the public to guarantee it if it collapses is not acceptable. Hoteliers at both meetings pointed to the inherent unfairness of being taxed to support their competition.

As for the Commissioners, they came away from the meeting buoyed by the strong public support.

"The response of the public certainly confirms to me we are doing the right thing at the county level," said Commissioner Shellenberger. "This project has to benefit the entire county. That�s who we represent."

Commissioner Henderson was impressed with her constituents. "I am proud to represent such thoughtful and intelligent people," she said. "What I heard over and over on both nights is that people in the county care about revitalizing downtown Lancaster, but they want to do it in a fiscally responsible way that helps Lancaster County as a whole."