We doubt that the four most essentials tasks for a bright future for Lancaster are in the forefront of the minds of the commissioners, the mayor, the city council, Lancaster General Hospital, Franklin & Marshall College, or even the newspapers.
But they are for the Watchdog and he will dedicate his remaining years to helping to bring about the following:
1) The Lancaster Public Library on Duke Street must be expanded and renovated. Almost 1500 people use the facility every day, despite its 1980’s facilities, lack of space, and scant access to technology. Plans and pledges were in place and the project ready to go when $3 million in state grants were rechanneled to complete the Convention Center and, in a moment of ignorance and misdirection, the board backed away from undertaking at least the renovation portion of the project despite funds being on hand or promised. The Watchdog continues to be dedicated to this undertaken. The board has been strengthened. New officers need to be chosen to replace those who torpedoed renovation and the likelihood of expansion from TARP and Recovery Act funding for “shovel ready projects.”
2) An interim home must be found for the Pennsylvania Academy of Music so that it can continue in operations until reorganization is completed and Chapter 11 proceeding terminated. Meanwhile the current courageous leaders along with faculty should develop a sound vision for the future so that major donors can be again attracted. As PAM’s faculty has demonstrated in recent months through recitals and outreach to school and community, PAM makes Lancaster a far more attractive place to live.
3) The Brunswick Annex needs to be readied for PAM’s future acquisition and utilization. It provides ample space, ample parking, safe drop off and public transportation. The former movie theater on the upper level can someday be renovated into a recital hall. And, when the time is propitious, floors of the adjoining Brunswick hotel can become dormitories for an international music school for high school students. PAM’s relocation will help bring about a prosperous Brunswick Hotel and thus revivify the Lancaster Square development, a current downtown blight.
4) Leadership of Lancaster General Hospital needs reformation. A ‘Public Charity’, 25% of its vast profits (from market dominance which results in the public’s higher insurance premiums) should be spent for public health and education rather than exclusively at the bidding of a small clique of self aggrandizing, secretive , and self perpetuating executives and trustees.
When those four goals are achieved, Lancaster will be a center of culture, a destination for leisure travelers and groups (which will aid the Convention Center and the Marriott Hotel), and a proud and prosperous community.
The Watchdog thinks about these four things morning, noon and night. He will contribute a share of the funds needed to bring this about. Now it is time for the Lancaster’s public, establishment and leadership to share the vision and lend their support. It is the right thing to do.
These are decent goals, but you’re missing two important ones that are by far more important than all of them: end poverty and dramatically improve public education.
PAM ‘s success is not critical to the future of our community. There are far more pressing needs like high school drop out rate, city crime, substance abuse, etc. that other community organizations are working hard to address. I know you love PAM but I find it funny that you slam LNP for how they report on their pet projects when you truly do the same as it relates to yours.
Noble goals. However:
1) Face it. The internet is making libraries obsolete. Public wifi would be more useful
2) PAM is a non-profit enterprise that should succeed or fail on its own accord.
There will never be an “end to poverty”. It’s a Utopian pipe dream.
The 3 million dollars you cite for the Public Library renovation is less than $54. per Lancaster resident. Surely such a worthy investment warrants a one time tax surcharge of $54. from the city taxpayers. Yes? Or perhaps the 3 million can come from the Convention Center profits.
Please don’t forget about the CHILDREN here in Lancaster who get their FATHERS eliminated by Custody Conference Officers, gender bias Judges and leveled financially by the local attorneys who profit BIG BUCKS off the separation of a marriage or relationship. Lancaster would be a much BRIGHTER place if EQUALITY in the courts existed and permitted DADS to play an integral ROLE in their child’s life. Maybe one day the value of FATHERS will be more important than a tax burdened HOTEL for a change!
I agree with the anonymous writer who wrote: “PAM’s success is not critical to the future of our community,” made in response to your editorial statement, “An interim home must be found for the Pennsylvania Academy of Music so that it can continue in operations…” (THE CHALLENGE: Four essential tasks for Lancaster’s brighter future.)
Millersville University, the new owner of PAM’s building on Prince St., has a preparatory division that can achieve the same goals as PAM, and do it with greater efficiency and economy. (PAM’s recent reorganization has evidently not yet put it on a solid financial basis. A PAM faculty member recently said that her last salary check “bounced”. She said that this is not the first time that this has happened.)
Millersville University has a preparatory division that accepts students from kindergarten through high school. Classes are taught in Piano, Woodwind, Brass, Strings, Guitar, Percussion and Voice (voice students must be 14 years or older). In addition, MU holds master classes in piano and sponsors concerts.
MU has a chapter of the MENC (Music Educators National Conference) that serves students at all levels, from preschool to graduate school. Several of the MU music faculty also belong to the Lancaster Music Teachers Association, an affiliate of the MTNA (the Music Teachers National Association), an organization that includes teachers in independent studios, private schools and colleges/universities.
For many years the city of Lancaster has been falling deeper and deeper in to poverty. This has not happened over night or is due to one administration. It has come about due to all the non profit organizations that are in Lancaster handing out aid to the poor. So which came first the chicken or the egg? Did the non profits attract the poor or did the poor allow so many non profits to flourish in Lancaster. Lancaster is slowly going deeper and deeper into the world of poverty. We must find a way for people to work for a living and not keep looking for the handout.