Hatboro Homeowners Ask Borough for Buyout Help

Should your Hatboro municipal tax dollars help support federal and state buyouts for a dozen property owners?

The Hatboro Borough Council gave a resounding "no" Monday night as elected officials made clear that the borough would not foot the 3 percent "local" match for 12 Woodwinds homeowners seeking a combined Federal Emergency Management Agency/Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency buyout for their frequently flooded homes, which abut the Pennypack Creek in the north end of town. 

Tracy Thatford, a Woodwinds resident of 15 years, said she understood the funding breakdown to be 75 percent from FEMA, 22 percent from PEMA and the remaining 3 percent from the borough.

Council President John Zygmont quickly interjected, "from the very beginning the statement was local effort, not borough."

"I didn’t feel it was the borough's place to be buying out property owners, or funding the buyout of property owners," Zygmont said. "The borough never committed to the 3 percent."

The dilemma of who should pick up the remaining 3 percent of the roughly $2 million project–should the buyouts be approved–was addressed in September. At that time, as was the case Monday, council members said that the borough's taxpayers should not be on the hook for what amounts to approximately $80,000. 

Thatford, who is one of the homeowners seeking a buyout after three floods and rebuilding efforts in her 15 years there, told Patch after the meeting that the 3 percent is not a "make or break deal." Based on appraisals, Thatford said 3 percent amounts to between $5,000 and $7,000 for each homeowner. 

"This may prove to be a hardship to some of our residents," she told the council. 

While Thatford expressed gratitude for the borough's coordination in submitting buyout paperwork and followup with FEMA and PEMA officials, she told Patch that her complex has been "beleaguered" by floods. 

"It feels as if we're being drowned by most of Hatboro," she said. 

The Woodwinds buyouts are still under review, according to Hatboro Borough Manager Fred Zollers. The federal and state agencies have not given a time table as to when the application will be approved or rejected, he said. 

Woodwinds property owner Diana Mills, who has lived in the condominium complex since 1989, said she has endured eight devastating floods. Should the buyout be rejected, Mills said she's not sure what she would do.

"You can't sell it," Mills said. "No one wants to buy it."

Woodwinds resident Gary Gefter, whose wife Joann had to be rescued from raging floodwaters during Hurricane Irene in 2011, pointed out that if the buyout moves forward, the borough would become owner of the dozen demolished properties.

"By default, it’s not like we really want it," Zygmont said. "It’s not lke we get a piece of property that we want. We can’t do anything with it."

Should the buyouts become reality, the borough would be responsible for maintaining the property, but would not be permitted to construct anything there.

Shari Limbert, a Woodwinds landlord, said it was "insulting" that Hatboro was choosing not to fund the 3 percent local match.

"We put a lot of money out of our pockets," Limbert said. "We think it's fair."

Councilman Bill Tompkins pointed out that in home sales, the seller typically pays a commission of 3 to 6 percent. Like Zygmont, Tompkins said it was an expense that should not be paid by borough taxpayers. 

"How can you turn to anyone in the audience and say they should pay your 3 percent?" Tompkins said.