Late Notice Angers Hatboro Officials

The and members of may have noticed improvements to the parking lot, indoor pool and even the roof.

But, in the rush to upgrade the facility through projects that began this summer, the Y neglected to coordinate with the borough to ensure that the $500,000 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant would, in fact, be funded. In order for the matching grant to be awarded - through reimbursement of monies spent - officials said during Monday night’s borough council meeting that a government entity needed to sign on as a guaranty for the $500,000 matching grant.

That entity, Hatboro officials found out a matter of days ago, was to be Hatboro Borough Council.

“There’s steam coming out of 14 ears up here,” Hatboro Council President Marianne Reymer said to Ross Weiss, attorney for the YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity. “Why does it have to fall in our laps?”

Bruce Nicholson, an attorney for the redevelopment authority, said the county's position is that since the upgrades are being completed in the community, it should be the local government that guarantees the money.

He said Hatboro would only be on the hook for the $500,000 if the YMCA spent the money inappropriately. 

“We have checked and there has never in the history of the program (been an instance) where the state has had to recapture any of these funds,” Nicholson said, adding that the state made the requirement that a governmental entity guaranty the money. “All those hoops have to be gone through before the state will release money. This is a requirement of the state.”

Since most of the upgrades have been completed, Weiss said the risk to the borough is “almost nil.” Still, he said the Y would sign an indemnification agreement releasing Hatboro from any financial liability and agreed to reimburse Hatboro for attorney Mike Savona’s time handling the matter.

Officials could not provide a time frame for when the agreements would be finalized.

“We were all so happy when you got that grant,” Councilwoman Nancy Guenst said. “We just didn’t think we were going to have to pay.”