First Posted: 4/17/2015
DUPONT — After 56 years, the former Benjamin Franklin Kindergarten Center will once again revert to municipal ownership.
Borough council approved the acquisition during its April 14 regular monthly meeting with four votes in favor and one abstention.
The Walnut Street building, which sits on a 4.38 acre plot of land and features baseball fields and basketball courts, will be purchased for $290,000 with a loan the borough intends to secure from PNC Bank. The United States Department of Agriculture will then pay off the PNC loan and allow the borough to pay it the $290,000 amount over the course of 40 years at a 4% interest rate.
The USDA will also foot the bill for costs associated with the hiring of an architect and engineer once plans for the property’s eventual usage are established.
Those plans have not yet been solidified, but the variety of possible options as well as the notion of controlling the future of the property are what enticed borough officials to act.
The property was originally transferred to the control of the Dupont High School in 1959 and then became part of the Pittston Area School District when the borough’s schools were consolidated into the district along with the other public schools within the Greater Pittston Area.
Pittston Area stopped using the facility in 2013 and Dupont became interested in acquiring the property. At that time, borough officials met with counterparts from the Luzerne County Housing Authority regarding the possibility of converting the school into senior citizen housing.
The district had received inquiries from private developers looking to convert the land to housing, but due to the original agreement approving the transfer of ownership, the borough had first right of refusal.
The option to sell the land for private development will now be the exclusive prerogative of the municipality.
The borough also discussed the possibility of using the building as a community center, municipal building or a combination of the two.
Council members Stanley Knick Jr., Jeff Kaminsky, Mark Kowalczyk and Pina Hansen voted in favor of the purchase.
Council member Bernie Zielinski stated his opposition throughout the discussion, citing his beliefs that the borough cannot afford the purchase, but abstained from voting on the issue when called upon by council president Knick.
At one point prior to the council’s vote, the roughly 35 residents in attendance were informally polled by Knick as to their preference and the show of hands was completely in favor of purchasing the land and facility.
In other matters, residents were informed of a Dupont History Day slated for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 at the borough’s municipal building.
The event will feature pictures stories and memorabilia from Dupont’s first 100 years. Residents who either have something to share or who are interested in local history are invited to attend.
Also on Tuesday, the borough unanimously approved the municipal building’s usage for a charity car wash sponsored by the Pittston Area Band Boosters. The car wash is currently scheduled for June 20 with a rain date of July 11.
The next Dupont Borough Council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12.
