New location for Mercersburg Town Hall causing a stir in the local community

A possible move of the Mercersburg Town Hall is leaving some residents frustrated.

The proposal is for the borough to purchase the former Orrstown Bank building on 454 Loudon Street, moving the town hall from its downtown location in the Hugh Mercer Building.

According to Borough Manager Derek Stoy, this was an idea discussed in November in executive session.

Before state-mandated lockdowns, Stoy said that council planned to have a public meeting on the issue in April.

“We still obviously want to do a public presentation,” Stoy said. “There’s no updated timeline (because of the pandemic,) but council does not want to make a decision until they present a plan to the public and get feedback.”

The Hugh Mercer Building, built in 1904, currently serves as the town hall, housing Stoy, the borough secretary and the billing clerk’s offices, and the borough police department. The police department would stay in the building if the town hall were to relocate.

Stoy noted security upgrades at both facilities for personnel and public safety as a reason to relocate. He also noted that the Orrstown Bank building has a drive-thru – which could be an easier way for residents to pay their bills.

“There are pros and cons to moving, and we need to look at all issues; safety, parking and issues with making payments,” Stoy said. “With COVID-19, everyone has to change how they’re doing business.”

Stoy said that the council submitted a “loosely written” letter of intent to Orrstown Bank in April. The letter was shared in a May 18 council meeting. They plan to revise the letter of intent – solidifying the sale price and claiming that the borough would not sell the building to a non-borough entity until after three years of purchase.

The asking price for the building is $375,000. Stoy estimated that renovations and move-in costs would cost between $75,000 to $100,000.

“It’s more expensive to renovate the current building than to purchase this building,” Stoy said.

From a financial standpoint, Stoy said that the borough would finance part of it – how much is to be determined – and use funding set aside for capital improvements.

The borough has only had two council meetings via Zoom since the COVID-19 shutdown. Stoy said that “there’s no way (the borough) is not being transparent,” but some residents are questioning the move.

Mercersburg resident Tauna Cole said that the move is not necessary “in the midst of this dreadful pandemic.”

“This is instilling great distrust in our borough council in Mercersburg,” Cole said. “It seems to us that they’ve worked behind this veil of secrecy.”

Cole believes that the borough is doing a tremendous favor for Orrstown Bank, and the move is a poor use of fiscal management.

“It’s a public slap in the face to do this at this time – look at the need, it’s not our primary need,” Cole said. “It’s unfounded and unnecessary.”

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Cole noted that if the borough purchased the Orrstown Bank building, residents would lose tax revenue that they would otherwise get if the building were purchased by a business.

“I’m hoping council will come to its senses – I appreciate the borough employees, but I want them to use discretion,” Cole said.

Former council member Amy Delaney is also opposed to the move. Delaney served two full terms on borough council but stepped down in January. She said that when the move was discussed in executive session, she was “absolutely against proceeding.”

“(The move) is truthfully not effective,” Delaney said. “There’s all these things we could be doing with our money.”

Stoy said the allegations of the borough not being transparent are “100% false.”

“No one wants to push it, due to this situation,” Stoy said. “We’re not trying to take advantage (of the situation.)”