Coatesville Hopes To Boost Downtown Revitalization

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

COATESVILLE, PA — City Council is updating the city’s revitalization plans.

Council members unanimously voted to establish the Coatesville Downtown Revitalization District during an Aug. 12 meeting, with Councilman Ed Simpson and Vice President Joseph Hamrick absent.

Council President David Collins said the purpose was to target a specific area around expansion and redevelopment projects currently planned for the city.

Collins said this area will be essential to attracting new business enterprises, encouraging commercial development and expansion, improving the aesthetic appearance of the existing architecture, and building a stronger sense of community pride.

Read more:  http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20130819/NEWS01/130819663/coatesville-hopes-to-boost-downtown-revitalization#full_story

Former Coatesville City Manager Discusses His Termination

Editor’s note:   Sounds so familiar!

COATESVILLE, PA — More than five weeks after he was fired, former City Manager Gary Rawlings discussed recently why he was let go, the situation with the city’s police department and other issues.

City Council never provided the public with a specific reason as to why they terminated Rawlings on June 11. Rawlings said he, too, was never provided with a reason from council for his eventual dismissal.

“I was never given a reason and can only assume,” said Rawlings, who served as manager for 13 months.  “I guess it was that they were unhappy with my style.  But I tried to draw a line between my responsibilities and theirs based on the city charter.  When it came to personnel matters, I told them they had to stay out of it or else they could get in trouble.

”Rawlings said council was “too involved” in the day-to-day management in the city.  He said the council never set goals for him even though it was part of his contract.  He said council should “set goals and then step back” when hiring a city manager.  He said the next manager will also need more time to develop.

“Thirteen months is not enough time to judge someone’s management style,” Rawlings said.

Read more: http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20120723/NEWS01/120729924/former-coatesville-manager-discusses-his-termination&pager=full_story

Coatesville Applies For Velodrome Grant

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

COATESVILLE, PA — City Council will once again file for county grant of up to $1 million for infrastructure including parking for the proposed Velodrome project.

Last year, the city filed for a similar grant, but did not receive it, because of the uncertainty surrounding the project at the time, City Manager Gary Rawlings said. He said now the project is closer to the beginning of construction and the feels more confident that the project will come to fruition.

In December of 2010, the Redevelopment Authority and the project developers at that time were reportedly closing in on a deal to sell the land at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Route 82 known as the Flats. Since then, the window for an agreement of sale has been extended numerous times and there have been no signs of an agreement.

However, in late 2011, new developers signed onto the project and the former developers left the group.

Read more: http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20120401/NEWS01/120409959/coatesville-applies-for-velodrome-grant&pager=full_story