Frustration, refinancing & debate: What happened at the COG meeting on Whitehall Road Regional Park
After a contentious 4-hour debate where cordiality gave way to frustration, the Centre Region Council of Governments approved a refinancing plan that’s expected to mostly cover the first phase of construction for a long-awaited 100-acre park — although one township now seems poised to create more future hurdles.
The Centre Region COG — comprised mainly of State College Borough and College, Ferguson, Harris and Patton townships — agreed to refinance pools and parks debt at a lower interest rate Monday night, allowing it to pass its savings on to Whitehall Road Regional Park. Essentially, that means the COG will now get an additional $850,000 toward the park project while adding no additional debt — with the option of borrowing even more. (It’s now borrowing $8.2M and will have to pay back $8.75M, if it doesn’t opt to borrow more; it was previously borrowing $7.3M while paying back $8.75M.)
Still, Ferguson Township nearly struck down that idea as the only dissenting municipality — shortly after nixing a plan championed by the other municipalities that would’ve borrowed an additional $800,000, which most agree will eventually be needed. (Under the plan adopted Monday night, that additional $800,000 remains an “option” for the next three years, although it will require unanimous borough/township support, which Ferguson Township openly discussed withholding.)
“COVID has proven that our outdoor space is even more valuable than we thought it was. It is a mental health bonus; it is a physical health bonus,” State College Councilwoman Theresa Lafer said, in support of borrowing more. “Taking a loan at an amazing (sub-1.35%) level is a godsend for us.”
Ferguson Township officials were often met with sighs and headshaking Monday night. Four options were on the table; all but Ferguson favored the option with the most borrowing. In fact, the COG finance committee only recommended the option that was eventually accepted because it suspected Ferguson would vote down a more aggressive one. Which it did.
But it also nearly voted down the “compromise” option that was eventually accepted.
Ferguson Township supervisor Laura Dininni, who’s been a resident since 2009, was the most outspoken in her opposition to the plan. She vehemently opposed increased spending, and she constantly emphasized the need for restrooms at the park. She wanted to make bathrooms a funding priority — which irked a number of other officials and caused several others to remind her, repeatedly, that no one opposed restrooms.
“This makes me very concerned that we’re going to end up with a park without the fields required but with these really expensive bathrooms,” said College Township Councilwoman Carla Stilson.
Added Harris Township supervisor Bruce Lord: “I’ve never heard of a person suggest we don’t build bathrooms. ... So that’s not an issue.”
Even when the “compromise” plan was eventually accepted, around 11 p.m., Dininni continued to press about the restrooms and asked when she could propose changing the master plan. COG chairman Dennis Hameister, from Harris Township, smiled then quipped, “After we adjourn.”
Multiple officials audibly sighed when Dininni called for a roll call vote for her amendment to include the restrooms as a priority — meaning several dozen officials had to publicly voice their vote, one-by-one, despite a previous voice vote where the simultaneous yays overwhelmingly outnumbered the nays. (The roll call vote was 20-6 against, with Dininni and Co. in favor.)
“For Pete’s sake!” and “God!” could be heard publicly from officials.
Dininni was clearly wearing on much of the COG on Monday night and, during a breakout meeting with only the fellow Ferguson supervisors, she still opposed the “compromise” plan, after shushing the township manager who attempted to interject. Fellow Ferguson supervisor Steve Miller, who favored more borrowing, attempted to broker peace by reminding Dininni and others that they could always vote down the borrowing “option” when it comes up in the future.
Added township manager David Pribulka: “There’s always repercussions for (lone dissent). And that may not matter, ultimately, in how you look at this particular issue, but it is an angle I feel is important to at least illuminate for you all.”
Dininni still voted no. So did Patricia Stevens. But the three other Ferguson supervisors decided to go with the “compromise” plan, overruling the pair.
Overall, among the five municipalities, the “compromise” plan passed 5-0. Individually, 25 voted for it with only Dininni and Stevens voting against it.
Monday’s vote was a step forward for the Whitehall Road Regional Park, but there are now future slowdowns on the horizon because additional spending/borrowing will need to be discussed in depth. Most hoped to avoid that time-consuming process by simply relying on the expertise of the park authority, but the “compromise” plan may open it up for debate.
“Some people are just trying to block this whole thing,” said Harris Township supervisor Nigel Wilson, echoing an earlier sentiment during public comment by Peter Buck. “And all the reiteration in the world won’t change that this is what we should be doing.”
A Ferguson supervisor quickly followed up by saying they were not trying to do any such thing.
More than 10 years of planning and restructuring have gone into the Whitehall Road Regional Park, which was recently expected to contain two artificial turf multipurpose fields with LED lights, two grass multipurpose fields, an all-ability and universally accessible playground, parking, a walking path, restrooms and an all-season pavilion. The park, located between state Route 45 and Whitehall Road in Ferguson Township, will now have bids resubmitted — many expired in March — and should have a more accurate cost projection later this summer.
The COG also consists of Halfmoon Township, which was present Monday but agrees to abstain on issues involving Centre Region Parks and Recreation.
The next COG General Forum meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on June 28.
This story was originally published May 26, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
