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Sentinel Morning Update: County commissioners displeased with AHCF plans
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The Cumberland County commissioners expected to see a specific financial plan and timeline that would effectively expedite construction of planned projects on the Army Heritage and Education Center campus.
What they got instead from the Army Heritage Center Foundation on Monday was an outline of a concept no one on the board, especially Commissioner Rick Rovegno, was ready to embrace.
“Were you unclear about what we were asking?” a visibly frustrated Rovegno said to the AHCF executive committee.
The response from AHEC Executive Director Mike Perry was that the intent of the special meeting was not entirely clear.
“We’re looking for a proposal on how you’re going to get this done,” Rovegno said.
The fundamental issue is about getting the first phase of the Visitor and Education Center built, he explained.
The VEC, which would serve as the “front door” to the AHEC complex and house educational activities and the first exhibit gallery for the future Army Heritage Museum, carries an estimated price tag of $15.3 million.
This includes $1.6 million for architect and engineering services and $13.7 million in design and construction costs.
Along with the rest of this story from Sentinel reporter Jason Scott, here's what else to look for in today’s print and on-line editions:
Carlisle DID may miss deadline
The task force working to implement a Downtown Improvement District in Carlisle could miss its original Jan. 1, 2009 deadline by at least two months.
As a result, the Downtown Carlisle Association would have to find alternate stop-gap funding to continue to pay a part-time retail coordinator beyond early February when High-I Partnership funding expires.
A two-month delay in bringing revisions to council would also push the voting period for commercial property owners from late August into September -- as originally planned -- to late October into November.
Under DID, commercial property owners within a designated area would pay an assessment beyond the real estate tax to fund ramped-up marketing efforts, traffic safety upgrades and beautification projects.
It was thought task force members could have the latest business plan revisions ready to present to borough council at its meeting Thursday.
But Councilman Perry Heath, task force chairman, said it may be Aug. 14 before revisions are ready and March 1, at the earliest, before a DID could be implemented.
Residents get historic look of town
Perched outside the William Lyons house and garbed in period attire, Jim Flower introduced himself to a group of walkers Monday night.
“I’m John Armstrong,” Flower said. An Irishman by birth and a civil engineer by trade, he said, he came to America in the 1740s and was hired by the Penn family “to lay out the town of Carlisle.”
That he did, Flower said, setting up a plot that stretched two blocks from the center of town, allowing 80 feet for the major roads and naming Pomfret and Louther for friends of the family.
He stayed on as surveyor, working through “many conflicts and disputes,” he said, then led a successful raid on Kittanning in the French and Indian War. Later he moved onto another field of conflict, attaining the rank of major general in the Revolutionary War and serving with George Washington in the battle of Valley Forge.
After the war, Flower said, he served with the Continental Congress twice, was an elder of the Presbyterian Church and then, after some persuasion, became part of the first board of the directors of Dickinson College.
Kids enjoy peanut carnival at Summerfair
Morgan White waited patiently in line Monday at a game at the Summerfair peanut carnival at LeTort Park.
When it was finally her turn, the 9-year-old from Carlisle stepped up, took a handful of small, plastic golf balls and began tossing them toward a variety of containers holding water.
The object was for Morgan to land as many balls as she could into one of the many cans, cups or buckets of water. On her first attempt, she landed two out of three balls in a cup. On her second attempt, Morgan got just one ball in.
The odds weren’t in her favor: Morgan was pitching left-handed and she’s right-handed.
“I can’t use my right hand,” she explained. “I just got my cast off.”
Morgan said she broke her arm several weeks ago and is still getting used to using it again. Most of the games at the peanut carnival required some sort of throwing, but she was willing to give it a try anyhow.
“It’s fun,” Morgan said with a grin, her cheek painted with a pink butterfly.
Morning Update
The Sentinel Morning Update runs every weekday by 8 a.m. to take a look at what we have planned for our newspaper and Web site. Feel free to offer any suggestions, questions or feedback to jpratt@cumberlink.com
