Residents denounce new rate at center
AVELLA – Curtis Fuller has hosted a birthday party for his 7-year-old son Brayden at the Avella Community Center every year since he was 3, but that tradition has ended after Independence Township supervisors voted in December for a big rental rate increase.
Both the Cross Creek man and Ashley Cummins, of Avella, said they would now go to the Avella fire hall or another site for their families’ events after the rental rate was increased from $50 a day to $45 per hour.
“They’re taking a good thing away from the community. I can’t afford that. My neighbor was getting his son baptized, and they were going to do a lunch up there. They’re not going to do that now,” Fuller said.
Independence Township Supervisor Joyce McKenzie said the rate is $45 for parties, and renters are allowed two free hours to set up, but must pay a $75 cleanup fee.
The rationale, she said, was to keep a community asset clean and sustainable after the board wrested control of the facility in August from a convoluted, nonprofit organization of volunteers that supervisors said had been taking rent from the Avella Library and Avella Athletics Association, but not maintaining the gym-anchored building.
The inattention led to widespread mold in air ducts, McKenzie said.
“We’ve spent $52,000 for repairs, remediation, mold testing, demolition of some parts of the building, trash removal – four Dumpsters and pods worth – so we don’t want this building to go into disrepair again,” McKenzie said.
Rosemary Jennings was hired in December to oversee the community center at $25 an hour, at a maximum of 15 hours a week, according to township records. The hiring of Jennings, wife of Supervisor Tom Jennings, had some residents decrying the move as nepotism. A post written by elected township auditor Melinda Latynski shared to the “I am from Avella, Pennsylvania” Facebook page on Dec. 17 said the following:
“This job was previously done by volunteers … What a slap in the face to anyone who has ever worked or currently works and volunteered in this township. When it was brought up that she will make more than any of the guys who get up at 3:30 a.m. to keep our roads clean and safe in the winter, it was said that part-time workers make more because you don’t have to pay their benefits. Funny, they just hired a part-time road worker last month and he’s making $15 an hour. What is going to happen when the gas money is gone? Independence Township residents you better wake up and get to meetings.”
Meeting minutes show Tom Jennings recused himself from the vote. A Nov. 23 legal ad in the Observer-Reporter asked for applications for a maintenance, cleaning and event coordinator. McKenzie said Rosemary Jennings is responsible for scheduling events and care and stocking of the community center and its auxiliary buildings, like the public works shed and the municipal building.
Tom Jennings said since the athletics organization and library are staying rent-free in the building, the board has moved to find ways to sustain the property. McKenzie said a deal was just brokered with Hopewell Township to have the municipality pay $2,500 annually to help with upkeep. Cross Creek Township declined a similar co-op deal, she said.
Supervisor Lou Brandenburg said nepotism claims are laughable in a community where everyone practically knows each or other or has family ties.
“When it came to the appointment of (Cyndi Cecchini) as our secretary. I abstained. She’s my cousin. People were complaining about that. But she had applied for a position in the township 12 years ago before I was ever a supervisor. It gets ridiculous with these political pot shots and I’m tired of it. Come to these meetings to contribute,” Brandenburg said at Wednesday’s supervisors’ meeting.
Cecchini replaced Mildred Ostop in December, who served as secretary and treasurer for nearly three decades. Solicitor Gary Sweat said her refusal to provide officials with complete township records led him to recommend the township hire outside auditing services for the first time. Ostop declined to comment. Brandenburg said there was also an issue with invalid names on a Community Bank checking account.
“It was Ostop’s name and a former supervisor. None of us were on there. This was four years ago. The auditors see this. So I just don’t trust what’s going on until we have an objective, outside look at it all,” Brandenburg said.
The board voted 3-0 Wednesday to advertise for an independent auditor. It’s not clear if the three elected auditors will be replaced or complemented.
Elected Auditor Jo Ellen Cruny objected during public comment when she saw correspondence with three accounting firms on the agenda.
“I’ve done the books for 12 years. There’s never been any question of our abilities or the numbers. I just don’t know why we had an election if this is going to take place. This is a slap in the face,” Cruny said.