Cumru Township officials are moving forward with plans to hire a consultant to help establish an economic development strategy.
The commissioners voted 3-2 to begin drafting an agreement with Delta Development Group, Cumberland County, to help create a townshipwide redevelopment plan.
Commissioners William Miller and David Batdorf voted against the agreement, while Greg Miller, Andrew Donnell and Lisha Rowe voted in favor.
Greg Miller, who proposed the agreement, said the township faces rising expenses and revenue shortfalls, and needs to take action to avoid depleting its cash reserves.
“Just sitting here doing nothing makes our deficit get worse,” Greg Miller said.
Cumru is facing a projected $1.8 million budget deficit in 2024, commissioners said.
Officials have debated how the township should approach generating revenue, with some commissioners arguing for warehouse development, and others, including Greg Miller and Donnell, envisioning a revamped Route 222 corridor that could attract new businesses.
Greg Miller argued that it was important to encourage development that increases the livability of the area.
“We want to foster that environment that everything kind of starts feeling better, you get a buzz, and people from outside the county want to move here,” he said.
A previous proposal by Greg Miller and Donnell to hire consulting group Community Networking Resources to build a comprehensive strategy for redeveloping and courting new business along Route 222, also called Lancaster Pike, was voted down 3-2 in May.
“We’ve now stripped (our proposal) down and all we’re looking at is planning,” Greg Miller said of his new plan.
He said he’s been speaking with other local government organizations, including Berks County’s economic development team and the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce, and they are willing to work with Cumru.
He said the county commissioners have authorized the county’s economic development officials to gather data on the township’s demographics and available markets.
Using that data, Delta Development and a township steering committee would organize open houses, focus group meetings and other methods of gauging public sentiment and put together a plan for development, with township commissioners having final say on the plan’s approval.
The Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce has also agreed to help Cumru search for grants and attract developers to the area, Greg Miller said.
Another issue Cumru faces is a lack of a public water main along large portions of Route 222.
Greg Miller said he’s also spoken with officials at the Western Berks Water Authority, who noted that Shillington would likely be willing to run water lines along Route 222 if Cumru can find developers to move in and use the lines.
The plan would take place over one year and cost about $63,000, he said.
William Miller and Batdorf remained skeptical of Greg Miller’s proposal, claiming it isn’t worth spending $63,000 to uncover a forgone conclusion — that large-scale commercial development isn’t feasible for Route 222.
“You talked about the $1.8 million deficit we’re going to have in this current budget, now you want to come up with $63,000 that’s not budgeted,” William Miller said. “You’re not going to help that deficit; you’re going to increase it.”
Greg Miller noted the county is not charging Cumru for its assistance, and the costs of hiring Delta Development are minor when compared to the potential revenue benefits.
“I’m not downplaying ($63,000), but if we can generate hundreds of thousands in annual revenue, that $63,000 will seem like a bargain,” Greg Miller said.
William Miller said he reached out to Trader Joe’s, Costco and Wegman’s, and they all said Cumru’s characteristics don’t suit their markets.
“Cold-calling three companies and asking them to come to the township isn’t how this works,” Greg Miller said. “You have to paint a vision for a large-scale developer to want to come here.”
Batdorf said he and other board members were considering alternative sources of revenue and felt like some voices on the board were being ignored.
He said board members are facing a cycle where certain development possibilities supported by some board members are later shot down by others.
“There’s other (possible sources of revenue) that I’m continuing to work on,” Batdorf said. “I don’t need to take $63,000 from this township to go out and do my job.”
Batdorf didn’t mention specifics on what his efforts entailed but said he would discuss them with commissioners in executive session.
A handful of residents spoke in support of Greg Miller’s proposal, noting the township is facing a dire financial situation and something needs to be done.
“I love the fact that there’s a plan,” said Caryn Friedlander. “If we don’t start now, where are we next year?”
Resident Mike Eshbach said Greg Miller’s plan is good, but the time to do it was 40 years ago before other municipalities like Wyomissing cornered the market by developing commerce within their borders.
“It should have been done 40 years ago, you’re absolutely right,” Donnell said. “But we’re here today and we need to start somewhere.”
One resident asked about the status of warehouse plans proposed in the township, which have been contested by some residents and commissioners, including Greg Miller and Donnell.
Cumru officials noted plans for a warehouse on Route 10 next to the Flying Hills community remain in litigation, after a group, including Penske and residents of Flying Hills, appealed the zoning hearing board’s decision to uphold a zoning change that allows warehouse development on the site.
Final plans for another warehouse at 1020 Grings Hill Road, next to the Tower Health Gateway building, were scheduled for review by the Cumru planning commission last week.
Donnel noted that even if both warehouses are approved, they would generate about $500,000 in total for the township once their 10-year tax abatement expires.
“If both (warehouses) materialized tomorrow, we’d still have a $1.2 million deficit,” Donnell said.
He said the township could cover that deficit by raising taxes or developing revenue, and no one wants to raise taxes.
“We want to do smart commercial development that will increase our revenue,” Donnell said.
After the discussion, commissioners approved having the township solicitor start negotiating a contract with Delta Development. The contract would take effect in 2025, officials noted.
Also at the meeting, five police officers were sworn into the township: Callen Cress, Leon Grim, Eric Foster, Christopher Fallara and Michael D’Annunzio.
Two of the officers were hired in 2022, and the rest were hired in the beginning of 2024.
“They’ve done an incredible job so far, and I look forward to working with them for many years to come,” said Police Chief Madison Winchester.
Winchester said the officers were hired as part of the department’s succession planning, to replace officers who have already retired or are expected to retire soon.
The new hires bring the total number of officers to 32.
Source: Berkshire mont