Mayor Eddie Moran’s administration wants to change the way the public-private partnership operates, but City Council believes it’s too soon to do that.
The public-private partnership, commonly referred to as the P3, was formed in 2018 to spearhead economic development in downtown Reading.
At the time, the Downtown Improvement District was supposed to focus on economic development, but it was underfunded and understaffed. Officials believed that by taking economic development from DID it would then be able to focus on clean, safe and green initiatives.
The board consisted of members from four organizations: the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, the Berks County Community Foundation, city government and Berks Alliance.
Managing Director Abraham Amoros said Moran’s administration has been looking at amending the public-private partnership ordinance ever since City Council voted not to reauthorize the Downtown Improvement District.
Newly appointed Downtown Manager Cindy Castner briefed City Council on the proposed changes at its meeting Monday night.
“The changes we are recommending to the P3 ordinance is to more accurately describe the revamping of the P3 as a city driven organization,” she said. “We want to engage the stakeholders as strategic partners and members of the P3. These changes will be a valuable asset as we work to revitalize our commercial corridor.”
The following are some of the changes:
• Partner with stakeholders who can be financial partners as well as strategic partners.
• The group will meet quarterly.
• The major changes in the downtown will now be driven by the city.
• The downtown coordinator will work with the partners.
The original body of the P3 will still be asked for guidance, Castner said.
The new P3, Castner said, will be made up of representatives from:
• City Council
• The mayor’s administration
• Community development director
• Berks County
• Greater Reading Chamber Alliance
• Berks Alliance
• Latino Chamber of Commerce
• Reading School District
• Reading Parking Authority
• Alvernia’s CollegeTowne
Additional partners could be added.
“It was not as functional as it can be so we are looking to engage the partners I mentioned,” Castner said. “They expressed an incredible interest in downtown, the direction the downtown is going and how they want to be a part of it.”
Several council members thought the city should review the downtown strategic plan before making ordinance changes.
The city hired Stantec Consulting Services for $272,725 to come up with a strategic plan for the downtown. Stantec presented a preliminary final draft of the plan to city and county officials at the end of September, but the final plan has yet to be presented.
Councilwoman Donna Reed said what she saw at the September presentation was disappointing.
“It didn’t offer particularly interesting or unusual recommendations,” she said. “We need to sit down and talk about this because the city put money into this.”
Council President Jeffrey S. Waltman Sr. agreed with Reed and said he planned to meet this week with Moran and Amoros to discuss the downtown study.
“I am in agreement that we need to get through the strategic plan first so we really have a clear direction,” Waltman said.
Councilwoman Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, who owns a restaurant downtown, thought the P3 was a good idea but had one critique.
“I would really want to see some merchant participation, some actual businesses partake in this P3 initiative,” she said.
At last week’s council meeting, Council Vice President Lucine Sihelnik said the $428,000 set aside for the downtown was not enough. Castner agreed Monday night.
“We have to get creative and find other means of finance in regards to the downtown,” Castner said.
Reed suggested the city earmark revenues from the 3.5% real estate transaction tax that is generated on the sale of downtown properties to help fund the downtown revitalization.
Source: Berkshire mont
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