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Following an executive session, Myerstown Borough Council on Feb. 10 granted the owners of the Factory on Main a 90-day extension to address the borough’s top 10 concerns.
Borough manager Michael McKenna said in an email that a 2023 walk-through of the building by code officials and the fire marshal “revealed unpermitted construction, previously unknown tenants, and safety concerns — particularly in areas open to the public — that required immediate attention.”
As the investigation is ongoing, McKenna said the borough cannot share specific details about the safety concerns. He noted that the borough’s main focus is ensuring the building meets basic “life safety” building requirements.
In a plea to council, owner Mark Landis said that he and other owners had “become lax” and had not been monitoring emails, and thus had only become aware of the extent of the building’s noncompliance after the borough had issued an order to vacate due to unsafe conditions.
He said that contracts to bring the building up to code are expected to be completed by April 30.
Several business owners operating within the century-old building also pushed back against the order to vacate by Feb. 14, arguing that their livelihood would be put on the line with such a short timeframe.
“We have supported the community since 2009 and the community has supported us,” said Generation Dance owner Jennifer Firestein. She questioned why the building is considered unsafe. “I can’t imagine the space isn’t safe for my dancers and their families.”
When council president Park Haverstick II notified attendees of the decision, he noted that the lenience has been granted out of sympathy for business-owners within the building.
He said Landis and other owners will need to meet with the borough within a week to discuss what must be done. The 10 most important items must be addressed within the next three months, with outstanding minor items addressed soon after.
McKenna said that “the borough wants to ensure the property meets basic safety standards but also wants to avoid disruptions that could put local businesses at risk.”
In other news, council heard from recreation board chair and council member Kathy Yang that the rec board would like to disband.
This comes after conflicts between the borough and the board, namely recreation business requiring more permissions from the borough and the borough clamping down on what the role of the recreation board is.
Most recently, a carnival originally planned by the board was transferred to the Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity, with some council members voicing concerns about liability risks posed by the event being planned by an arm of the borough.
Read More: Myerstown Borough Council approves 2025 budget, transfers carnival planning
Yang said Tuesday that she was told by the borough manager it was her responsibility to be familiar with certain tax codes, which the council said it would address in executive session as that constitutes a personnel matter.
Tuesday’s meeting did not include further discussion of the process of disbanding.
In other news, council:
- Unanimously approved a design for Street Bond to be applied to the tennis courts, basketball court, and walking paths in the recreation area.
- Unanimously approved the purchase of a 2024 Chevrolet Colorado through COSTARS and the sale of the borough’s 206 GMC Canyon.
- Unanimously approved payment of bills and various reports, as well as the minutes of the Jan. 14 meeting.
- Unanimously approved several facility requests, including a Youth Only Fishing Event at the recreation area pond April 26 at no cost to organizer Lebanon County Children & Youth.
- Unanimously approved participation in annual tire collection April 30.
Myerstown Borough Council meets the second Tuesday of each month. These meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.
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