Written by Caleb Brown (News Director)
Pottsville Mayor Thomas Smith provided the public with an update as to the City’s efforts to demolish three blighted properties at 800, 802, and 804 Mahantango Street during a special meeting held Tuesday and streamed live over social media.
Mahantango Update
“Thanks to the strong partnership between the City of Pottsville and Schuylkill County, we are making real progress,” Smith began.
Smith continued saying that the county accepted a low bid of $93,700 from a company in Hazelton, adding that the company has already obtained its city business license and required demolition permit. Additionally, the city has received most of the confirmations regarding the shut-off of utilities at the properties.
“We continue to work closely with the county to move this project as quickly as possible.”
Meanwhile, this comes after their previous council meeting earlier in the month, when Smith had to correct himself regarding statements he made on the project.
“At the last meeting I misspoken. I suggested that the buildings would be down by mid-March. What I meant to convey was the bid for demolition work would be accepted at the time…”
He would further clarify, “Our application so forth went in February 9. I was under the assumption they would send out for bid right away. I did not realize they hold those and release those basically three weeks later…”
However, Smith did state that Schuylkill County Demolition Grant funding had been approved and that the goal was to have the buildings down before the Yuengling Logger Jogger at the end of April, but said they might not be.
Blight Tour
The demolition of the properties on Mahantango Street was not the only topic discussed Tuesday. As Smith would state, City Council would be working with the County to take a tour of blighted properties throughout city neighborhoods.
He claimed the tour would “help identify additional opportunities to fight blight in strong partnership with the county.”
Later on, Councilman Andy Wollyung would agree with the Mayor on the idea of the tour, but further suggested, “Why don’t we have the residents email us or send something in from their neighborhoods and give us what their blighted property would be and then we will look at those and maybe the top ones we’ll look at together…”
To which Smith and other members of council agreed.