NORTHUMBERLAND – One month after announcing their interest in the site, Northumberland county commissioners voted today to purchase for the Moran Industries site. The sale price is $2 million and is contingent on completion and review of additional environmental studies. Commissioners plan to use the site for a new prison and courthouse.
Chairman Vinny Clausi, who attended the meeting by phone, said funds are available from the state for the purchase so essentially, “[We’re] going to get it for free.”
Commissioner Stephen Bridy said the first phase of an environmental study is complete and there will be a second, more significant phase as arsenic and other contaminants were found on the site. “There are other issues of concern. There are foundations that they found water in with discoloration. So there may be some oil, possibly, maybe some gasoline, those type of things.”
Rick Shoch, the only dissenting vote said he is not against purchasing the property, but prefers a more deliberate and informed approach to the entire prison project, “There’s nothing that happened here that had to happen today. It could have happened maybe next month or the following month when we had more information.”
All three commissioners voted to explore proposals for borrowing funds for capital projects related to the county prison. (Jennifer Wakeman)