Oct 11, 2002 By April Straughters 4 min read

CENTERVILLE – The borough council has refused to accept a revised copy of a comprehensive plan and asked the firm that produced it to return the $18,000 the borough already paid for it. Councilman Susie Zebley was visibly upset as she spoke to representatives of Sutter and Associates of Hollidaysburg, the firm hired to prepare a plan for four Washington County municipalities, including Centerville, in January 1999.

“This, to me, was a scam,” Zebley said during the borough’s regular meeting Tuesday. “You people from Sutter’s didn’t think we were going to actually read this.”

Zebley said the “final draft” of the plan contained errors – including, typos, misspelled words and information that doesn’t even pertain to the community – and it was more than 21/2 years late.

According to Zebley, in 1998 representatives of the Sutter firm visited Centerville, Deemston and Beallsville boroughs and West Pike Run Township and convinced them to enter into an agreement to prepare a customized regional comprehensive plan for $25,000. She said the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) provided a $12,500 grant for the project in January 1999, and the four municipalities agreed to split the $12,500 difference.

She said that after much delay and a preliminary draft that contained numerous errors and a featured heading that read “Fairchance Borough,” the firm promised a final plan by August 2001, but did not deliver it until a year later.

“I don’t think they ever intended to give us a plan. I’m insulted,” Zebley said.

“This looks like something they recycled from another municipality’s plan. I think you think we are stupid and we weren’t going to read it.”

Other members of council were equally upset.

President Edward Sukal said the plan presented in August 2002 listed the borough as being in Donegal and included references to a Forest State Park and a Donegal Community Center, which do not exist in or around Centerville. It contained several references to Fairchance, which is nowhere near the borough, and the plan also indicated that the borough does not have sewage or zoning ordinances, when it does.

“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” said Councilman Patsy Ricciuti

“You don’t even know the roads. I look at this plan and you have the wrong roads listed. Shame on you,” Mariann Bailey said.

Owners Richard and Sally Sutter listened quietly as the board vented.

Sally Sutter said the borough somehow received a “very preliminary,” non-edited version.

“A comprehensive plan for four regions is a daunting task,” Richard Sutter said. “It’s more difficult to undertake that. Fred (Drovdlic, senior planner) is a capable planner. Your feedback is what is necessary to make sure you have the right borough lines and street names, but these things happen.”

According to its Web site, Richard C. Sutter & Associates Inc., founded in 1974, has, in the last 27 years, successfully completed more than 60 comprehensive plans at the regional, county and municipal levels, with an additional 10 plans under preparation to communities throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland, both public and private clients.”

Before the firm’s inception, Richard Sutter served as the planning director for Altoona.

Richard Sutter presented council with a revised copy of the plan with copies for the other three municipalities, but neither council nor representatives from Deemston accepted it.

Deemston’s application for funding for public sewerage was delayed because it needed a comprehensive plan to apply for grants, according to Zebley.

“My trust is broken. I’m not interested in working with you,” she said.

Solicitor Dennis Makel asked Sutter to return the borough’s money, “because we are not happy with the product we received.”

Richard Sutter said he would not return the money and left the comprehensive plans, despite council’s refusal.

“I’m leaving the documents. I hope you take a look at it. I regret this happened. We’ve spent the time, we generated the documents, and I’m unwilling to pay money for work we’ve already done,” he said.

Zebley said she will send a letter to the DCED to tell them of the product they received with the grant money, and council plans to take the necessary steps to get back the money.

The council also conducted the following business:

– Set trick-or-treat for Sunday, Oct. 27, from 3 to 5 p.m.

– Awarded a contract for the purchase of dry ash from Timothy Kinder of Kinder Trucking, Fredericktown, at $8.20 per ton.

– Awarded the purchase of the borough garage to Denny Bevans , who submitted a $6,555 bid.

– Promoted Mark Costello to a full-time police officer at the rank of corporal.

– Accepted an agreement with Charter Communications, including a 3-percent franchise fee.