Apartment owner pleas no contest to charges
By the Herald-Standard
BROWNSVILLE – The owner of the Brownsville Apartments in the Bank Building in downtown Brownsville pleaded no contest to one charge of failing to maintain a central heating system, with 17 other charges dismissed.
In an agreement worked out with the borough, Robert Arthur of Sage Associates of Charleroi agreed to pay a $100 fine, plus court costs, according to Magisterial District Judge Mike Defino.
Councilman James Lawver, who is chairman of the borough’s community and economic development committee, had accompanied the borough’s code enforcement officer on inspections at the credit union located on the first floor of the building in December. Lawver had said at that time that even with numerous space heaters in operation, the office was below the required 68 degrees and the heaters were causing electrical circuits to fail, which he said was a fire hazard.
From mid-December through mid-January, 18 citations were filed against the property owner, who maintained from the start that he was in the process of having the boiler system replaced in the building, but that it was a lengthy job. Arthur said in an earlier interview that he provided safe, oil-filled heaters to all tenants and gave extras to anyone who asked for them. He also said he made changes in the electrical system at the credit union to prevent overloading circuits. He could not be reached for comment Friday.
According to Lawver, the new furnace did not become fully functional until Thursday, Feb. 24. Lawver said he was pleased with the outcome of the case.
“We weren’t out to crucify him, we just wanted to make him aware that you don’t do business like that,” Lawver said.
Nearly two-dozen residents of the 45-unit apartment building had attended the January Brownsville Borough Council meeting wanting to know the borough’s intent regarding the building. The residents were concerned that the building would be closed because of the faulty heating system and that they would be left homeless. The tenants said their apartments were warm and they were satisfied with the situation.