Cheltenham residents feel blindsided by its $4.5M dollar pool deal with a private developer
Cheltenham's plan to buy a $4.5 million public pool from a private developer, who's building it on land that developer gave the township for free, happened too quickly and quietly for some residents.
Cheltenham’s new pool wasn’t on the agenda, but that didn’t stop residents from bringing up their concerns about it in a marathon four-hour commissioners’ meeting Wednesday night.
Board President Matthew Areman paused at every agenda item to allow input from residents in a boisterous meeting that included the swearing in of Cheltenham’s new police chief, Richard Schaffer.
But many of the remarks concerned a topic residents say they haven’t been given a chance to discuss: The Melrose pool project, which the township secured by leasing 2.7 acres for $10 per year to a private developer, who agreed to build a public pool complex for up to $4.5 million next to a new housing and commercial development.
The township had received those acres for free last winter from the same developer, an LLC associated with BG Capital, for the purpose of building the pool, Cheltenham’s solicitor, Ed Diasio, said at a July committee meeting.
Areman said at the commissioners’ meeting last month that Cheltenham would have limited input on the pool design, since a private company is building it. The pool is slated to open in 2027.
That lack of input isn’t sitting right with some residents. While they’d long known the Conklin Pool that Melrose is replacing needed work, the agreement with a private developer to build a public pool next to new apartments came too quickly and too quietly.
“I remember when we first were discussing the Glenside and the Conklin pools. The conversation felt open,” said Jessica Tkacs of Glenside, adding that she’s worried about the town’s image.
“If we do not handle these issues right now as democratically as possible, we will continue down the path of being looked at as a slimy township that covers up things,” she said.
Sam Thacker, who is suing the township because he believes the contract violates Cheltenham’s bidding rules, spoke multiple times on Wednesday and also shouted out from the crowd, which was standing room-only at the start of the 7:30 p.m. meeting before dwindling to a handful near 11 p.m., with more on Zoom.
Several residents said that although they trust the commissioners and their intentions, they could’ve handled the Melrose project better.
“Accessibility, walkability, connectedness is being built into the Melrose redevelopment plan. Its location will provide significant value to the community,” said John Raisch, who chairs the town’s transportation committee. “I personally trust you, and other residents also trust you. That doesn’t mean we’re perfect, though.”
The commissioners offered new details about the pool project. Both Areman and the finance committee chair, Daniel Norris, said they aim to pay for the pools in full once finished rather than up to $382,500 per year in rent, which is another option in the contract. The two also clarified that the township has already budgeted for the pools in Cheltenham’s capital fund.
But they left other questions unanswered. The developer was required to submit a final pool plan last week to the township, which has two weeks to approve it under the contract. Township officials said they couldn’t disclose whether Cheltenham had the final plan in their possession this week because of Thacker’s lawsuit.
Cheltenham has until Friday to submit their legal argument in that suit, which a Montgomery County judge could rule on as early as next week.
Attendee Amy Fried pointed to a petition Thacker started demanding the township halt the project over transparency and legal concerns as evidence that the worry is widespread.
“You have a fiduciary duty to the township. You also have a duty to the historic value of the township, and the green beauty of the township,” Fried said. “And you have almost 600 people who have signed a petition who are telling you you’re shirking that duty.”
Inquirer Greater Abington
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