Letters: Hammond demolition unneeded; Treasurer has expertise needed for office

Hammond demolition unneeded

Regarding Penn State’s Hammond Building, which is set to be demolished, Zoe Boniface, chair of the State College Planning Commission, said: “It comes from a time when the University seemed to want a fortress between themselves and the rest of the community.” What a twisted use of words to justify something that doesn’t need to be done, wasting more money.

“Community.” What community? The one that’s become a glob of uninviting ugly high-rises?

What about efficient use of space? What about keeping costs down in the face of ever increasing tuition?

Well, go ahead, take it down. I’m out’a here. Just another reason to not visit downtown anymore.

Robert Echard, State College

Treasurer has expertise needed for office

I have been following with interest the publicity concerning the issue of “returned checks” in the local race for the office of county treasurer. Given the length of the article devoted to the question in the Oct. 29 issue of the Centre Daily Times, it surprising that it seems to miss the real the bottom line: not a single penny of county taxpayer money was lost.

Voters need to know that Colleen Kennedy is the only candidate for county treasurer with the appropriate training and credentials. A bit of her expertise is revealed in her patient and detailed answers to the questions raised. Voters also need to know of the efficiencies Ms. Kennedy has brought to the office of treasurer, the increased income in the pension funds due to changes she initiated, and the many other initiatives she has undertaken on behalf of Centre County voters.

Voters who wish to make their vote really count should ask whether they only want someone with the limited experience gained from enrollment in the army or heading up an (unnamed) nonprofit organization; or whether they should insist on Colleen Kennedy, the one candidate with the specialized knowledge and experience necessary to manage the multi-million dollar funds of a complex county. There is much more to the office of county treasurer than issuing hunting licenses; and wise investing of county funds requires knowledge of more sophisticated financial instruments than bank CD’s.

Emilie A. Allan, State College

Young would fill a gap in board’s perspective

This year, I will be voting for Michelle Young for SCASD school board because her knowledge, background, experience and character will be a very positive addition to the board.

I first met Michelle when she ran for school board in 2021. She has remained involved by attending board and committee meetings. She asks thoughtful questions that show she has a good understanding of the complex issues in public education.

As a military veteran, Michelle will fill a gap in the board’s perspective. The military is one of the most racially and socially diverse segments of our society, and the only current board member with military experience, Dan Duffy, is retiring. Michelle’s background working with a wide variety of people in many settings, as well as with large budgets and operations, will add useful expertise to the board.

In addition, Michelle has earned my vote based on her character. She has always been courteous and respectful, even when forcefully voicing her disagreement with a board decision, and even in the face of true nastiness directed toward her.

While Michelle is more conservative than any member of the current board, including me, she is neither an extremist nor a book banner, despite what has been said and written about her. I urge people to watch her C-NET interviews and read her responses to the CDT questions to learn more about her views rather than listen to gossip and stereotyping.

Laurel Zydney, State College. The author is a current State College Area school board member.

ARPA use in Halfmoon

I recently attended the first of several budget meetings planned for Halfmoon Township. I expected to hear and participate in detailed discussions about next year’s budget. The few citizens in attendance and on Zoom were allowed to make comments at the beginning of the meeting but were instructed not to ask questions or comment during the remainder of the meeting.

The meeting proceeded quickly, with the treasurer reading off the proposed amount for each category with few comments from the supervisors. A process that was to occur over several meetings and many hours was quickly dispensed in less than 1 hour, and with only a few questions and no citizen input.

I was disappointed that the $3000,000 in ARPA funds was all earmarked for road resurfacing, including two of the nicer and newer developments in the township and Municipal Lane that certainly needs attention. Road repairs have already been a priority for the supervisors with many projects recently completed and many more planned using typical sources of revenue.

I believe using the one-time ARPA funds for roads violates the spirit of the grant’s intention. These funds were intended to support individuals, businesses and public health services suffering from the detrimental effects of the pandemic. Our Port Matilda Fire Company and Port Matilda EMS were greatly impacted by personnel shortages and facility updates are needed.

I hope for more legitimate uses for ARPA to serve our community’s best interests.

Wayne Foster, Halfmoon Township

A vision for State College

Hi, I am Matt Herndon, and I’m running for the State College Borough Council. I’m a dad in State College dedicated to transforming our community into a more sustainable, affordable, bikeable, walkable, and inclusive place to live. State College has had multiple deaths and injuries from crashes over the years. We just mourned a woman killed simply jogging on the sidewalk. This is not OK, and we must end these senseless tragedies. As a member of the Transportation Commission, I’ve been pushing for updates of our transportation infrastructure to prevent tragic crash deaths, but only the Council truly has the power to make these changes.

We must also address our housing crisis. Lack of housing prevents the vast majority of our workers from actually living here. The same will be true for most children who grow up here and for our parents and other elders who hope to return. It doesn’t have to be this way. Allowing more housing will save farms and wild lands outside of town from being bulldozed and reduce the traffic, pollution, and crashes such developments create. More housing will also create a bigger base of taxable properties, allowing a lower property tax rate and improved government services. To make State College a truly inclusive and safe community we need to build enough housing so those who want to live here can find an affordable home whether they’re retirees, students, or workers.

To learn more about me and my vision for State College visit www.mattherndon.org

Matt Herndon, State College