Resident questions council over use of former school building

A Lehighton man has once again expressed his frustration with the handling of a former school building.

Resident Ed Conarty recently conveyed his dissatisfaction to borough council regarding the use of the Pfc. Clyde R. Houser Jr. Building/Borough Annex at 110 N. Third St.

Currently, the former Lehighton Junior High School building houses offices for Pathstone Head Start, Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit and state Rep. Doyle Heffley.

The annex was converted by the borough into office space in the mid-1990s. The borough obtained grants and loans for the project.

Conarty told council when they initially bought the building, they wanted to put municipal offices in it, and paid to have a study done to see if it was feasible without burdening the taxpayers.

He said he also was upset that they wrote tenant leases for occupancy that was for less square footage than what it actually was.

“This is taxpayers’ money that’s going away,” Conarty said.

Following a series of negative remarks made by Conarty, council President Grant Hunsicker interjected.

“I think your five minutes are up, Ed,” Hunsicker said.

“Because you don’t want to hear the truth,” Conarty retorted. “I’d like another five minutes.”

Conarty said council previously had an opportunity in the past to sell it to a developer who wanted to put 31 apartments in.

“That’s the way taxpayers’ money is being wasted,” he said.

Over the years, Conarty has routinely peppered council with questions pertaining to the building.