Elizabeth Raible is pictured addressing the council regarding last Wednesday’s RDA special meeting.

Concerns over the handling of a recent Redevelopment Authority (RDA) special meeting spilled into Monday night’s City Council meeting, where residents described the June 10 gathering as disorganized and called for additional training on Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act and public meeting procedures.

The controversy stems from a special RDA meeting that drew an unusually large crowd to discuss the future of the long-vacant property at 231-237 Pennsylvania Avenue West. The meeting was initially held in a small first-floor room before being moved to Council Chambers after attendance exceeded the room’s capacity.

The meeting centered on whether the authority would award a demolition contract for the former Eagles Crest project site or continue negotiations with the Warren Heritage Community Alliance, a local nonprofit group seeking to rehabilitate the historic building.

After nearly two hours of public comment and discussion, the RDA declined to award a demolition contract and instead voted to revisit the redevelopment proposal at a future meeting, keeping alive the possibility of preserving the structure.

During Monday’s City Council meeting, Planning Commission Chair Elizabeth Raible criticized the handling of the June 10 gathering.

“I just want to say that the meeting was a complete disaster,” Raible told the council. “It reflected very poorly upon the city, and I think it needs to be addressed in a serious way.”

Raible said the meeting should not have been scheduled in a room with a maximum occupancy of 24 people given the public interest surrounding the issue. She said some attendees were initially unable to gain access to the meeting.

She also alleged that city staff acted inappropriately during the meeting and raised concerns about requests made regarding the recording of public proceedings, citing protections contained in Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act.

In addition, Raible urged city officials to provide formal training on both the Sunshine Act and Robert’s Rules of Order to members who chair public boards and commissions.

“It is a liability when we cannot accurately and appropriately navigate these public meetings, especially when the stakes are really high, ” Raible said.

Planning Commission Vice Chair and Warren Heritage Community Alliance board member Ron Peterson echoed Raible’s concerns, questioning why the meeting was held in a small room despite anticipated public turnout.

Peterson also questioned whether adequate notice had been provided to the public and urged city leaders to demonstrate greater respect for residents.

Responding Monday to the criticism of the special meeting, Council Vice-President Danielle Flasher acknowledged the concerns and said corrective steps are already being discussed. She stated the city is planning Sunshine Act training for council members, city staff and members of city boards and authorities.

“Council and some of the city staff are going to be taking that training so there is a mutual understanding of what the Sunshine Act is and how it functions to ensure that this doesn’t occur again,” Flasher said.

Flasher also explained that Council Chambers were unavailable when the June 10 meeting began because a training session had already been scheduled in the room.

“That does not justify what happened,” Flasher said. “But just for an explanation, this room was occupied when the meeting started.”

The city’s solicitor Andrea Stapleford also addressed questions regarding potential Sunshine Act violations. While noting she was not present at the June 10 meeting and could not comment on specific allegations, she explained that if a violation occurs, a public body may need to reconvene and properly conduct business at a subsequent meeting that complies with all legal requirements.

Residents who believe violations occurred may contact the chair of the affected authority or pursue the formal complaint process available under Pennsylvania law, the solicitor said.

However, not all comments were critical of the RDA.

Former Warren RDA board member and treasurer Douglas Hearn offered a different perspective, emphasizing the complexity of redevelopment negotiations and defending the authority’s procedures.

Hearn said his recent resignation from the RDA was based on personal reasons unrelated to the current marketplace project or other matters before the authority. He stressed the authority’s request-for-proposals process for a Pennsylvania Avenue property was designed to ensure fairness and transparency.

“The RDA is an independent authority, separate from the day-to-day operations of the city,” Hearn said. “Its members are citizens of Warren who volunteer their time in service to the community.”

Hearn urged residents to keep discussions focused on facts and solutions rather than accusations.

Council members thanked residents for their comments and indicated that discussions regarding the meeting and future training efforts will continue.