The Coatesville Redevelopment Authority (RDA) approved at its Oct. 15 meeting joining in the auction. City Manager Harry Walker, who doubles as executive director of the RDA, said the money from the sale will be divided among the property owners. If the city owns the property, said Walker, the city will get the property. If it's owned by the RDA, he said, the RDA will be get the money.

The proposed auction comes at a time both the RDA and the city are strapped for money. Next year the RDA must pay aback a $7 million loan borrowed by the Janssen Administration to buy up properties strategic to the city's revitalization, such as the purchase of the Flats. And the city has a $1.2 million hole is this year's budget caused by its failure to sell property mostly purchased for the new defunct regional recreation center.

According to Kirby Hudson, assistant city manger, the idea is to auction all 17 properties in "one shot." He said the auction could be held as soon as January. Also, he said, getting rid of some city-owned properties would prevent the city from being in violation of Operation Beautification, a city initiative to force owners of blighted property to repair them or face their demolition. "We will demolish them and then bill them," Walker said when presenting Operation Beautification at the Sept. 26 council meeting.

Meanwhile, council voted to table the sale of the A. Duie Pyle Co. located along Route 340 near the intersection of Route 82. The city purchased the property in 2001 from A. Duie Pyle for a reported $425,000 plus relocation costs. Now the trucking firm want to buy it back for $670,000, a figure revealed only through the prodding of Council Member Ed Simpson at the Oct. 10 council meeting.

At its Oct. 23 meeting, council tabled the sale until it could be learned how the trucking firm planned to use the property.