Local businessman says he restores classic cars, doesn’t run ‘junkyard’

Since final yr, the previous Freysinger automobile dealership residence at the east aspect of Bloomfield Borough has been the object of a tense battle between a former council member and the previous codes enforcement officer.

But the human being occupying the property says he’s building a organization to restore outdated autos as his retirement hustle, and he resents remaining framed as jogging an alleged junkyard by Wayne Lesher, a former council member and regional construction business proprietor.

“I restore automobiles, and I have a comprehensive-time work,” said Greg Arsenault to Bloomfield council at its meeting on April 5.

He mentioned Mayor Ed Albright urged him to pay a visit to council and reveal what he’s doing at the former car dealership so there’s no confusion. Albright is the previous borough code enforcement officer who sparred with Lesher previous yr around Arsenault’s use of the residence.

Arsenault is an government with a manufacturing enterprise and splits time concerning central Pennsylvania and its places of work in South Carolina. In accordance to his Linkedin profile, he’s vice president of income and advertising at AMBAC Intercontinental, a manufacturer of diesel gasoline injection programs for engines across various industries. He has affiliate levels in organization administration and mechanical engineering, and 36 years of experience in manufacturing.

He’s also lively in his community church and cares about the community, he explained.

But in his spare time, he’s an car enthusiast and enjoys restoring common and antique automobiles to doing work buy. That’s what he’s undertaking at the auto dealership, the place he has autos for sale and is doing the job to construct a 2nd business that he can delight in in his retirement, he mentioned.

Last year, Albright issued a zoning permit for the property’s use, but Lesher contended Arsenault was simply just employing the dealership to acquire junk and inoperable automobiles. He has alleged it is an improperly certified junkyard.

The dispute led to Lesher suing the borough expressing its inconsistent application of zoning ordinances amounted to discrimination. The fit alleged lack of documentation for many zoning permits from Albright was proof of that advertisement-hoc system. Lesher withdrew the lawsuit in advance of it ever went just before a judge.

Lesher was on the agenda to handle council about its zoning ordinances on Tuesday but did not attend the conference. Albright attended the conference but gave his regular stories early and left ahead of Arsenault resolved council.

Arsenault explained the property’s appearance in the earlier may well have given the wrong perception.

“When we initially started out, matters ended up helter-skelter and all over the place,” he said.

But given that then, he’s cleaned up. He leases the assets but would like to buy it in the potential if entrepreneurs are agreeable, he claimed. There is even now a lot more perform to do.

“Hopefully, you are going to see some enhancement as time goes on,” Arsenault said.

Other news

Council permitted a resolution supporting the Perry County Financial Advancement Authority’s (PCEDA) Major Avenue program application with the point out. That makes Bloomfield the eighth borough to approve it. The last just one is Duncannon. Participation in the plan would necessarily mean addition courses and funding that could aid Perry boroughs make improvements to their downtown company districts by means of grant and bank loan applications.

Council employed James Kitner to be the new parking enforcement officer. He is predicted to get started on April 18.

Council also agreed to get new email addresses for the borough’s officers as a result of Office 365 linked with its new internet site. The borough’s IT marketing consultant Ned Zook experienced recommended the services which will cost less than $10 per month. Council President Malinda Anderson mentioned borough e mail handle would hold almost everything in one position for accountability and to stay clear of working with own e mail addresses.

Council is also reminding citizens that they are expected to cleanse up just after their puppies when walking them, and that the borough will be cracking down on people today who do not. Community ordinances levy a $600 great for failure to clean up up dog feces.

Jim T. Ryan can be reached through e-mail at [email protected]