Published Saturday, January 11, 2003
will get chance
to plead case
in support of store
Herald Staff Writer
In 10 days, Salvation Army representatives will plead their case before the zoning hearing board to keep a thrift store open in Sharon.
The hearing, which was originally scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 21 at the city building, has been rescheduled to 7 p.m. that day, said Frank Smeraglia, the city's zoning and code officer.
The Salvation Army opened a thrift store on Fisher Hill in September after receiving a verbal OK to do so from Smeraglia.
In October council received a complaint about a patron parking on the street. City officials told the Salvation Army that the thrift store was in violation of city code, and the only options were to close the store or file for a zoning variance.
Smeraglia said Friday that since the city has posted no-parking signs on Fisher Hill, it's been "very quiet" and there have been no complaints.
Smeraglia said he will speak at the zoning hearing.
In October Smeraglia said he told Salvation Army Capt. Ted Slye the city would allow a thrift store because the Army is a church and Smeraglia considered clothing sales and distribution to be part of church activities. However, the city's solicitor said a thrift store is not a church function.
Closing the store would mean four part-time employees would lose their jobs, the public would lose a service and the Salvation Army would lose the startup money it put into the store, according to the Salvation Army.
As of Friday, the Salvation Army had gathered more than 300 signatures on a petition supporting the store. The petition has been on the counter in the store since the Army learned it may have to close the shop.
Customers and employees who were in the store on Friday said they were saddened after learning the store may close.
"I am distressed. I've been truly upset since I heard about it," said Michele Zolnier of Sharpsville, who frequents the store almost every Friday and Saturday.
"There are nice things here, in good shape and affordable, plus they have sales. How can you go wrong?"
"This is a nice quaint little place," she said.
Herald photographer Suzanne Bobosky contributed to this story.