Coatesville Redevelopment Chairman Joe 'Zeke' Disciullo found himself once again explaining how the deal to sell part of the Flats to developer Carl Chetty and who is paying for the dirt being trucked to the Flats.

Disciullo, who lost a bid for an at-large council seat in November, said that at the RDA meeting in November there was some legal language in the sales agreement. Chetty is purchasing the section of the Flats north of the railroad bridge to build 84 townhouses.

According to Disciullo, the RDA voted 4 to 1 to authorize him to sign the agreement once RDA Solicitor Pat O'Donnell straightened out the language. Disciullo said that was done and he went ahead and signed the agreement. "I thought I was authorized," he said following Tuesday's RDA meeting.

But at December's meeting, the question of the sale again surfaced. "O'Donnell leaned over to me and said why didn't I call for another vote (on the Chetty sale)." said Disciullo said. "So, I did." The vote again was 4 to 1. On both occasions authority member Harry Colon cast the lone dissenting vote.

Disciullo also reported that developer Don Pulver is paying for the moving of tons of dirt from the site where he plans to build a hotel and office building along Route 82 just north of the city's depressed downtown business district to the Flats.

Disciullo said the RDA is only paying for erosion and runoff control. He said a silt barrier is already in place to prevent the dirt from running into the Brandywine Creek.

According to Disciullo, an agreement was worked out with Pulver to lower the $350,000 price for the air rights above the property by $70,000, providing he took care of moving the dirt. Pulver is not buying the property, only the air rights. Construction is now underway only on site improvements. Pulver has five years to start construction of the hotel.

The dirt that is now being removed from the hotel site was placed there by Carl Chetty during the building of Millview. Then City Manager Paul Janssen wanted the dirt for the proposed Iron Hawk Golf Course. The golf course died after a protracted legal battle with Dick Saha whose farm the city had seized through its eminent domain powers.