From our vantage point in the county seat, the political scene up north in Slippery Rock looks much like the formation of battle lines, this time over a downtown renewal initiative they’re calling the Gateway Project.

What’s odd about that is we thought the battle was over on Nov. 7.

This past week, the seven-member borough council reviewed three contractor bids for the Gateway project, before awarding a contract for the apparent low bid of $330,000 from McElroy Paving.

But “apparent” is a sticky word. It often is when discussing Slippery Rock municipal government.

And $330,000 won’t be the final bill. It might be less. It might be more.

It all depends on 12 options built into the bid specifications, what the borough’s project manager, John Trant, described as “a menu” of add-ons that council can choose to do now or later, if ever.

Council already erased a few of the options — a big clock, a wall for benches, irrigation for flower beds and fancy landscaping with a redundant “Welcome to Slippery Rock” sign. Councilman Tom McPherson had the sense to point out that “We don’t need a welcome sign in the middle of town” when welcome signs are already posted at the town’s entry points.

The Gateway Project has a core of validity: the vacant building that once headquartered the First National Bank of Slippery Rock needs to be demolished to recover a key piece of real estate.

But somehow the demolition turned into something more grandiose. And with council members discussing the possibility of change-order requests even as they vote, there’s a looming feeling that the project’s scope and price could both escalate quickly.

Development is nothing to oppose. Attractive villages require planning, coordination and money.

But we question the wisdom of putting the borough’s elected governing body in direct charge of such a project while giving it free access to the general fund to pursue their aims — particularly for a contract bid so loosely as to have a dozen options and change-order opportunities at every turn.

So did the voters when they ousted the current council president, Regina Greenwald, on Nov. 8 and elected three newcomers, Russel D. Karl, Itzi Meztli and Eugene Allison by wide margins.

This is what Meztli said on Election Night: “I knew it was between Regina and I, and it was two to one. It’s clear that the voters of Slippery Rock Borough do not want the Gateway Park and parking lot project to proceed.”

Greenwald defended Tuesday’s vote to award the Gateway contract: She said she was relieved it passed. She’s confident the action satisfies those she has heard voice support for the project.

It’s a wonder that more of those Gateway proponents did not show their support for the council president who backed it in the Nov. 7 election.

—TAH