A Schuylkill County judge on Friday denied a former Shenandoah councilwoman’s petition for an emergency injunction to halt construction of a new Borough garage on park property.
Judge James Goodman denied the motion after it was revealed that the Greater Shenandoah Chamber of Commerce would not exercise a reversionary clause in the deed to Bicentennial Park. That clause would have returned the nearly 8-acre property, located along Herald Road, to the chamber – which donated it 56 years ago – if the Borough used it for a purpose other than recreation.
Last month, Shenandoah commenced construction of a garage facility in a corner of the park, near the site of the current Borough garage on the same land. Borough officials say the new garage is needed because the current one, built in 2006, is unsafe and inadequate for storing the Borough’s trash truck.
However, the decision to build on Bicentennial Park drew objections from some residents, including Katie Catizone, a former councilwoman whose term ended in 2025. Catizone filed a motion for an emergency preliminary injunction to stop construction, arguing it violated the deed restriction limiting the property to recreational use.
Deed Restriction Removed
As he convened court on Friday afternoon, Goodman said the chamber’s decision to withdraw the restriction made the injunction hearing moot.
“It changes the game,” he told the parties.
Catizone, representing herself, disagreed. “I don’t think it does,” she replied to Goodman.
Shenandoah was represented by Solicitor James Crossen and Special Counsel Maria Casey, whom the Borough retained this year to investigate alleged financial irregularities of previous administrations.
Goodman asked Catizone to call her first witness to outline her argument for halting construction. Catizone said she did not have any witnesses planned and believed her court filings spoke for themselves.
“You’re not going to meet your burden (of proof) without witnesses,” the judge told Catizone. “There’s no way you can meet your burden.”
When Catizone began discussing other issues – including allegations that building the garage violates several Borough ordinances and state laws – Goodman noted the sole purpose of Friday’s hearing was to rule on the deed restriction.
Following Goodman’s decision, Catizone stated in court that she planned to appeal. She also has a separate pending complaint against Shenandoah citing those additional allegations not specific to the deed restriction.
“We’re not going to let this go”
In the hallway outside Courtroom 7, Catizone told Coal Region Canary, “We’re not going to let this go.” She expressed frustration with the legal process, stating that this type of litigation is “not really built for the people” and acknowledging she faced an uphill battle representing herself.
“I’m going to continue to do what I can for the people because it’s their property,” she said.
Backing Catizone’s cause in court on Friday was Lillian Martinez and a group from Shenandoah’s Latino community. Martinez said the Borough should use the money spent on the garage to improve the park for the community’s children.
“We don’t have that for the kids,” she said. “How can you take something that doesn’t belong to you, that belongs to the people of Shenandoah, and think that you can use it for something other than for them?”
Borough Manager: “Thank God we won”
Borough Manager Mike Cadau and council members in attendance Friday welcomed Goodman’s decision to deny Catizone’s injunction request.
Cadau said the Borough had to spend thousands of dollars to fight an injunction request that he felt had no merit.
He added that if Goodman’s decision had gone in Catizone’s favor, the borough would have lost the entire park. Chamber Solicitor Robert Matta testified Friday that the organization lacked the financial means to maintain the property if it reverted to them.
Responding to residents who argue the Borough is taking away recreation space by building the new garage, Cadau said, “Thank God that we won, because the recreation space would have been gone.”
He said the new garage’s location – a corner of the property often used to dump old Christmas trees – was “dead space” and does not impact current recreation areas. Cadau added the Borough has a plan in place to enhance recreation space in Shenandoah.
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Pappy T
June 14, 2026 at 3:46 pm
Of course Goodman got his pockets lined to have this outcome. He’s a despicable troll for judge, but it’s Kagaroo Court for ya