District 2 Councilman Jack Perry has roiled arson victims Joe and Sonny Lasick after he lashed out against their temporary liquor store business in local newsletter Berwyn News.

“We must insist that development on route #1 [sic] consists of more than a liquor store in a ‘double wide,'” wrote Perry in his monthly column, “City Council Musings.”

“Think outside of the box, for future College Park. We hope it will be around as long as some of the ‘junk’ that exists has.”

The Lasicks have housed a liquor store in a double-wide trailer since June, when they opened the temporary business to restore cash flow after their Route 1 restaurant and liquor store was destroyed in an arson last November.

“That [trailer] is simply there so we can pay the bills,” Joe Lasick said of the liquor store. “We’ll have a final design within a month. We’re doing everything we can to get going.”

Sonny Lasick, Joe’s father, said after everyone had been helpful and supportive following the fire, he was shocked that Perry had a problem with development plans.

“I don’t know why anyone would want to kick somebody while they’re down,” the elder Lasick said. “We’re trying to get back on our feet.”

Perry said in an interview he was very sorry the Lasicks’ store burned down, but was unapologetic about his column that criticized their property.

“We all have setbacks,” Perry said. “But when he put that trailer there it showed me what his priorities are.”

Perry said he would have preferred the Lasicks to join with other property owners to create a larger section of land that would have been more suitable for mixed-use development, including residential housing.

“The fire on his property created a unique opportunity,” Perry said. “If you combine it with the Hillcrest [Motor Court], you come up with a sizable parcel that is very developable.”

On a larger parcel, Perry said, Lasick would be able to have his restaurant and liquor store alongside other businesses. But if Lasick moves forward with plans, Perry said, the smaller sections of land are undevelopable, and “you’re going to end up with hodge-podge cracker-jack development,” he said.

“If that’s what we have to look forward to on Route 1, it doesn’t set me on fire and get me excited,” Perry said. “It disappoints me. Maybe we will have newer, but not better.”

Mayor Stephen Brayman said Perry did not represent the majority view of the council, and said he understood the Lasicks’ trailer was only temporary.

“I wish them success in developing the plan and a successful rebuilding proposal,” Brayman said. “Unfortunately, Mr. Perry does, at times both on the council and off the council, become extremely abrasive. And that is very unfortunate.”

Brayman said while he recalled Perry expressing concern at past council meetings regarding the Lasick property, the council had found it very difficult to join parcels of land elsewhere in College Park, despite incentives offered by the council to property owners.

“It’s not an easy task,” Brayman said. “We have not seen that happen very often. It’s up to the owners.”

Joe Lasick said he was disheartened by Perry’s comments, especially considering they were put into print in a newsletter delivered to people’s homes, but he vowed to move forward.

“For him to put that on the front porch of everybody’s house in my father’s hometown … It’s discouraging. I thought we were doing good,” Joe Lasick said.

Contact reporter Kevin Litten at littendbk@gmail.com.