Some Luzerne County American Rescue Plan applicant scores released

Scores of 78 outside entities collectively seeking $60 million of Luzerne County’s federal American Rescue Plan funding are now publicly available.

Councilman Tim McGinley included the scores in his proposed disbursement plan because it would be the basis of what percentage council awards to each entity. Under his plan, those with higher scores would receive a greater percentage of their requested allocation, with the percentage decreasing as scores go down.

Prior publicly-released American Rescue lists were alphabetical or by category with no scores listed.

Further explanation is necessary to understand the scores in McGinley’s proposal, which is posted as an attachment with this week’s council special meeting agenda at luzernecounty.org.

A maximum 75 points were possible. The score on the chart is actually the percentage of 75 points.

For example, the nonprofit Keystone Mission, which focuses on helping the homeless, received the top score from county council members.

As stated on McGinley’s chart, its score is 73.78. That equates to 73.78% of the maximum 75 points, or 55.33 points.

The Willow Foundation in Hazleton ranks second with a score of 73.33 on the chart, which means this nonprofit focused on homelessness in the county’s southern half received 55 out of 75 points.

Three other entities scored above 70: United Way of Wyoming Valley, 72; Second Family Memory Care LLC, 71.47; and Beaver Brook Association, 70.53.

McGinley is suggesting these five entities pay a 5% match.

His proposed match requirements for other categories, along with the scores received by each entity:

• 10% match

Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA, 69.6; Dinners For Kids, 68.13; City of Hazleton, 67.73; Dress for Success Luzerne County, 67.7; Avoca Hose Company No 1, 65.63; Butler Township, 65.63; and The Institute, 65.63.

• 15% match

Swoyersville Little League, 64.93; Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, 64.53; Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania, 63.87; Ruth Matthews Bourger Women with Children Program at Misericordia University, 62.8; Volunteers of America, 62.67; Greater Hazleton Joint Sewer Authority, 62.67; Conyngham Valley Civic Organization, 62.34; IBEW Local 163, 62.4; Berwick Area Joint Sewer Authority, 62.27; Sugarloaf Township, 61.33; Lower South Valley Land Bank, 61.73; Dr. Joseph Costello, 61.63; City of Wilkes-Barre, 60.89; and Oblates of Saint Joseph, 60.53.

• 20% match

Luzerne County Library System, 59.64; Maternal and Family Health Services, Inc., 59.33; Fork Over Love, Inc., 59.15; Ecumenical Enterprises, Inc., 58.93; Allied Services Center City Skilled Nursing, 58.27; NEPA Inclusive, 57.73; Lower South Valley Council of Governments, 57.63; Edwardsville Borough, 57.6; Greater Hazleton Senior Citizens Inc., 57.6; The Food Dignity Project, 57.38; Dallas Area Fall Fair Inc./The Luzerne County Fair, 57.2; City of Pittston/Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance, 57; Common Ground Ministries, 56.8; Jenkins Township, 56.4; West Hazleton Fire Company, 55.73; North Branch Land Trust, 55.6; Newport Township, 55.2; Wyoming Valley Habitat for Humanity, 55.2; and F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, 55.07.

• 25% match

New Roots, Inc., 54.93; Wyoming Borough, 54.4; White Haven Rescue Unit, 54.13; Conyngham Borough, 54; Diamond City Partnership Inc., 53.87; Dallas Area Municipal Authority, 53.73; Parks and Recreation/City of Hazleton, 53.47; Wilkes Barre Metropolitan Development Corporation, 53.47; Plains Township Fire Department, 53.2; Volunteers in Medicine, 52.97; General Municipal Authority of Harveys Lake, 52.93; Back Mountain Recreation Inc., 52.8; United Way of Greater Hazleton, 52.61; Amy Bezek Photography LLC, 52.53; White Haven Fire Company #1, 52.3; Michael C Baloga (The Foot and Ankle Center), 52.13; Candy’s Place Cancer Wellness Center, 52.12; North Lake Improvement Association, 51.56; Michaelene’s Mission, 50.91; DMC Graphics, 49.73; Dupont Borough Municipal Government, 49.47; Wilkes-Barre Area Community Gardens, 48.73; Dantone Vending LLC, 48.27; Swoyersville Parks and Recreation Board, 48.13; Jewish Community Alliance of Northeastern Pennsylvania, 48; Ashley Borough, 47.88; Municipal Authority of Hazle Township, 47.76; Plymouth Borough, 47.6; City of Wilkes-Barre Industrial Development Authority, 47.07; ValentinXStudios, 47.07; Street Art Society of NEPA Inc., 46.53; Staggers Southern Cuisine, 46.4; and Power and Success Inc., 46.07.

McGinley also is proposing caps for awards: municipalities, $2 million; authorities, $1 million; nonprofits, $500,000; private businesses, $100,000; and community groups, $250,000.

Savings from the caps and matches will bring the total below $60 million carved out by council for outside entities, which means more funding would be available for other lower-scoring, eligible applicants, McGinley said.

McGinley said he held off on computing a monetary total of his plan and adding more proposed recipients (and scores) because he wants to see if a council majority is interested in the concept and if, so, whether changes would be suggested. For example, he said council members may want to adjust the matches or number of entities in each group.

Council members agreed they will vote next week on various allocation plans to determine how they will proceed with outside awards, although a vote on the actual recipients and amounts won’t take place until a future meeting.

Two other council members — Matthew Mitchell and Kevin Lescavage — proposed other plans. There’s also talk of merging elements of two or three into one proposal before Tuesday’s voting meeting.

There are still some unknowns related to the list of top scores. For example, some council members said West Pittston should be included because it scored higher than some in the top 78 but was skipped over because its request for funding toward a proposed levee along the Susquehanna River would have exceeded the available funding remaining in the $60 million pot after others with higher scores were funded. Partial funding may be awarded to that project.

Tuesday’s meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre, with a remote attendance link to be posted under council’s online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.