Luzerne County Children and Youth seeking outside transportation assistance

Luzerne County Children and Youth is seeking proposals from outside entities for transportation services, according to a new online posting.

Children and Youth is exploring this service, in part, because some children are placed in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the administration said.

“This would save workers a lot of time and overtime. Additionally, it will help caseworkers because we are short-staffed. Some of this transporting takes them an entire day,” the agency said in a statement about the option. “The agency leadership is excited about it.”

The transportation service also may be used to get some parents and children to court proceedings and visits, the administration said.

Posted under the purchasing page at luzernecounty.org, the request-for-proposals says the winning company must have current clearances (FBI, child abuse and criminal) and completion of basic first aid and CPR training for all workers involved in the transportation. The winning respondent also must provide all age-appropriate child restraint systems, it said.

Vendors also must have experience, qualifications and delivery fleet and facilities to handle this type of contract, it said.

Responses are due July 10.

Transportation requests will come from the casework staff, it said.

Grant request

County council unanimously voted last week to seek a $200,000 U.S. Department of Transportation “Safe Streets and Roads” grant to develop a comprehensive safety action plan.

County Planning/Zoning Director Matthew Jones told council the plan would identify troublesome roads based on statistics of fatalities and injuries and present methods to address safety issues. The plan would cover all roads, not only those that are county-owned, he said.

Completion of these plans is necessary to be eligible to receive grants to address these issues from $1 billion in federal infrastructure funds expected to be available annually the next few years, Jones said, noting neighboring Lackawanna County already has secured a grant to complete its safety action study.

If successful, the county has budgeted funds available to provide a $50,000 match for the study, Jones said.

While the plan would hinge heavily on injury and death statistics, Jones said the county would seek input from the public, council and other area officials on roadways of concern.

Public transportation

County council is drafting letters to elected officials in Carbon and Schuylkill counties urging them to contribute funding toward public bus services for their residents provided by Hazleton Public Transit.

Council had voted earlier this month to provide a $208,415 local match needed for the agency to secure $2.67 million in state operating assistance, with the understanding letters would be sent imploring these counties to start contributing a portion.

The neighboring counties have not acted on past requests for funding.

In the most recent vote to approve the allocation, county Councilman Kevin Lescavage made a motion to reduce the match to $180,415 by deducting the portion he said falls on the other two counties. A council majority rejected the reduction but agreed to send formal letters to Carbon and Schuylkill.

Councilman Chris Perry recommended the letters include specific details about the number of passengers and routes provided to residents of the other two counties.

Council members also discussed a need for Hazleton Public Transit and the Luzerne County Transportation Authority to convene meetings to plan more ways they can work together to improve services and efficiencies countywide.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo told council there “are a lot of opportunities” and that she will work on that initiative.