Luzerne County Council OKs another $1M American Rescue allocation

Instead of waiting two more weeks, Luzerne County Council approved a $1 million federal American Rescue Plan allocation to address deteriorated stretches of county-owned St. Mary’s Road in Dorrance and Hollenback townships.

Originally slated for work session discussion Tuesday, council agreed to proceed with a vote on the earmark, saying the allocation to the county’s road and bridge department already had been planned during last year’s budget deliberations but never advanced.

It’s part of an ongoing push to fix neglected roads and bridges as funds become available.

Council also voted Tuesday to use $1.8 million in American Rescue Plan funding to repair county-owned Main Road in Hunlock and Ross townships, which had ranked high on the county’s priority repair list. That funding became available for reprogramming because the original earmarked project — Sweet Valley Road in Ross Township — will now be covered by a federal Highway Infrastructure Program Appropriation Act allocation secured with assistance from U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, officials said Tuesday.

In the St. Mary’s Road project, contractor Pennsy Supply will focus on areas that have potholes and cracks because the underlying base is too thin, said county Engineer Lawrence Plesh.

The contractor cuts out sections and adds more base in a process known as “mechanical edge pavement,” Plesh said, noting many county roadways have issues due to insufficient bases.

Separate from the plans approved Tuesday, council previously made two American Rescue earmarks related to county-owned roads — $9.96 million to address stormwater issues along roads and $600,000 to redo Kirby Avenue in Fairview Township.

The county has approximately 120 miles of roads and 300 bridges scattered within its boundaries, many inherited from municipalities during the Great Depression, officials said.

After deducting the new $1 million for St. Mary’s Road, the county has approximately $7 million in unallocated American Rescue funding remaining, officials said.

Councilman Kevin Lescavage has been urging colleagues to earmark $6 million for runway improvements and other projects at the county-owned Wyoming Valley Airport in Forty Fort and Wyoming.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo announced Tuesday that the administration has received final verification from its American Rescue consultant that the airport work would meet federal eligibility requirements for funding, in part because the complex operates an in-demand pilot training program and serves as a fueling station for medevac and law enforcement aircraft.

Council is expected to discuss the proposed airport allocation at its July 25 meeting along with options for a public relief program covered by $5 million in American Rescue funding council already had set aside for that purpose.

Other votes

Council approved a $4,500 settlement to close out litigation filed by prior employee Leonard D. Omolecki Jr. alleging the county failed to compensate him for accumulated sick and vacation days and severance pay.

Four citizens were appointed to county boards: Vincent Fayock, county Redevelopment Authority; Kathy Grinaway and Thomas McGrath, Northeastern Pennsylvania Hospital and Higher Education Authority; and Patrick Coffey, county Planning Commission.