Luzerne County may allocate more funding for road repairs

Luzerne County Council is set to vote Tuesday to allocate $1 million in interest earnings on federal American Rescue Plan funding for county-owned road repair and maintenance projects, officials said.

Council Vice Chairman John Lombardo said the idea came up as he and colleagues Tim McGinley, Gregory S. Wolovich Jr. and Carl Bienias III have been combing through the county’s proposed, no-tax-hike 2024 budget.

“In keeping with the current council’s dedication to improving our roads and bridges, we want to allocate a little extra money when we can to move us ahead in furthering that mission,” Lombardo said.

Council already had earmarked $9.96 million in American Rescue funding to largely address stormwater issues along many county-owned roads.

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

Also on Tuesday’s agenda are votes to seek casino-gambling funding to address two county-owned roads — Oakhill Road in Wright Township and Blytheburn Road in Dorrance and Rice Townships.

Requests for gambling Local Share Account, or LSA, funds typically must be submitted through certain entities, including redevelopment authorities and municipalities. However, the county is seeking road funding through a separate statewide grant program and is permitted to apply for those gambling funds directly, county officials said.

While applications seeking a share of locally-designated gambling funding were due Sept. 30, the submission deadline is Nov. 30 for the statewide gambling funds.

If the application request is approved, the county will seek $950,000 for Oak Hill Road, which is located in the Crestwood Industrial Park. No match would be required.

Approximately 1.5 miles would be improved with the funding.

“The road improvements are required in order to address the seriously deteriorated condition and additional stormwater needs,” the proposed application said. “Action is required to ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods into and out of the Crestwood Industrial Park.”

More than 3,000 work in the Crestwood Industrial Park.

The county would request $997,230 to design and complete road improvements on a 2.2-mile stretch of Blytheburn Road, including pavement reconstruction and guiderail replacement, the proposed application said. This section would run from Stairville Road to County Road #20, it said.

Approximately 1,200 vehicles travel on Blytheburn Road daily, according to the county planning department’s most recent traffic count, it said.

Hazleton annex

Council also is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the administration’s proposal to lease space in Hazleton City Hall to reactivate a southern county annex.

The Hazleton City Hall lease would be $6,450 per month, or $77,400 annually, and run from Jan. 1, 2024 through the end of 2026, with options for four additional one-year renewals at a rate negotiated by both parties.

The lease expense was factored in the administration’s proposed 2024 budget.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo said she would have a satellite office at Hazleton City Hall under the plan along with representatives of the recorder of deeds, register of wills, prothonotary (civil court records/filings), clerk of courts (criminal court records/filings), treasurer’s, assessment and elections departments. Gun permits also would be processed there.

County court officials also plan to add a southern central court and space for probation officers and the Hazleton magisterial district court office, she said.

The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, or AOPC, would have to approve the establishment of a southern central court and relocation of the Hazleton magisterial office. Relocating the magisterial court would save $62,676 annually because the county pays $5,223 per month to lease space on East Broad Street in Hazleton for this magisterial court, officials said.

Hazleton Magisterial District Judge Joseph Zola has informed the court he will be retiring the end of this year, which means the office may be filled by a legislative appointee for the remaining two years of his term, officials have said.

The last southern annex ended in September 2005, when prior majority county commissioners stopped leasing space on Broad Street in Hazleton on a suspicion of toxic mold that was later deemed unfounded. Today, that building houses state legislative offices.