Luzerne County administration reviewing rail line agreement

Luzerne County’s administration is asking the county Redevelopment Authority and related Rail Corp. to refrain from entering into any agreements related to its 55-mile train track for 60 days.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo said during Tuesday’s county council meeting that the administration is seeking the freeze so it can conduct a comprehensive review of past county agreements involving the rail.

She stressed she is not implying any wrongdoing and said she initiated the review when Redevelopment Authority Board Chairman Scott Linde, while speaking about another matter, furnished a copy of a 2022 appraisal of a Kingston rail section for a rail-to-trail project.

The redevelopment authority is also preparing to seek proposals from prospective rail operators to determine if it will keep current operator R.J. Corman Railroad Group after its contract expires the end of this year or switch to another company.

The agreements referenced by Crocamo that are now under review stem from a 2001 decision by prior commissioners to provide a loan to the authority to safeguard the rail line.

Commissioners acted because the authority was in danger of defaulting on its mortgage and losing ownership of the track network. Approximately 25 businesses served by the rail line had pushed for county financial assistance at that time, saying $50 million in salaries and thousands of jobs were in jeopardy.

Since then, the authority must forward money it generates from the rail operation to the county to repay the loan. The current outstanding balance was not immediately available, but a published 2018 report indicated the authority owed $1.8 million to the county and $1.56 million to the county community development business loan fund that year.

The redevelopment authority owns the rail line, and the Rail Corp. maintains a lease agreement with the rail operator, officials said.

Crocamo said Tuesday the county is “committed to exploring viable options that serve our community’s best interests.”

“Luzerne County deserves a rail system that maximally enhances our business opportunities,” she said.

If portions of the existing rail line are deemed inoperable, county officials must consider the development of a “rails to trails” initiative, offering a recreational pathway that can boost tourism and community engagement while preserving the land, she said.

Council Chairman John Lombardo said many residents have approached council members in recent years about reconnecting and reactivating some county rail lines, possibly for passenger excursions. This addition would greatly boost the Wyoming Valley’s economic development, he said.

Union contracts

In other business Tuesday, council approved two new collective bargaining agreements with detectives and county prison workers.

The vote for the prison contract was unanimous, while four council members voted against the detective contract — Harry Haas, Kevin Lescavage, Chris Perry and Brian Thornton. Thornton had said he could not support the detective proposal due to compensation “escalations.”

Detectives are represented by the Luzerne County Detectives Association and have the option to proceed to binding arbitration if negotiations reach an impasse.

According to a synopsis provided by Crocamo:

The new four-year detective agreement will run from Jan. 1, 2025, through the end of 2028. Detectives hired before Jan. 1, 2021, will receive 3% wage increases annually. Detectives hired after Jan. 1, 2021, will receive increases to bring their annual compensation to the following amounts: 2025, $65,000; 2026, $70,000; 2027, $73,000; and 2028, $76,273.

County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce has said compensation must be addressed to help with retention and recruitment. Detectives handle major investigations countywide, and the average salary for new municipal police officers in the county now exceeds $70,000, the DA has said.

Prison workers are represented by LIUNA Public Service Employees’ Union, Local 1300.

County Chief Solicitor Harry W. Skene said the five-year prison contract will provide 3% compensation increases annually.

It also has a new process to determine seniority that considers more than years of service, he said. Correctional officers will have an opportunity to gain points in performance categories, such as testing, he said.

The code of ethics was also revamped to clearly spell out disciplinary procedures and personnel rules, Skene said.