Proposed Luzerne County Council resolution advocates increased black lung benefits

Luzerne County Council is set to vote Tuesday on a resolution urging federal legislators to support legislation assisting disabled coal miners, including increasing monthly black lung benefit rates, the agenda said.

The resolution said the county’s rich assets and heritage include mined coal that “has fueled the United States for over a century.”

“One of the consequences of our history of coal mining has been that generations of our families and communities have suffered from high rates of black lung disease, an incurable and fatal disease caused by exposure to coal and silica dust,” it said.

Thousands of miners disabled by black lung disease and their dependents rely on federal black lung benefits, including 109 county residents based on 2024 statistics, it said.

The proposed resolution notes black lung benefits are not tied to cost-of-living or inflation increases.

Council’s Tuesday meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Instructions for the remote attendance option will be posted under council’s online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

Council also plans to vote Tuesday on a proposed county voting system switch and a “responsible contractor ordinance.”

Real estate

Council’s Real Estate Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday in the county courthouse.

This committee discusses and makes recommendations on matters related to county-owned property.

Council members LeeAnn McDermott, Jimmy Sabatino, Kevin Lescavage and Brittany Stephenson serve on the committee.

Remote attendance instructions will be posted in council’s online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.

General election

The county election bureau and election equipment supplier Dominion Voting Systems will start required public logic and accuracy testing Tuesday for the Nov. 4 general election.

The testing will begin with a brief presentation at 1 p.m. in the voting warehouse at 135 Water St. in Wilkes-Barre. Entry is at the rear of the building.

Poll workers also are needed at several locations for the general election, officials said during last week’s election board meeting.

Six voting precincts have judge of elections vacancies, the bureau said: Avoca Ward 1, Dorrance Township, Edwardsville Ward 2, Hazle Township Ward 1, Larksville Ward 2 and Pittston Ward 1, the bureau said.

Several precincts are short on poll workers, including Edwardsville, the bureau said.

Those interested should contact the bureau at 570-825-1715 or email [email protected].

American Rescue

County council recently approved four modifications to previously granted federal American Rescue Plan Act funded projects.

The changes, according to the agenda submissions:

• The nonprofit Dress for Success Luzerne County had been awarded $147,150 toward its work to help struggling women become economically self-sufficient through support services, skill workshops and the supplying of workforce clothing and accessories. The funding has been spent, but the performance period had to be extended to Sept. 30, 2024, due to the timing of bill payments.

• The Northeast Pennsylvania Land Bank had received a $500,000 earmark to renovate vacant, abandoned properties. Council approved the land bank authority’s request to shift $144,500 allocated for acquisition, demolition and professional services to the construction portion of the project budget — a change needed to rehabilitate two residential properties.

• The county operational services division had been awarded $227,038 for renovation work at the county’s Penn Place Building in Wilkes-Barre. However, the administration is canceling the earmark so the funds can be applied to another internal county project that falls in the same American Rescue category — improvements at the Wyoming Valley Airport in Forty Fort and Wyoming. Council is set to discuss the additional airport allocation at Tuesday’s work session, which follows the voting meeting.

• Ryba’s Auto Sales in Sugarloaf Township had been awarded $80,000 to expand a showroom. Council agreed to extend its project completion deadline from June 30 to Oct. 31 due to the timing of a meeting related to the occupancy permit.

Councilman Harry Haas voted against the Ryba’s Auto Sales request at the Sept. 9 council meeting, but all others were unanimously approved by the 10 council members in attendance. Council Vice Chairman Brian Thornton was absent.