Luzerne County council

November 2

Council amends, passes federal funding plan

SCRANTON – City Council gave final approval to a $3.2 million submission for 2012 community planning and development programs to be funded under the Community Development Block Grant, Home Investment Partnership, and Emergency Solutions Grant programs on Tuesday.

Vice President Pat Rogan read a list of council’s agreed amendments to the submission, including significant increases to street paving, blight removal, and other improvement projects while removing funding for arts and entertainment programs such as the Scranton Jazz Festival and First Night Scranton.

Council said these amendments were based on the immediate needs of both the city and its residents, who attended a public hearing last month to voice their opposition to a proposed public park on the site of the former Lincoln-Jackson Elementary School among other funding allocations.

The line item for $350,000 to tear down the empty facility and construct a park that would include playground equipment, a pavilion, and green space was removed completely from council’s final submission after residents told council that the park would only foster ongoing crime issues in the neighborhood.

They also felt that the park would be neglected as the nearby Fellows Park and Allen Park allegedly have been for years.

Council had to allow 30 days to pass before final passage of the legislation.

One resident who lives directly across the street from the former school, Michael Passero, invited neighbors and Councilman Jack Loscombe to his home on Academy Street hours before the final vote to discuss these continuing problems.

Neighbors talked about increases in local gang activity and strings of recent robberies in the formerly quiet West Scranton neighborhood, labeling it “a war zone,” as well as citywide issues such as the city’s $6 million budget deficit and taxes.

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