Luzerne County Council to review more requests for American Rescue funding

Two outside entities — the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority and the North East Pennsylvania Land Bank Authority — are asking county council for American Rescue Plan allocations.

The flood protection authority, which oversees the Wyoming Valley Levee along the Susquehanna River, is seeking $8 million for a range of projects.

A regional entity focused on blight reduction, the land bank authority is requesting $500,000.

Both requests are on tonight’s county council work session agenda along with a discussion on the administration’s proposal to earmark up to $20 million to provide grants to small businesses to help them weather financial hardships and insecurity stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.

In total, the county is receiving $113 million in federal American Rescue funding, with the second half expected to arrive in May.

To date, council has earmarked $924,000 to cover its public transportation matches and $4 million for work at the county prison and information technology department.

Levee

The flood authority listed more than 20 requests and cited sections of the final federal regulations that it believes make them eligible for American Rescue funding.

In response, the county administration performed its own review and determined some of the listed items qualify, while others do not. Further evaluation is needed on a few, it said.

County Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo said Monday the administration will continue discussing the requests with the authority but presented the entire package to council for its feedback.

Among the flood authority requests deemed eligible by the administration: pump station electronic upgrades ($660,000) and impeller rehabilitation ($627,000); design to address a freeboard deficiency atop the Wilkes-Barre/Hanover Township and Plymouth levee reaches ($600,000); installing new stone armor to stabilize levee slopes in Hanover Township and Plymouth ($200,000); stormwater culvert replacement in Kingston ($140,000); inspection and testing of 130 levee relief wells ($150,000) and replacement of an estimated 30 wells ($450,000).

The administration concluded American Rescue funding cannot be used for the authority’s recent purchase and upcoming rehabilitation of the former state police training facility on Wyoming Avenue in Forty Fort to house its offices, the agenda said.

Land bank

Authorized by 2012 state legislation, land banks take possession of rundown parcels and attempt to get them back into productive hands.

The North East Pennsylvania Land Bank Authority organized in 2014 and covers Pittston, Jenkins Township and the boroughs of West Pittston, Duryea and Avoca.

It points to American Rescue rules allowing earmarks for several blight-related activities.

“Luzerne County’s favorable decision on awarding these funds would have a significant impact on our neighborhoods, municipalities and the county,” said a request letter from authority Executive Director Joe Chacke. “The qualify of life of our shared residents would be greatly and positively impacted.”

Small business

Council had voted last month to table decisions on American Rescue allocations for a small business and nonprofit grant program and inspection of the county-owned Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge linking Pittston and West Pittston.

While the administration is still interested in seeking council approval for all three, it is first focusing on the small business grant program, Crocamo said.

As originally presented, the Greater Hazleton CAN DO, the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and Penn’s Northeast would partner with the county on the small business grant distribution plan.

To widen the scope, the administration has now added wording indicating the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Center and others would be available to assist applicants in filing for the program.

The county administration estimates eligible applicants could receive financial assistance in approximately three- to five months, factoring in time to accept and review requests.

Stormwater fee

Council would have to vote at a future meeting to authorize the flood authority, land bank and small business grant allocations.

One American Rescue allocation for $2 million is slated for a decision at tonight’s voting meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. before the work session.

This $2 million would help pay for a rain garden at the county-owned sports/recreation complex in Forty Fort and stream bank restoration on county land along Abrahams Creek in Forty Fort.

In exchange, the county would receive $2 million in credit so it won’t have to pay a stormwater fee to the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority until the credit runs out, the agenda said.

Tonight’s meeting is 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.