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After weeks of mulling over the issue, Luzerne County Council is set to vote Tuesday on the proposed sale of the former Valley Crest Nursing Home property to a private developer.
Tamburro R.E. Development and Management, LLC, which is owned by Robert S. Tamburro, offered $2.075 million for the Plains Township property off state Route 315, with plans to construct a new residential and commercial/retail complex.
Tamburro is affiliated with the local family-owned company that developed and operates the Arena Hub Plaza in Wilkes-Barre Township.
Supporters say the sale would boost the economy and generate revenue, while critics say the property is a valuable asset that should be kept, possibly for a future county government campus.
• Tuesday’s council meeting is at 6 p.m. in the council meeting room at the courthouse in Wilkes-Barre.
Council Vice Chairman Edward Brominski’s proposed junk car ban also is on Tuesday’s agenda. The zoning amendment would cover 23 municipalities that rely on the county for zoning and include a weekly $500 fine for violators who don’t address nuisance vehicles.
The county planning/zoning and engineering offices indicated they don’t have sufficient staff to seek and respond to violations.
• Council’s 911 inquiry committee will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the second-floor jury room at the courthouse.
• Tuesday is the deadline for candidates to file nomination petitions to appear on the May 19 primary election ballot.
• Council members interviewed six applicants last week for the vacant council clerk position.
• A new batch of council emails from Nov. 22 through Feb. 20 has been posted on the Right to Know section of the county website, www.luzernecounty.org.
• Council voted last week to hire Saul Ewing LLP as the county’s bond counsel for an upcoming debt restructuring package. The county has retained attorneys from Stevens & Lee for years without publicly advertising the work. Seven law firms submitted proposals.
The administration recommended Saul Ewing based on its professional qualifications, staff and experience. The firm, which has offices in several states, also offered the lowest price — up to $57,000 plus out-of-pocket expenses for filing fees and travel, the administration said.
• County sheriff deputy Brian Travis was terminated Feb. 12, according to a newly posted personnel report. The administration declined to state the reason for the firing, citing personnel confidentiality.
Two employees were hired in February: Aaron Hojnowski, deputy controller, $50,000, and Judith Harry, part-time aging case aide, $12.67 an hour.
Veteran Luzerne County 911 manager John Emmert also resigned in February. Four employees retired: aging care manager Patricia Marks, human resources generalist Marilynn Allabaugh, prison nurse James Bower Jr. and domestic relations clerk Jane Ann Sobota.
• The county has publicly advertised a $40,000-a-year engineer position due to the recent resignation of Jesse Murray, who was hired in October. The first review of applicants is set for March 20.