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With a week to go before the Dec. 11 Luzerne County 2019 budget adoption, county council is set to start altering the administration’s proposed budget on Tuesday.
The voting meeting and work session start at 6 p.m. in the courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Council members have suggested a range of amendments throughout the budget, according to the agenda posted on the council section at www.luzernecounty.org.
Without revisions, the proposed $140.95 million general fund operating budget would increase county real estate taxes 3 percent. That equates to $18 more annually on a $100,000 property, with the total tax bill rising from $597.54 to $615.47.
County Manager C. David Pedri has said the hike would generate an additional $3.15 million to cover $2.5 million in increased expenses and a revenue decline.
Other meetings
The county’s Blighted Property Review Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the courthouse. A workshop for interested municipalities will follow at 6 p.m.
The committee is compiling a database of vacant eyesore properties that may be addressed by the county Redevelopment Authority if the property owners fail to correct problems.
Courthouse tree
The county is inviting the public to attend the lighting of the official county Christmas tree in the restored courthouse rotunda at 6 p.m. Thursday.
The free event will feature musical performances, “a special guest from the North Pole” and light refreshments. Benjamin Harned, son of court executive secretary Barbara Harned, will light this year’s tree.
Union talks
Union contract negotiations are underway for four county government collective bargaining agreements that expire the end of this year, according to county Administrative Services Division Head David Parsnik.
These agreements cover the following: probation officers and domestic relations support officers represented by their own Court Appointed Professional Employees Association; assistant district attorneys/public defenders under Teamsters Local 401; court-appointed support workers belonging to AFSCME; and prison correctional officers and other staff in LIUNA Local 1310.
Parsnik said the administration is scheduled to hold its first negotiating session with prison union representatives on Dec. 13, and talks have been ongoing with the other three unions.
County council is not directly involved in the negotiations but has the final say on union contract approval.
Board vacancy
Frank Conyngham has resigned from an unpaid seat on the authority board that oversees the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township.
Council may fill the seat Tuesday.
Manager forum
Pedri has scheduled his third annual public forum at 5 p.m. Dec. 19 in the courthouse. The session is required by the county’s customized home rule government structure, which will mark its seventh anniversary in January. Pedri is the second non-interim manager under home rule.
Retirees
Council last week publicly thanked three retiring employees — road/bridge maintenance repairman Paul Binker, road/bridge equipment operator Ronald Miller and deputy sheriff Susan Tomulaitis.