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WILKES-BARRE — For years, Mayor Tony George has avoided city council meetings, saying he didn’t want to distract from the business at hand.
But starting Jan. 22, the mayor will attend work sessions, newly appointed chairman Mike Belusko said at council’s public meeting Thursday.
“In ‘16, ‘17 and ‘18, this chair asked the mayor to come to the council meetings, to which he declined,” Belusko said, adding that, as the new head of council, it was his turn to ask. The answer again was no, Belusko said.
“But then I said, ‘Tony, how about meeting me halfway and come to work sessions,’ which he agreed,” said Belusko. “So he’ll be at our next work session which is in two weeks.”
Only council members will have the opportunity to talk to the mayor, however. Members of the public can attend the Tuesday sessions. But they cannot participate in the discussions between council members about agenda items up for a vote at the public meetings held Thursdays.
Fire-truck funding
Council went on to approve all five resolutions on its agenda and the first reading of an ordinance to amend the Community Development Block Grant Consolidated Plan for 2018.
The amended plan totaled $1,526,978 and includes line items for a ladder truck and engine for the fire department and the transfer of $798,925 in revolving loan funds that will be used to pay for the vehicles.
Joyce Morrash Zaykowski, director of the city’s Office of Economic and Community Development, said $422,121 was located in the revolving loan fund that had not been used in a long time. Added to it will be $376,804, the amount left on the loan to build the Park & Lock East parkade that the city will sell to the Wilkes-Barre Parking Authority, Zaykowski said.
Before the loan funds were located, the city applied for a Local Share Account grant from the state for $1,274,000 to buy a much needed ladder truck. The LSA grants are funded by revenues from the Mohegan Sun Pocono casino in Plains Township and distributed in Luzerne County.
“We are hoping that we get some type of grant so I could subsidize the ladder truck, whatever it needs, and to have a balance, residual to pay at least a down payment on the second truck,” Zaykowski said. The second truck costs between $350,000 and $500,000.
The resolutions approved:
• An insurance package with Joyce Insurance Group of Pittston for excess workers compensation for one year at a cost of $90,476 through Safety National. The expiring premium was $97,406.
• Drawing down the remaining $6,889 in the Hollenback Verizon fund to offset the cost of installing netting at the public Hollenback Golf Course. The Hollenback Verizon fund was set up to compensate the city for the installation of a cellphone tower in Hollenback Park.
• A $350,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to purchase residential recycling containers and a leaf vacuum. The city will contribute a 10 percent match that is included in this year’s budget.
• The appointment of Dr. Susan Lynn Kaczorowski of Jenkins Township to the Board of Health for a one-year term that expires Dec. 31.
• The appointment of Edward Pesotski, of Wilkes-Barre, to the General Municipal Authority for a term starting Friday and expiring Dec. 31, 2023.