Wilkes-Barre council approves balanced budget

WILKES-BARRE — City Council on Thursday night approved Mayor George Brown’s $51.9 million balanced budget for this year.

The 4-0 vote in favor of the budget ordinance on its second and final reading came nearly a month and a half into Brown’s term. Council has five elected members, but council vice chairman Tony Brooks was excused from the regularly scheduled meeting and Brown also was unable to attend due to an illness.

Brown submitted an amended version of the spending plan his predecessor Tony George presented last year. However, council did not bring George’s $52.6 million balanced budget to a vote and gave Brown the opportunity to present his own numbers. Neither of the plans included a property tax increase.

Council also passed two ordinances that increased fees for building permits and pave cuts and provided revenue to balance the budget.

The lone resolution, requiring one reading for approval, was approved by council. But the temporary suspension of the city’s prohibition on the open consumption of alcoholic beverages to allow beer and possibly wine to be sold at the upcoming Rockin’ the River concert series met with some opposition from the public.

For the second year in a row the series will be held at the River Commons. The concerts will run from 5 to 9 p.m. on July 10, 17, 24 and 31. A fourth date was added this year.

City resident Sam Troy maintained his stance against the sale of alcoholic beverages at an event attended by families and children.

“I spoke out against this last summer and I’m speaking out against it now. The suspension of the ordinance I don’t think should be permitted,” Troy said.

Troy asked for an answer from Ted Wampole, the executive director of the Luzerne County Convention & Visitors Bureau that requested the suspension, on whether the county receives “an extra commission” for the alcohol sales.

Jason Carr of Saylorsburg, a property owner in Wilkes-Barre, joined Troy in asking that council vote against the suspension.

“I guess the only question that I have regarding that is, if there is not alcohol at the events will that stop the public from coming or will that deter anyone from coming if there was not alcohol served,” Carr asked.

Wampole repeated his statement from Tuesday night’s work session that there were no alcohol-related incidents last year.

“There were plenty of people there that weren’t drinking and had a good time and had no problem with anybody that was there having a couple of drinks,” Wampole said.

The series is scheduled for that time period to keep the potential for problems to a minimum and the county Sheriff’s Department provides ample security, Wampole said.

Councilwoman Beth Gilbert McBride suggested looking into limiting the number of drinks sold to an individual.

Prior to votes, Bill Harris, the city Zoning Officer and Director of Planning & Zoning, briefed council on the flood mitigation program and said its Class 6 rating, the highest in the state for seven years, reduces flood insurance premiums for property owners.