Luzerne County Council halts plan for in-person meeting

Luzerne County Council’s Tuesday meeting will be held virtually instead of in-person as planned, council Chairman Tim McGinley said.

McGinley cited Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s revised order earlier this month prohibiting indoor gatherings of more than 25 people due to concerns about the state’s rising coronavirus cases. It’s likely attendance would exceed that number, he said, with an 11-member council, the county manager, council clerk, solicitor, media, managers, agenda presenters, security and the public.

Wilkes-Barre City Council had also halted its plan for an in-person meeting following Wolf’s order.

Instructions for virtually attending county council’s meeting are posted on the council page at www.luzernecounty.org.

Public hearings

Tuesday’s session starts at 5:30 p.m. because council is holding four public hearings, including one on a proposal to cancel the 10% penalty on 2020 county real estate taxes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Council already extended the deadline for payment without penalty from June 17 to Aug. 18. Some council members argued property owners are still struggling financially because of the pandemic, but concerns were raised about the loss of an estimated $1 million in penalty revenue and delays receiving an influx of tax payments at the end of the year.

Council’s decision has no bearing on school taxes, and it’s up to each municipality to determine whether the penalty will be eliminated for local real estate taxes.

Board appointment

The voting session starts at 6 p.m.

In addition to voting on the tax penalty elimination, agenda items include appointment of a citizen to the county Transportation Authority to fill a seat vacated by Patrick Conway’s recent resignation.

Six applicants are on the eligibility list for transportation authority openings: Thomas Bindus, Arthur Bobbouine, Robert Chepalonis, Richard Gazenski, Jeffery Kubitz and John Young.

Work session

Council is set to discuss settlement of pending litigation filed by William J. Martin against the county, the agenda said.

Martin’s complaint alleges the county’s 2001 construction of an underground storm drainage and piping system on an adjacent parcel has damaged his property, the agenda said.

The county does not release settlement amounts until closer to the voting meeting, which won’t occur until August.

Budget update

The county budget/finance department also is set to present a budget update in the work session.

As of June 30, the county received $115.8 million, or 76% of the revenue in the $152.35 million general fund operating budget.

On the expenditure side, the county spent or encumbered $72.5 million, or 48%, an agenda report shows.

Bus shelters

American Asphalt Paving Co. has received a $250,000 contract to add bus shelters and other multimodal improvements along county-owned roads at the Hanover Industrial Estates in Hanover Township, according to a posting on the county website.

The county received grants to fund the project, which also will include sidewalk and curb enhancements, officials said.