Luzerne County Council approves capital plan and study commission allocation

Luzerne County Council adopted a capital plan and approved a $75,000 allocation for the county’s Government Study Commission Tuesday but halted a subdivision of county-owned land in Butler Township that had been initiated as part of a potential sale.

All 10 council members in attendance Tuesday approved the capital plan. Council Vice Chairman Brian Thornton was absent.

The plan includes several proposed new projects in coming years, including a courthouse sewer repair/replacement ($1 million), safety security entrances at the county prison and for courthouse judicial staff ($2 million) and additional courtroom space on the second floor of the Bernard C. Brominski Building near the courthouse to accommodate a judge the state is adding in 2026 ($1.5 million).

The county has $1.64 million to cover capital projects in 2024, and another $4.9 million must be identified in budgets from 2025 through 2027 to complete all work in the plan, it said.

Study commission

Nine council members voted for the $75,000 study commission earmark.

Three of the seven study commission members had issued a release strongly criticizing council for not transferring funds to a separate commission bank account, asserting that was necessary for the commission’s independence.

County officials said a separate account is not allowable because the county must maintain custody of the funds. The county administration stressed all commission bills will be paid without interference as long as they are within budget and publicly approved by the commission.

To be clear, the commission as a whole had not publicly discussed the separate account request before the statement from three was issued, and the four other commission members said they were fine with the bill payment plan ultimately adopted by council Tuesday.

Furthermore, five of the seven commission members put the matter to rest last week by voting to remove wording about a separate bank account from the commission’s proposed bylaws — Chairman Tim McGinley, Vice Chairman Vito Malacari, Secretary Ted Ritsick, Matt Mitchell and Stephen J. Urban.

Commission Treasurer Cindy Malkemes and member Mark Shaffer voted against the wording removal and had issued the statement about the separate bank account with Malacari. In explaining his position change, Malacari said he reviewed the county’s accounting mechanics and concluded the county system meets reporting protocols required by the state.

Before council voted on the earmark Tuesday, council Chairman John Lombardo said he was “incensed” and “truly offended” by the statement from the three commission members that repeatedly called council members corrupt.

County officials have been “nothing but helpful” to the commission so it can complete its work, Lombardo said, citing its providing of meeting space, remote meeting attendance access, security and other staff support. He also emphasized a majority of the commission itself is not seeking a separate bank account.

Still, Lombardo said he wants to see the commission move forward in its work.

County Councilwoman Patty Krushnowski provided the lone vote against the $75,000 allocation Tuesday. She said after the meeting she misunderstood the specifics of council’s action but wants to make it clear she was against providing a separate bank account for the study commission.

Authorized by county April 23 primary election voters, the commission has nine months to report findings and recommendations and another nine months if it is opting to prepare and submit government changes. An extra two months is allowable if the commission is recommending electing council by district instead of at large.

Voters must ultimately approve any commission recommendation for it to take effect.

Butler Township land

In another 9-1 vote, council chose not to spend up to $60,000 more to finish a subdivision of the county-owned Butler Township land.

At the end of 2022, council had agreed to include approximately $100,000 in the county engineering department’s 2023 budget to proceed with a survey and subdivision so the land could be sold and returned to the tax rolls.

Because additional expenses are involved, county Manager Romilda Crocamo asked council for a decision on how to proceed, saying she does not want to spend more if council is not supportive.

A council majority subsequently expressed opposition to a sale, largely due to citizen complaints about additional development in the municipality.

The county owns approximately 530 acres in the township because it operated the Kis-Lyn work camp for juvenile delinquents from 1912 to 1965. Portions cannot be sold, including land locked into long-term leases for the Ferrwood Music Camp (17.8 acres) and the Keystone Job Corps Center, which operates a federally funded, residential educational/vocational program on 122.9 acres.

Councilwoman LeeAnn McDermott, who had been advancing the land sale as chair of council’s real estate committee, voted against halting the subdivision.

McDermott unsuccessfully attempted to delay Tuesday’s vote and further discuss the matter in the work session. Even though her colleagues don’t want to sell the property, she argued council should still finish the subdivision work already started.