Luzerne County Courthouse File photo Another 19 entities are seeking more time to complete Luzerne County American Rescue Plan Act projects, including one that will add recreational enhancements along the west side of the Susquehanna River in the area of Nesbitt and Kirby parks.
County council has approved numerous American Rescue extensions in recent months and is set to vote on the latest batch at its Tuesday meeting.
The project addressing the largely wooded riverfront swath in Kingston and Wilkes-Barre would be covered by a $2 million American Rescue allocation. The Jewish Community Alliance of Northeastern Pennsylvania had agreed to serve as a pass-through entity for the multi-municipal project to be completed, with representatives stressing no funding will go to the alliance.
The alliance is requesting an extension from the end of this month to the end of 2025, citing personnel changes that had slowed the project advancement. Earlier this year, it publicly sought a project manager and selected Brozena Consulting Services, which has been meeting with stakeholders on a project scope and budget, the extension request said.
Jim Brozena said Monday there are now two public requests seeking a consultant to complete a master plan and a contractor to handle initial projects that can be completed within the American Rescue allotment and deadline. He will work with the municipalities and chosen master plan consultant to identify those projects.
The west side master plan will focus on the river sides of Nesbitt and Kirby parks in Wilkes-Barre and a proposed new Riverbend Park in Kingston stretching from the Veterans Memorial (Pierce Street) Bridge to south of the Cross Valley Expressway, he said.
A fresh master plan is warranted because the previous ones were completed in 1995 for Kirby/Nesbitt and 1998 for the Riverbend Park, Brozena said.
An updated plan should help in obtaining future state funding to complete additional phases, he said.
Changes in outdoor recreation and riverfront projects also have occurred since the 1990s, he said. For example, QR codes can be used to guide users of new trails, reducing the need for signs. Brozena also said some of the work envisioned in the original master plans may not be advisable due to concerns about damage from flooding or ice jams.
“We will figure something out,” Brozena said.
State Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Kingston), a project proponent, has said the project aims to restore long-intended access to publicly-owned wooded areas, including a riverfront section cut off from the rest of Kirby Park when the levee bisected the park in 1936.
Past county officials had expressed interest in tackling improvements at Kirby and Nesbitt parks and the proposed Riverbend Park once the east side River Common enhancement project was completed, but the plan fell off the radar as administrations changed and funding for discretionary projects dried up.
Valley Crest
Another request for a deadline extension to Dec. 31, 2025 was submitted by Valley Crest Real Estate LP, which is set to construct a retail/entertainment complex at the former Valley Crest nursing home site in Plains Township.
Valley Crest Real Estate must complete public highway work because it needs Pennsylvania Department of Transportation approval for a high-volume driveway to access the 62-acre complex site.
Council allocated $200,000 in American Rescue funds toward water/sewer infrastructure improvements associated with the Route 309/Mundy Street Crossroads.
This phase of the project is not scheduled to be bid out until spring 2025 due to significant engineering that must be completed for off-site highway improvements, the extension request said. Valley Crest Real Estate said its project team “has been diligently working on the overall project infrastructure improvements, in which this grant is a piece.”
Other requests
A synopsis of the remaining 17 entities, their American Rescue earmarks, projects and new requested completion dates:
• Wilkes-Barre Metropolitan Development Corp., $72,100 for an infectious disease information program helping businesses and schools — Nov. 4
• Dallas Area Municipal Authority, $500,000 for a tank pump upgrade — Oct. 1
• Erwine Home Health and Hospice Inc., $50,240 to update technology — Nov. 30
• Harveys Lake General Municipal Authority, $500,000 for a sanitary sewer rehabilitation — Nov. 30
• Jenkins Township, $122,000, for a stormwater and sanitary system project on Gaffney Drive — July 22
• Laflin borough, $64,546 to purchase and install an emergency backup generator for the municipal building — Nov. 30
• Mountain Top Area Little League LLC, $250,000 for a training facility/emergency response center — June 30, 2025
• Shawn Belle LLC, $200,000 to produce performance wardrobes for K-12 students — Sept. 30
• Swoyersville Parks and Recreation Board, $250,000 to rehabilitate public parks — Nov. 30
• The Food Dignity Project, $500,000 to provide training about sustainable food practices — Sept. 30
• Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania, $500,000 to provide housing for low-income people with diagnosed mental illnesses and day space for the homeless — Nov. 30
• Wilkes-Barre Area Community Gardens, $40,000 for equipment and materials — Nov. 30
• Willow Foundation, $500,000 to provide a day shelter for the homeless and food insecurity assistance in the Hazleton area — Sept. 30
• Hazleton Land Bank, $500,000 for blight reduction — Nov. 30
• Maternal and Family Health Services Inc., $469,141 to provide mental health programs and housing assistance and address food insecurity needs for underserved/racially diverse populations — Dec. 31
• Whiskers World Inc., $66,250 for a feral cat spay and neutering program — Sept. 30
The county Flood Protection Authority, which oversees the Wyoming Valley Levee System along the Susquehanna, also is seeking an extension until Oct. 31, 2025 to complete three of its remaining projects. Council had earmarked $8 million for 20 projects that strengthen the system and flood response.
Council’s voting meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre, with instructions for the remote attendance option posted under council’s public meetings link at luzernecounty.org .
Council won’t be voting Tuesday on a request from the Luzerne County Fair’s nonprofit overseer for $500,000 in American Rescue funding to repair flood damage at the Dallas fairground caused by severe September 2023 rain.
Council Chairman John Lombardo said he is holding off on a vote until the administration has time to respond to all outstanding questions.
Alan Pugh, president of the nonprofit Dallas Area Fall Fair Inc.’s executive board, said Monday he appreciates any assistance council can provide and stressed the fair will be held as scheduled in September.
“One way or another, we are going to hold the fair, even if we have to make temporary repairs,” Pugh said.
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