Luzerne County Council to vote on capital plan

Luzerne County Council is set to adopt the annual capital plan Tuesday.

Council must approve the plan by Sept. 1 under the county’s home rule charter.

Because the cost of the requested projects exceeds available funding, council will have to identify funding in future budgets to complete all work on the roster.

The capital fund has dwindled since the 2012 implementation of home rule because money from prior borrowing was exhausted and council remains committed to getting the county out of debt in 2030.

The county already has $1.64 million to cover projects in 2024, and another $4.9 million would be needed to complete projects from 2025 through 2027, the plan said.

Next year’s project request of $1.9 million must be factored into the 2025 budget adopted by council the end of this year.

The remaining required funding would be $1 million in 2026 and $2 million in 2027, it said.

Proposed new projects include: courthouse sewer repair/replacement, $1 million; safety security entrance at the county prison, $1 million; safety security entrance for courthouse judicial staff, $1 million; and additional courtroom space on the second floor of the Bernard C. Brominski Building near the courthouse, $1.5 million.

The courtroom project would accommodate a judge to be added in 2026.

State legislators added the judge based on statistical case analysis. The county currently has 10 Court of Common Pleas judges. The new eleventh judge will be elected by county voters in 2025 and seated the first Monday in January 2026.

A required public hearing on the capital plan is scheduled at 5:50 p.m. Tuesday, with the plan adoption set for council’s subsequent voting meeting at 6 p.m.

Instructions to attend remotely are posted under council’s online public meetings section at luzernecounty.org .

Study commission budget

A public hearing is scheduled at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday on a proposed budget ordinance allocating $75,000 from the reserve fund to cover 2024 expenses of the county’s Government Study Commission.

Council is set to adopt the ordinance during the subsequent 6 p.m. voting meeting.

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.

Council agenda

In addition to the capital plan and study commission allocation, council’s agenda includes votes on the sale of tax-delinquent repository properties, the dedication of county-owned South/North Beisels Road to Butler Township and approval of a subdivision that would be required to sell county-owned land in Butler Township.

The transfer of South/North Beisels Road is expected to receive full council support because county officials have been urging municipalities to take over county infrastructure.

However, the subdivision will likely be rejected by a council majority, largely due to citizen concerns about additional development in the municipality.

Study commission meeting

The seven-citizen Government Study Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 29) at the county courthouse.

Instructions to attend remotely are posted under the study commission section on the main page at luzernecounty.org .

County Controller Walter Griffith is scheduled to appear to present his views on the current home rule structure and recommended alterations.

The panel also is expected to select a solicitor Thursday.

Sept. 11 ceremony

Luzerne County is inviting the public to a “We Will Never Forget” ceremony in remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to a posting on the county website.

The ceremony will be held at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 11 on the county courthouse south lawn.