Dallas City News

Another batch of modifications are before Luzerne County Council from outside entities approved for American Rescue Plan Act funding last year, according to Tuesday’s voting meeting agenda.

Council has approved numerous alterations in recent months — most allowing entities to go beyond the original June 30 project completion deadline. Some budget alterations also have been authorized as long as the total allocation is not exceeded.

The Keystone Mission is among the award recipients with requests on Tuesday’s agenda.

Council awarded $500,000 for a project that includes the purchase/renovation of two blighted duplexes to house homeless families, and council already agreed to extend the deadline to Dec. 31.

Keystone Mission is now asking council to approve an alteration that does not change the plan to house homeless families.

Instead of buying property, the faith-based, nonprofit plans to lease and remodel space in a building at 64 E. Union St. in Wilkes-Barre to create apartments for four homeless families, its submission said.

Danielle O. Keith-Alexandre, CEO/Executive Director of Keystone Mission, said the building is standalone but in the same Thomas C. Thomas complex that houses the nonprofit’s Innovation Center for Homeless and Poverty at 90 E. Union St.

This center, which opened in October 2023, provides homeless men and women with a daytime place to shower and wash clothes, receive breakfast and access community resources and services that may help them get off the streets. It has computers and a phone and donated clothing and supplies. The center also is open as a seasonal Code Blue Emergency Shelter for up to 50 to sleep during the coldest days of winter.

Several county council members visited the center in March as part of an ongoing public awareness tour of American Rescue funding recipients.

Regarding the 64 E. Union St. lease plan, the nonprofit said the lease and renovations are projected to start in November, when the county’s Children, Youth and Families agency would help identify four families to move into the apartments.

The fully furnished apartments are expected to be ready for occupancy by January, it said.

This building will include space for agencies to regularly provide services to the families, including counseling and case management to help them move toward “sustainable living,” it said.

Arena

The county Convention Center Authority is asking for an extension until the end of this year to complete HVAC replacements at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township.

Council earmarked $2 million for the project.

According to the authority’s submission, the project was awarded in June 2023, with equipment promptly ordered, but the compressor equipment and motor control panel were not delivered until last month.

The project is on schedule to be substantially completed by September, followed by training and other closeout tasks into November. Final construction billing is anticipated in December.

The other requests before council, according to the agenda:

• The Berwick Area Joint Sewer Authority, earmarked $81,639 for software/hardware system modernization, is requesting an extension until the end of this month due to storm response issues that interrupted training sessions.

• Common Ground Ministries is seeking an extension to Aug. 23 to finish closing out paperwork associated with the earmark. It was awarded $500,000 to provide food, youth development, mental health and housing assistance.

• Edwardsville borough asked to transfer part of its engineering budget to cover higher construction costs. It received $341,170 for the Meyers Street sewer rehabilitation project.

• The Foot and Ankle Center in West Pittston, listed under Michael C. Baloga, was approved for $63,300 to upgrade office equipment and purchase personal protective equipment. It is seeking a Nov. 29 deadline due to equipment shipment delays.

• NEPA Inclusive in Pittston was awarded $500,000 for a training program for independent living skills, self-advocacy and workplace readiness. Council already approved an extension to Aug. 31 so it could extend services. As a result, it is asking to shift budgeted funds from supplies and other categories to cover staffing required to extend services until the new deadline.

• Sugar Notch borough was awarded $650,250 for residential property connections to sanitary sewer systems on Broadhead Avenue and Oak and Maffett streets. It is seeking a one-year extension, until June 30, 2025. Sewer improvements are under construction on Broadhead, but more time is needed to address areas along Oak and Maffett streets, the borough said.

• The Institute was awarded $150,191 to analyze affordable housing needs. It wants to apply $1,341 not spent on travel and interns to cover additional personnel costs associated with the project.

Tuesday’s meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre, with instructions for the remote attendance option posted under council’s online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

As previously reported, council also is set to vote on a real estate tax break for a project on scarred coal mine land in Hazle Township, a plan to start seeking an engineer to formulate options for the county-owned Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge over the Susquehanna River and the spending of opioid litigation settlement funds to expand several existing programs.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.