[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6647170,"mediaKeyId","2524689-37ec4678693b7e4a78df4a1085caaf4e","parentId",2524689,"title","Lackawanna County adopts demolition/rehabilitation fund and approves a slate of contracts, grants and routine agreements","audioSeconds",986,"startMs",974000,"endMs",1960000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2524689-37ec4678693b7e4a78df4a1085caaf4e&start=974&end=1960","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2524689-37ec4678693b7e4a78df4a1085caaf4e/thumbnail_974000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6647170/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Lackawanna-County-adopts-demolitionrehabilitation-fund-and-approves-a-slate-of-contracts-grants-and-routine-agreements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6647170-d7bc59a79377fcc322430eba9c303a1b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134245&Signature=Lf70JSthiTw~SaRoQebe2B8h6GziINj-2J1uiIOlhBvvICzlFkPuEWQbqgPe4Ufx0gjQD1IcVgqT0sCCoTXlX8VnAp4u8qkuA8hyRZdXFhxBtjueAh800A6-pCV7KxTGLpAZSs0UoAGpwIFzM0gt18titcKSK8JZmxnZTIXo9O-xKv1vNggZX4Vvfk4wcgpTdUqIboZg54zGD0Ur4Rh4NtqPXiO6PvrVD~OLEQr8YJj5e7QL6bMn10ljX-bfALCWoAWEb3Ewy8wQ-WE0KG5sHH9TFj1p5-wGSPJacgCnGYmyKbecwALYa~zQg7Vfi1zRnaRXCCMzR0qRPbzx5N3tyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lackawanna County, PA","date","2025-03-07T15:14:07.933Z","article","The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners on March 5 adopted Ordinance 297 to establish a county Demolition and Rehabilitation Fund under the state law enacted in 2024, and approved a series of resolutions covering payables, maintenance agreements, grants and vendor contracts.

Ordinance 297: Demolition and Rehabilitation Fund
The board adopted Ordinance 297, implementing provisions of Act 48 (2024) to establish a Lackawanna County Demolition and Rehabilitation Fund. The ordinance directs the Lackawanna County Tax Claim Bureau and the Lackawanna County Sheriff’s office to collect a $250 fee from each purchaser at tax sales and mortgage-foreclosure sheriff sales; funds will be deposited to a designated county fund and administered by the Lackawanna County Land Bank. The ordinance becomes effective 90 days after enactment.

Payables and routine fiscal actions
The board approved Resolution 25-0067, approving county payables: Lackawanna County General Fund checks numbered in the 382660–383043 range totaling $3,433,001.72 and electronic fund transfers (including payroll) totaling $7,158,900.96.

Grants and community agreements
- The board awarded the 2025 Lackawanna County arts and cultural program grants totaling $240,000 to 36 organizations and separately awarded $80,000 in project grants. Director of Arts and Culture Maureen McGuigan said the awards support nonprofits, municipalities and individuals across the county.

Infrastructure, maintenance and vendor contracts
- The county entered a maintenance project agreement with the Lackawanna County Conservation District and the Department of Roads and Bridges for drainage improvements on St. Marys Veil Road in Elmhurst Township. The conservation district will supply $45,613.72 for materials under the low-volume roads program; county Roads and Bridges will perform the work.

- A one-year maintenance agreement with Reed's Generator Service LLC covering five county buildings (Courthouse, Jefferson Avenue Gateway Building, Government Center, Criminal Justice Center, 315 Franklin Avenue) was approved at a total cost of $4,850.

- A one-year elevator maintenance agreement with Otis Elevator for 135 Jefferson Avenue was approved at a cost of $7,658.

- The board approved a one-year hazardous materials emergency response agreement with Eagle Response Services (Bellefonte, PA) to provide a PEMA-certified response capability with a satellite location in Gouldsboro; the vendor will bill insurers and the agreement was presented as no-cost to the county.

- The board approved a contract with Diamond Baseball Holdings/Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (SBW LLC) to host a high school baseball All-Star event, with a fundraising component benefitting the Howerton Foundation.

Other actions
- The board adopted a procedure to obtain blanket bonds or crime insurance consistent with Pennsylvania Act 106; the board also approved the county crime insurance policy recommended by the county risk manager (effective 01/01/2025–01/01/2026 as presented).

- The board approved a Grasshopper Lawns contract for five treatments, core aeration and grub treatment at the courthouse for $5,961. The contract drew public comment earlier in the meeting questioning contracted lawn services.

Votes
All items summarized above were put to voice votes, with the chair calling for ‘‘ayes’’ and no roll-call tallies recorded in the public transcript. Each listed ordinance and resolution was described by staff and then approved during the March 5 meeting.

The board also approved several smaller housekeeping resolutions and held public comment on multiple items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lackawanna County Commissioners 3 5 25","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 5 meeting the Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance creating a county demolition and rehabilitation fund under Act 48 (2024) and approved multiple resolutions including payables, grants, maintenance agreements and vendor contracts.","taxTitle","Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania","taxId",2940,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6647173,"Lackawanna County commissioners accept Matt McGloin resignation amid dispute over replacement process",150,1970000,2120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2524689-37ec4678693b7e4a78df4a1085caaf4e&start=1970&end=2120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2524689-37ec4678693b7e4a78df4a1085caaf4e/thumbnail_1970000.jpg","/articles/6647173/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Lackawanna-County-commissioners-accept-Matt-McGloin-resignation-amid-dispute-over-replacement-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6647173-05cd5ab1edb9bc527553790aa1b77476/orig.mp4?Expires=1771134245&Signature=oAg91MBUYo6t115yibGLG6DTxpXlJk5nTFKzWZH85O508zUZPfJdW~jIUVD20MBSxFpxXqbjPOAXXQmXVDeWaK488SdC14niXNopU5UWJ9~66Zk2ijNf-12l3Z8TiLdatV~5wMYxxCrHlPxOQwvL3pLI9vpjCVUDTWoCR6nksRl61TZEzOZYyjS3d~4o~3PYNwqOmWUCHVS-QZwXCmBwwdFH0hWqTjJ8VM-pQyve3Ai34QtU2sA--uDyoqmoY4yWQf7EPzawQZeUggXEdBIGsKBZBnTZzQcrSXaxl~7Mra-Ym~HV5SlNJLkxxRKU4lLEnzVkOLkB5wwiQ1eOtw2LFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners on March 5 accepted the resignation of Commissioner Matt McGloin, effective as submitted, and heard public criticism and internal dispute over the process for naming his successor.

The resignation was moved and seconded during the meeting and approved by voice vote. Commissioners said the court of common pleas will oversee the replacement process consistent with state law.

The issue drew a string of public comments accusing commissioners and other local actors of using a closed or “backdoor” process to present a short list of candidates to the court. ‘‘I see a coup,’’ said Lorraine Cummings, a resident who addressed the board during public comment. Another attendee, Bob Ball of Scranton, told the commissioners: ‘‘You owe them an apology’’ for criticizing the process used by local Democratic officials to assemble the candidate list.

A speaker during the meeting criticized the selection steps as presenting a ‘‘tainted process’’ to the court and said that handing the court a short list of candidates ‘‘was not fair to the court, the good citizens of Lackawanna County, or legitimate interested applicants that were ignored and turned away.’’ The speaker urged compliance with state law and transparency in the selection process.

County leaders framed the resignation as a moment to move on and refocus on the county’s business. Commissioners said the county must continue work on its fiscal challenges and that the court of common pleas has the statutory role in overseeing the appointment process for a departing commissioner.

Public commenters also used the meeting to raise broader concerns about county governance and finances, including the recent tax increase and a perceived pattern of interim appointments in county offices. Several speakers urged transparency from county leaders and for the court to consider all interested applicants.

The county took no additional formal action on the replacement at the March 5 meeting; commissioners said they await the court’s review and decision.","The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners accepted Commissioner Matt McGloin's resignation and faced public criticism and internal dispute over how his replacement would be chosen, with several speakers and at least one commissioner calling the nominee-selection process opaque and potentially improper.","actionData","errors"]

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Lackawanna County adopts demolition/rehabilitation fund and approves a slate of contracts, grants and routine agreements

Lackawanna County commissioners accept Matt McGloin resignation amid dispute over replacement process