[{"_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",6104798,"mediaKeyId","2790194-710d92ed2b00a805adb339e96d0005d1","parentId",2790194,"title","Luzerne County Council approves revised subdivision fees, Nanticoke lease renewal, opioid allocations, clerk pay increase, and narrows bridge selection process","audioSeconds",188,"startMs",3340000,"endMs",3528000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2790194-710d92ed2b00a805adb339e96d0005d1&start=3340&end=3528","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2790194-710d92ed2b00a805adb339e96d0005d1/thumbnail_3340000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6104798/Luzerne-County/Pennsylvania/Luzerne-County-Council-approves-revised-subdivision-fees-Nanticoke-lease-renewal-opioid-allocations-clerk-pay-increase-and-narrows-bridge-selection-process","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6104798-a96e303cb96a2f10f153b9460daaaf48/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178353&Signature=dm03MbSuftjdQ--lDDk09to5x24VdRQYJwD6M2tOmwNYCmPtojykNI78w-uArP-HxP7JmU36OKcbsqxoQGFWiInXWVAwXlEkQhRPDCFNgKwC3SyR1xkg~JoaV~F7sGyfws~yvq1xL5OO-eUnGPrYP1j9kVEWn7IXUTMco-jEFA3qh0VN8CIQpi5U~hBu8GpzbkeWSfyr~eaS3x11j0SZZxsQCuE2YaIx2SeVkGSfBHDw9SYtwgzzjawkWkWCM5woD6UM0hI5EWiw7yrqXkKK253I6I8oNd0tARoqZKbC6RXi28Ry20qbCf5mgU~VwFHk9P~6CXeH9YSJ~QRbbUoJeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Luzerne County, PA","date","2025-03-26T12:13:11Z","article","Luzerne County Council used its vote session to approve a set of administrative and budget actions the council said are intended to keep county operations current and advance infrastructure work.

Ordinance amending subdivision and land development fee schedule
Council adopted an ordinance to amend the Luzerne County subdivision and land development ordinance to incorporate a revised fee schedule. The ordinance was moved, seconded and approved by roll call; the clerk recorded unanimous approval.

Lease renewal for Magisterial District Court in Nanticoke
Council approved a resolution renewing the lease between Luzerne County and the city of Nanticoke for Magisterial District Court 11‑03‑02 (magisterial district identified in the resolution text). Council members praised court administration for updating long‑outdated leases; the roll call vote was recorded as unanimous.

Allocation of opioid settlement proceeds
Council approved a resolution allocating opioid settlement proceeds to the Luzerne‑Wyoming County Drug and Alcohol Department. The motion passed on roll call with unanimous votes recorded.

Clerk of county council pay increase
Council voted to increase the salary of the clerk of county council as the annual merit adjustment; the motion passed unanimously after brief remarks about a positive annual performance review.

Nanticoke bridge statements of interest: administration directed to pare submissions
Facing five statements of interest (SOIs) from engineering firms for the Nanticoke bridge project, council authorized the administration to narrow the pool to three firms for PennDOT‑guided technical selection. Administration told council it must follow PennDOT rules: the three shortlisted firms will be publicly disclosed and will later be asked the same set of questions in a public comparative interview process. Council members described the step as time‑sensitive and said the narrowed list will be publicly released after it is confirmed.

Votes at a glance
- Ordinance: amend subdivision and land development fee schedule — adopted, unanimous roll call.
- Resolution: renew Magisterial District Court lease (Nanticoke) — adopted, unanimous roll call.
- Resolution: allocate opioid settlement proceeds to Luzerne‑Wyoming County Drug and Alcohol Department — adopted, unanimous roll call.
- Resolution: increase clerk of county council salary (merit) — adopted, unanimous roll call.
- Motion: permit administration to pare five SOIs to three for Nanticoke bridge selection — adopted, roll-call majority.

The council also received ceremonial proclamations recognizing Casual Day/colon cancer awareness, Pennsylvania 4‑H Week and the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord; those proclamations were presented in the meeting’s opening minutes before the voting session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Luzerne County Council live meeting 3/25/25","oneSentenceSummary","Luzerne County Council adopted an updated subdivision and land development fee schedule and approved a package of administrative votes including a lease renewal, opioid fund allocation, a clerk pay increase and a procedural step to narrow five engineering statements to three for the Nanticoke bridge project.","taxTitle","Luzerne County, Pennsylvania","taxId",18154,"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},6104803,"Luzerne County Council approves LERTA tax exemption for Hazel Township development after amendment fails",1638,1327000,2965000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2790194-710d92ed2b00a805adb339e96d0005d1&start=1327&end=2965","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2790194-710d92ed2b00a805adb339e96d0005d1/thumbnail_1327000.jpg","/articles/6104803/Luzerne-County/Pennsylvania/Luzerne-County-Council-approves-LERTA-tax-exemption-for-Hazel-Township-development-after-amendment-fails","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6104803-464a2f2a88ad1b8503a836d35668a32b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178353&Signature=VxGc3DQVoGs-8nlvuuAUAfCo4ZLuQ2q1jhPGn1GFZBZCRU~Chy9xZnZJNzGtl77yN66ZzcX4uogo7nQrleoiTHzVG5ejyXjxAYE2i5wNSef5h9USubVRXRpZbYysBL7E4iYDiYAr53ZaW6S522BZGxyRJ~8FN9a1yME2T-OY9Dg-SBKKxtlA23khIrD-Tzu8ht6Vvy5ckxPccf0w5AkyGqKuAQURdTiY4o9E2Gk7jMgdHZcWMyf1mE4yhpIVWADl5HiTXZvAKi6TpQeZFqncpmo4I45onRIhC183DzkwcVRituwAY3~Tq6nFW3I6aYg52aN3ebME-d36tJl7NeNfig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Luzerne County Council on the evening vote session approved a resolution providing a tax exemption for new construction in Hazel Township under the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program after a floor amendment to reduce the abatement schedule failed.

The discussion focused on the length and percentage of the proposed abatement and whether the developer should be required to prioritize hiring local workers. Councilman John Haas proposed an amendment that would lower the abatement percentages in the early years (years 1–7) from 90% to 70%, then step down to 60%, 50% and 40% in years 8–10; that amendment was debated and then put to a roll-call vote and failed 5–6. Council members who spoke during debate asked for revenue estimates, clarification on lump-sum payments the developer offered, and confirmation that the abatement applies to improvements (not land value).

A second, separate proposal to add language requiring priority for Luzerne County workers during construction was also offered and discussed at length on the floor. County staff and the project’s developer representatives told council they already seek to use local labor “when possible,” and the developer representative said the company would continue to prioritize local hiring. Council attempted to craft a nonbinding preamble or recommendation encouraging local hiring, but that amendment failed for lack of a second and did not change the final text.

Supporters of the resolution said the county currently receives little or no tax revenue from undeveloped parcels and argued the abatement would incentivize immediate development and bring well‑paying jobs to the area. Opponents questioned whether the length and level of the abatement were too generous and raised concerns about fairness and the county’s role in steering development.

After the debate the main resolution providing the LERTA exemption was adopted in a roll-call vote with the majority in favor and at least one recorded dissent. Council also recorded an unsuccessful attempt earlier to amend the abatement schedule (5 yes, 6 no).

The council record shows the action moves the LERTA exemption forward; council discussion made clear that certain financial terms — including lump-sum payments tied to building permits and occupancy — were part of the negotiated package presented to council for approval. The resolution and the failed amendment were discussed during the council’s voting session and will appear in the council minutes.

The council’s action does not itself create detailed hiring or enforcement mechanisms; council members and staff noted that specific procurement, contracting and enforcement details would be handled through subsequent agreements and committee oversight.

Votes at a glance: amendment to abatement schedule — failed, 5 yes, 6 no; LERTA resolution — adopted by roll call, majority yes, at least one no recorded.

The council moved on to other items after the vote; proponents emphasized the intent to spur development and job creation, while critics urged caution about abatement terms and parity with other developers.","After debate over the size and conditions of a proposed tax abatement, Luzerne County Council adopted a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) resolution for a Hazel Township development. An amendment to reduce the abatement amount failed 5–6; the underlying resolution passed in a roll-call vote, with at least one dissenter.","actionData","errors"]

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Luzerne County Council approves revised subdivision fees, Nanticoke lease renewal, opioid allocations, clerk pay increase, and narrows bridge selection process

Luzerne County Council approves LERTA tax exemption for Hazel Township development after amendment fails