Council approves grant applications for South Main and King’s College streetscape projects

Wilkes-Barre City Council on July 10 approved resolutions to apply for state multimodal transportation funding for a South Main Streetscape Phase 2 project and a separate King’s College streetscape project. The approvals came as part of the consent agenda that included three resolutions and the minutes; the motion to approve the consent agenda passed on a roll-call vote. Council moved the consent agenda on a motion by Mr. Mirren and a second by Councilman Barrett. Council members recorded “yes” votes before the item passed. In public comment, resident Angel Mathis questioned directing grant money to King’s College, saying the college “consistently, consistently, consistently ask for all of these quarter a million, half a million, all of these dollars” and added, “I just feel that this $597,855 could be better used elsewhere.” Mathis also noted a recent LSA grant the college received and asked why the state should continue to fund the college’s projects. Tom Butchko, introduced as a representative of King’s College, described the college’s application as a streetscape renovation intended “to improve the safety and the pedestrian traffic in the area, improve the visibility of it and the appearance of it.” He outlined work zones including replacement of damaged brick pavers and new sidewalks, curb cuts for Americans with Disabilities Act access, new lighting, benches and trees in segments extending from the public square toward Bennett Place and along blocks between Union Street, Jackson Street and North Street. Mayor George Brown noted the city does not set the parameters for the state multimodal transportation fund, saying “We do not set the process, the parameters of what that fund is for. The governor's office and the state legislatures does, and it behooves us to make applications to these grants and let any entity in Wilkes Barre to apply for, this fund.” The council did not debate or amend the grant applications at length during the meeting. The grant applications were bundled in the consent agenda and approved by voice/roll-call as part of that package. Looking ahead, the council did not set a separate public hearing or additional conditions for the applications during the meeting; project-specific design, scope and final funding awards remain subject to the state grant review process.