Scranton officials say $5.5 million in FEMA flood repairs are complete; closeout paperwork underway

City staff told the City of Scranton Council that the package of repairs tied to the February 2018 flooding under FEMA project DR‑4408 is now complete and the administration is finishing closeout paperwork with FEMA and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

The update, delivered at a council meeting, said roughly 40 of 52 individual scopes across seven large projects were completed, with about $5.5 million represented in construction and removal work. "The projects are now all completed," a staff presenter said, adding the city is "in the process of completing the final paperwork, working with our partners at FEMA and PEMA to do so."

Why this matters: the work included debris removal, stream bank stabilization, repairs to retaining walls and substructure work on bridges that city officials said reduce flood risk for neighborhoods across Scranton. Officials and the project team described the completion as improving public safety and making the city better positioned to respond to heavy rain events.

What staff reported: Joey Sedita, project manager, said crews removed 39,300 cubic yards of debris from eight city streams — roughly the equivalent of 4,000 tri-axle dump-truck loads — and installed about 6,270 cubic yards of riprap to stabilize about a quarter-mile of stream bank. Sedita called the Elm Street wall behind the South Side Shopping Center the "crown jewel" of the work; that wall, he said, cost over $1 million and was recently finished after an expanded scope. "We got that one done," Sedita said.

Project scope and timing: staff said the original disaster declaration followed February 2018 flooding. The city received multiple federal time extensions (an August 2022 extension reactivated the work after pandemic delays; another extension followed in January 2024) and staff recently requested a short additional extension to finish final tasks. The presenter said several scopes were removed from the FEMA package for reasons including previously washed-out sediment, Fish and Boat Commission objections, easement problems and projects rendered unnecessary by prior bridge replacements.

Notable repairs and local projects: staff identified work on the Lackawanna River and its tributaries (Meadowbrook, Lindy Creek, Leech/Kaiser Creek, Roaring Brook, Leech Creek, Stafford Meadow Brook and others). Specific items included:

- Elm Street wall: expanded beyond the original 65-foot scope by roughly 30 feet; project completed and contractor finished the final pour the week before the meeting.

- Lindy Creek and Frank Street area: staff described plans funded with ARPA to extend stream walls upstream of a former railroad abutment, add a new debris basin above the railroad, and replace a private bridge that currently narrows the channel.

- Bridges: Oak Street bridge shoulder was reopened to full width after structural repairs; Jackson Street bridge received substructure stone repairs and grouting.

- Meadowbrook: crews cleared roughly 300 feet of the lower Meadowbrook channel, removing built-up debris from a 9-foot pipe section.

Permitting and construction constraints: project managers stressed permitting slowed work. Each scope required reviews by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Seasonal restrictions constrained work windows: Fish-and-boat rules limited in-stream work to June 1–Oct. 1 where wild trout were present, and tree‑removal was restricted by bat-protection windows from May 14–Aug. 15. Sedita said those overlapping limits shortened effective construction seasons and required careful scheduling.

Property access and easements: staff said many small-stream projects required temporary or permanent easements from private property owners; they credited personal outreach by Morgan Fetzock, project manager, for securing cooperation. The presentation noted some easement or plat changes require additional approvals; a speaker said requests for changes must go to the Department of General Services (DGS) for state-level approval before finalizing resident updates.

Funding and reimbursements: staff said the program represented about $5.5 million in work and that the city had drawn down some funds already; additional reimbursements will follow once FEMA/PEMA closeout paperwork is approved. The presentation also referenced non-FEMA funding that supported related projects, including 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture funds for a McDonough Avenue project and ARPA funds for upcoming stream-wall and debris‑basin work.

Who spoke: the update was delivered by an unnamed staff presenter and project team members Joey Sedita (project manager) and Morgan Fetzock (project manager). Tom Riley (staff member) answered technical questions about specific structures, and several council members asked for clarifications during the presentation.

Discussion versus decision: the session was an informational update. No formal motions or council votes on these projects were recorded at the meeting; staff asked only that council note the project completion and permit timely processing of related contracts in future responses to storm events.

Remaining actions and next steps: staff said closeout paperwork with FEMA and PEMA remains, and that the city will continue to draw funds as documentation is accepted. Separately, ARPA-funded work to extend stream protections and add debris basins (for example on Frank Street above the railroad abutment and upstream of Lindy Creek) is in the planning stage and awaits required permitting and easement approvals. A council member asked staff to continue communicating with neighbors on Meadowbrook project updates; staff said they will.

The presentation team emphasized that federal and state permitting, seasonal work windows for trout and bats, and the need for rapid contracting after storm events are central constraints to timeliness going forward. "Timeliness is very important," the unnamed staff presenter said, urging that council remain prepared to move contracts quickly when needed so contractors can start work in constrained windows.