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Council discusses RCAP cooperation changes, magisterial court lease, St. Jude 5Ks and CCAP constable affidavit; no final votes recorded
Summary
County staff briefed Luzerne County Council on RCAP cooperation-agreement changes, a two-year lease renewal request for Magisterial District Court 11-04 in Pittston, road-closure approvals for St. Jude 5K events, and a CCAP affidavit regarding constables; no council votes were recorded on these items.
Luzerne County Council received several administrative briefings on April 22, 2025, including proposed language changes to a cooperation agreement tied to a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RCAP) grant, a request to renew the lease for a Pittston magisterial district court, road-closure procedures for St. Jude 5K runs, and a CCAP (County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania) request to sign an affidavit designating constables as independent contractors.
County staff explained the RCAP matter: the county is the grantee that passes funds through to a subgrantee for a project (recorded in the agenda as Change Academy Lake of the Ozarks). Staff said the office of budget proposed three changes to the cooperation agreement; one clause was disputed by staff because similar language had been included in prior agreements. Staff explained that if ineligible expenses were identified, the subgrantee would reimburse the grantee and a new cooperation agreement would be signed; an engineering consultant present said the subgrantee had already paid project costs and was seeking reimbursement.
The county solicitor’s office and staff clarified that reimbursement would be expected from the subgrantee to the county grantee rather than the county covering ineligible costs without reimbursement. An engineering consultant, Eric Trotman of Benish (as recorded), said the subgrantee had paid for the project in full and expected reimbursement under the grant.
On the magisterial district court lease, county staff recommended renewing a two-year extension of the expired lease for Magisterial District Court 11-04 with the city of Pittston at a modest rent increase; staff noted facility improvements and security enhancements. The council discussion recorded no vote during the work session briefing.
Council also discussed event permitting and road closures for St. Jude 5K runs; the county manager’s office said race approvals and road closures would be handled administratively and did not require council approval. Separately, Council members reviewed a CCAP request for counties to sign an affidavit affirming that constables are independent contractors; staff indicated management could prepare and return the affidavit, and council members signaled support for coordinating with adjacent counties on that request.
None of these administrative items recorded a formal council vote during the meeting; staff were asked to follow up and proceed with required paperwork or return items to a future agenda if formal council action was needed.
