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Luzerne County Council approves budget amendment, contracts and multiple board appointments in unanimous votes
Summary
At its January voting session Luzerne County Council unanimously approved an ordinance to amend the 2024 general fund budget, contracts for tax-bill printing and mental-health evaluations, modifications to ARPA-funded projects, two property sales and more than 40 appointments to authorities, boards and commissions.
Luzerne County Council unanimously approved a package of budget changes, contracts, property sales and dozens of board appointments during its January voting session.
The council adopted an ordinance amending the 2024 general fund budget to accept an election-integrity grant, approved multiple contracts including a printing contract for real-estate tax bills and a services contract with UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital for juvenile-wellness-court evaluations, authorized modifications to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)–funded projects, approved the sale of tax-repository parcels, and voted to transfer specific real property to the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority. Council members also completed a long slate of appointments to county authorities, boards and commissions, filling seats for the housing authority, industrial development authority, transit and health boards, assorted advisory panels and municipal authorities.
Why it matters: The votes authorize near-term contracting and spending, finalize personnel and board rosters that steer county programs and position the county to pursue federal and state funding tied to several projects. Many actions carry implementation steps — for example vendor contracts require a county-manager signature and the ARPA modifications link county projects with externally administered funds.
Most significant votes - Ordinance amending 2024 general fund budget for an election‑integrity grant: adopted unanimously. This added grant revenue and the matching budget language needed to spend it. - Resolution authorizing the county manager to execute a contract with Master’s Touch for printing real‑estate tax bills: adopted unanimously; council discussion and public comment emphasized the need to meet pressing billing deadlines. - Resolution authorizing the county manager to execute a contract with UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital to provide participant and caregiver evaluations for the Luzerne County Juvenile Wellness Court: adopted unanimously. - Two resolutions approving modifications to ARPA‑funded projects: both adopted unanimously (one affecting the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority and one for the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts). - Two sales agreements transferring specified parcels to the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority (PIN numbers read into the record and not read aloud in full): both adopted unanimously. - Sale of parcels held in repository by Elite Revenue Solutions LLC, acting at the Luzerne County Tax Claim Bureau: approved unanimously.
Appointments and vacancies: Council completed a lengthy series of appointments by roll-call votes. Items included: a council member appointment to the Greater Hazleton CDA board; appointments to the Luzerne Conservation District and the Luzerne-Wyoming County Mental Health and Developmental Services Program Advisory Board; multiple appointments to the Luzerne County Housing Authority (final ballot selected Ralph Sharp); Industrial Development Authority appointments (three nominees were confirmed); transportation, health and higher‑education authority appointments; and a slate of appointments to county advisory boards including Aging, Children & Youth, Drug & Alcohol, and others. Nearly all roll-call votes were unanimous; a small number recorded single “no” votes on specific appointments as reflected in the meeting roll calls.
Implementation steps and next actions: Contracts approved by council require the county manager’s execution. Appointees will assume terms as stated in the resolutions (terms and expiry dates were read into the record). ARPA modifications will be processed through the county finance office and the named implementing authorities. The sale resolutions direct county staff to finalize agreements with closing steps described in the resolutions.
Votes at a glance (summary extracted from roll calls during the voting session): Refer to the actions array for itemized motions, movers/seconders when recorded on the public roll call and recorded tallies.
Ending: Council concluded the voting session after completing the agenda and moved to public-comment items. Several adopted items will return as administrative implementation items for the county manager and staff to carry out.
