Wilkes-Barre council approves slate of grant applications and adopts parking ordinance

Wilkes-Barre City Council on Sept. 9 approved a set of authorizations to apply for Luzerne County local-share assessment grants and adopted an ordinance updating the cityReserve Parking Program, with all members present voting in favor.

The council designated Mayor George D. Brown and Controller Tony Thomas as the officials authorized to execute agreements with the Commonwealth Financing Authority and Luzerne County for multiple Local Share Account (LSA) grant applications. The authorizations approved in the consent agenda include requests for funds for downtown pathways, Wilkes Universitynursing-simulation equipment, Allied Services elevator work, River Common Millennium Circle lights and other projects.

Why it matters: the approvals let the city and partner organizations seek state-administered local-share funding that, if awarded, would pay for capital improvements around downtown and for nonprofit infrastructure. Several projects require further state or county approvals and, in some cases, matching or pledged contributions by private partners.

Most significant items approved

- Downtown public square pathways: authorization to pursue a Luzerne County LSA grant of $904,760 for improvements to the downtown public squarepathways.

- Wilkes University Nursing Simulation Lab: authorization to seek a $500,000 LSA grant to buy simulation equipment for Wilkes UniversityMike Wood, representing Wilkes University, told council the school has about "200 nurses" in its traditional and accelerated programs and said "74%" of graduates continue to practice in…