Votes at a glance: commissioners approve payables, internships, CDBG contracts, youth services contracts and data-sharing agreements

The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners approved a slate of resolutions on Aug. 20, 2025, covering payables, intergovernmental agreements, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) construction contracts, internship and licensing arrangements, and multiple human-services provider contracts.

Key approved items included:

- Payables (Resolution 25-0203): Commissioners approved Lackawanna County general fund payables (listed in the meeting packet) totaling $2,902,420.13 and electronic fund transfers including payroll totaling $3,919,817.09.

- Memorandum of Understanding with the District Attorney’s Office for the community service program (Resolution 25-0204): Approved; (See separate article for details.)

- Internship agreement with the University of Scranton (Resolution 25-0205): The board approved a site agreement to continue the county internship program; county staff reported 20 interns served last year across departments.

- License agreement with the Scranton Cultural Center (Resolution 25-0206): The Tax Claim Bureau was authorized to rent the Scranton Cultural Center’s ballroom for the September 2025 upset tax sale at a cost of $1,040; bidders pay a $35 registration fee that the director said will cover the rental.

- CDBG construction contract for Taylorboro (Resolution 25-0207): Awarded to American Asphalt of Shavertown for $373,400 for Schlager Street improvements (full-depth milling, asphalt resurfacing, drainage improvements). County staff said the project is CDBG-funded and time-sensitive, with a completion deadline tied to grant terms.

- CDBG construction contract for Dickson City (Resolution 25-0208): Awarded to Stiferski Paving Company for $87,000 for the Bernard Sieminski Memorial Park Development Project; county staff said the project aims to make park features ADA-compliant and is funded by CDBG (no cost to the county).

- Office of Youth and Family Services professional-service agreements (Resolution 25-0209) and provider agreements (Resolution 25-0211): The board approved multiple annual contract renewals and new contracts for services including forensic interviews, independent living, foster care and residential placements. Director Carrie Browning told the board that many of these services are reimbursed at 80% or 60% by the state; several new contracts were described for children who are difficult to place.

- Child Welfare Information Solution (CWIS) data-sharing agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Resolution 25-0210): Approved; the contract covers electronic data exchange for county children and youth agencies for Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2026. County staff described this as an annual, state-mandated agreement with no county cost.

All listed resolutions were adopted by the board in voice votes during the meeting. Several items were described by staff as reimbursed by state funding or funded through CDBG, meaning little or no direct county general-fund cost for those projects.

Several of the approvals were described as time-sensitive due to grant deadlines or scheduled events; staff indicated they will proceed with contracting and implementation steps now that the board has authorized each item.