Public commenters press commissioners on reassessment, call for countywide nondiscrimination ordinance

Public comment at the Lackawanna County commissioners meeting in Musick centered on two recurring themes: strong objections to the countywide property reassessment and requests for a countywide nondiscrimination ordinance and human relations commission.

Bob Bowler of Scranton told commissioners he has filed a lawsuit challenging the reassessment process and criticized the appraisal work, saying his former church was reassessed at an amount he called unreasonable. "I've already filed a lawsuit, and it's gonna turn into a class action suit because this is just totally ridiculous," Bowler said. He also offered to sell the church property to the county for $2.5 million and said he would pursue legal action over what he said were improper actions by a commissioner at a private rally.

Multiple speakers from the advocacy group NEPA Stands Up addressed the board to request a countywide nondiscrimination ordinance and a Lackawanna County Human Relations Commission. Angelo Ramon identified himself as chair of the group's housing committee and said Lackawanna County remains one of several Pennsylvania counties without countywide protections for LGBTQ residents, with protections limited to certain municipalities such as Scranton, Dickson City and Pittston. "I've been locked out of opportunities for jobs, housing, [and] health care ... entirely because of their own feelings about my identity," Ramon said.

Holly Ord, a local organizer for NEPA Stands Up, urged the commissioners to adopt a county ordinance mirroring Scranton's protections, noting the geographic proximity of municipalities that do and do not offer protections for LGBTQ residents. Frankie Malakaria and Alec Walker Serrano, also with NEPA Stands Up, urged the creation of a county-level human relations commission and encouraged commissioners to consider more expansive protections used in neighboring counties such as Lehigh County.

Other residents addressed local topics including Montage Mountain development and municipal paving. One speaker asked for clarity about a proposed multifamily project on Montage Mountain and raised concerns about traffic impacts and housing types; another thanked commissioners for recent paving work on Montage Mountain and said local officials would work with county staff on economic development plans.

Commissioner Chermack and other commissioners acknowledged the reassessment appeals process is under way. Chermack said about 4,200 appeals had been filed and that the board will monitor results and corrections as appeal decisions are returned; she said the board is watching for impacts to taxpayers and noted possible measures such as tax freezes for eligible elderly residents to protect households from unintended consequences.

County staff and commissioners declined to change reassessment timing at the meeting but said appeals will proceed and that staff will provide updates as hearing results are processed. Commissioner Chermack asked county solicitor Don Frederickson to review the legal landscape regarding a countywide nondiscrimination ordinance and to report back to the board.