Lackawanna County adopts demolition/rehabilitation fund and approves a slate of contracts, grants and routine agreements

The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners on March 5 adopted Ordinance 297 to establish a county Demolition and Rehabilitation Fund under the state law enacted in 2024, and approved a series of resolutions covering payables, maintenance agreements, grants and vendor contracts.

Ordinance 297: Demolition and Rehabilitation Fund The board adopted Ordinance 297, implementing provisions of Act 48 (2024) to establish a Lackawanna County Demolition and Rehabilitation Fund. The ordinance directs the Lackawanna County Tax Claim Bureau and the Lackawanna County Sheriff’s office to collect a $250 fee from each purchaser at tax sales and mortgage-foreclosure sheriff sales; funds will be deposited to a designated county fund and administered by the Lackawanna County Land Bank. The ordinance becomes effective 90 days after enactment.

Payables and routine fiscal actions The board approved Resolution 25-0067, approving county payables: Lackawanna County General Fund checks numbered in the 382660–383043 range totaling $3,433,001.72 and electronic fund transfers (including payroll) totaling $7,158,900.96.

Grants and community agreements - The board awarded the 2025 Lackawanna County arts and cultural program grants totaling $240,000 to 36 organizations and separately awarded $80,000 in project grants. Director of Arts and Culture Maureen McGuigan said the awards support nonprofits, municipalities and individuals across the county.

Infrastructure, maintenance and vendor contracts - The county entered a maintenance project agreement with the Lackawanna County Conservation District and the Department of Roads and Bridges for drainage improvements on St. Marys Veil Road in Elmhurst Township. The conservation district will supply $45,613.72 for materials under the low-volume roads program; county Roads and Bridges will perform the work.

- A one-year maintenance agreement with Reed's Generator Service LLC covering five county buildings (Courthouse, Jefferson Avenue Gateway Building, Government Center, Criminal Justice Center, 315 Franklin Avenue) was approved at a total cost of $4,850.

- A one-year elevator maintenance agreement with Otis Elevator for 135 Jefferson Avenue was approved at a cost of $7,658.

- The board approved a one-year hazardous materials emergency response agreement with Eagle Response Services (Bellefonte, PA) to provide a PEMA-certified response capability with a satellite location in Gouldsboro; the vendor will bill insurers and the agreement was presented as no-cost to the county.

- The board approved a contract with Diamond Baseball Holdings/Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (SBW LLC) to host a high school baseball All-Star event, with a fundraising component benefitting the Howerton Foundation.

Other actions - The board adopted a procedure to obtain blanket bonds or crime insurance consistent with Pennsylvania Act 106; the board also approved the county crime insurance policy recommended by the county risk manager (effective 01/01/2025–01/01/2026 as presented).

- The board approved a Grasshopper Lawns contract for five treatments, core aeration and grub treatment at the courthouse for $5,961. The contract drew public comment earlier in the meeting questioning contracted lawn services.

Votes All items summarized above were put to voice votes, with the chair calling for ‘‘ayes’’ and no roll-call tallies recorded in the public transcript. Each listed ordinance and resolution was described by staff and then approved during the March 5 meeting.

The board also approved several smaller housekeeping resolutions and held public comment on multiple items.