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Residents press Scranton council over Geisinger hospital zoning and demand a seat at the table
Summary
Multiple residents criticized the council’s recent actions related to a Geisinger hospital project, alleging inadequate outreach, broken promises and prioritization of corporate interests; speakers asked for neighborhood representation in planning and for the council to release meeting minutes and agreements.
Several Scranton residents used the council’s citizen‑participation period to criticize the council’s recent vote tied to the Geisinger hospital project and to demand greater transparency and neighborhood involvement.
Speakers described a pattern they said showed the council and hospital negotiating without sufficiently involving immediate neighbors. One attendee said neighbors had been told they would have a 'seat at the table' during planning but asserted that outreach and promised limits (for example, property purchase commitments and height agreements) had not been honored. Another speaker characterized the prior week’s action as an "assault on democracy," saying residents were "crushed" by corporate influence and promising to seek meeting minutes and documentation.
Council members and staff did not provide detailed rebuttals in the record; one council member reiterated an earlier offer to meet with neighbors and said the offer remained open. Several commenters also raised related concerns about public‑notice and whether advisory committees had met publicly.
Public commenters requested that (1) hospital planners include immediate neighbors (Arthur Avenue, Colfax Avenue and nearby blocks) in direct consultations, (2) the council or hospital publish minutes or written agreements said to exist, and (3) the council ensure future outreach uses clear, documented processes. Those requests were made during the citizen‑participation portion of the meeting and no formal council vote to change outreach or notification processes was recorded at this meeting.
The council later proceeded with scheduled agenda business, including votes on separate items. HARB (Historic Architectural Review Board) reconsideration for at least one application was scheduled for December 18, 2025, per comments recorded during the meeting.
