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Residents press council on Lake Scranton water use, tax reassessment and a police-department study
Summary
Public commenters at the Scranton council meeting urged the city to block use of Lake Scranton water for data-center cooling, called for a police-department structure study and complained about recent property reassessments and a potential conflict related to a Fidelity building purchase.
During the public-comment portion of the Scranton City Council meeting, multiple residents raised policy concerns and requests for follow-up from the administration.
Lee Morgan (speaker 9) opposed using Lake Scranton water to cool data centers, saying "that water is there for one sole purpose, human consumption," and asked the council to prioritize residents' access over industrial cooling. The chair said the administration would follow up with American Water to obtain additional information about water volumes and answer outstanding questions raised in caucus.
Mike Mancini (speaker 8) urged the council to commission a study of the Scranton Police Department's structure and detectives division, arguing that better organization, training and leadership would strengthen public safety and trust. "I would like to recommend that our city council investigate a study, the Scranton Police Department," he said during his remarks.
Several speakers criticized property-tax reassessments. Les Spindler (speaker 10) described his own bill rising approximately $1,100 after a reassessment despite telling assessors his 116-year-old home needed work; he urged the city to take action and supported legal remedies if needed. Joan Hodowanitz (speaker 7) also encouraged residents to check appeals rights after reassessments.
Tom Konymanuka (speaker 12) urged council to validate a local historical board decision on the Fidelity building and said council and the mayor could be seen as having a conflict of interest because of a purchase agreement with Fidelity Bank next door. He recommended rubber-stamping the Harb board denial and letting the courts resolve further disputes.
Several commenters praised DPW and first responders for quick action during recent incidents, asking the council to recognize the workers and a police officer with proclamations. The chair and several council members acknowledged those recommendations and asked staff to follow up on proclamations and other requests.
The council agreed to reach back out to American Water with specific questions and to provide requested follow-up on items raised in caucus.
Quotes in this article are taken verbatim from the public-comment record.
