Luzerne County Council unanimously voted Tuesday to cancel a $2 million federal American Rescue Plan Act allocation for a parkade at the former Hotel Sterling site in Wilkes-Barre.
Council had earmarked the parkade funds to the Wilkes-Barre Industrial Development Authority, which was overseeing the proposed public parking garage as part of a public/private partnership with the developer of a planned Gateway Hyatt Place Hotel and Conference Center on the corner of North River and West Market streets.
Because council will be significantly limited in how it can reprogram American Rescue funds after the end of this year, council members asked authority Chairman Larry Newman to provide a more definitive answer by Tuesday on whether the project can be completed within the deadline.
Newman sent council a letter of regret Tuesday afternoon requesting de-obligation of the American Rescue earmark.
As of Tuesday, “despite considerable effort,” the authority has been unable to secure definitive commitments for all funds required to proceed with the $4.5 million Riverfront Parking Garage project within the required deadline, Newman’s letter said.
Newman had emphasized there is a high demand for parking in that section of the city independent of the planned hotel/conference center.
Hotel project representative Stephen Barrouk could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday but said recently that the hotel franchise requires a set number of parking spots. He believed parking would be available on site to meet this mandate without a parkade, but that option would not help other neighboring residential and commercial structures that have relied on the empty Sterling lot for parking.
Barrouk had said the hotel/conference center project was still on track, possibly with a groundbreaking this spring.
• Prison settlement
A council majority approved a legal settlement stemming from a 2023 county female prison inmate suicide death.
The county will pay $150,000 toward the $300,000 settlement with the estate of the deceased inmate, Mercedes L. Alaimo, the agenda said. Alaimo’s estate had threatened to file litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against the county and prison inmate medical services provider WellPath LLC alleging violations stemming from her February 2023 suicide, the agenda said.
• Legal funds
A budget amendment ordinance was automatically introduced by the administration Tuesday to provide $750,000 to the county law office to cover additional costs for election-related litigation and prison legal settlements. The original amount of $600,000 was increased due to the Alaimo settlement, the administration said.
The prison budget would contribute $315,000 toward the earmark, while the remaining $435,000 would come from American Rescue interest earnings.
After introduction, ordinances require a public hearing and majority council vote at a future meeting to take effect. Council also would have to approve the American Rescue award.
• Condemnation
Council unanimously voted to initiate eminent domain proceedings against Midway Center LLC for a 20.85-acre Wyoming borough parcel adjacent to the county-owned Wyoming Valley Airport and the Midway Shopping Center.
Discussion about potential private development on Midway Center’s parcel prompted the action, officials said. The airport “will not be able to operate appropriately” if the county does not acquire it, the agenda said. The parcel is near the runway.
• Inmate food service
A three-year prison inmate food service contract renewal with Florida-based Trinity Services Group Inc. was unanimously approved by council.
Trinity provides food at a per-meal cost and oversees the prison kitchen. The expense varies but is approximately $1 million annually.
• Burn ban
Council rescinded a temporary outdoor burning ban that had been implemented until Dec. 9 due to dry conditions and wildfire concerns.
Conditions have improved, warranting cancellation of the ban, the agenda said.
• Election Inquiry
During the work session, council continued discussion about county Councilman Harry Haas’ suggestion to create a council election inquiry committee.
Council members expressed mixed views about the need, purpose and timing. Councilman Jimmy Sabatino said he wants to review the county law office’s upcoming assessment of the Nov. 5 general election and its suggested procedural improvements before determining whether a council committee is also warranted.