County buys credit union for health department
Sep. 17—Lackawanna County officially owns the downtown Scranton building expected to host its health department next year.
The county paid Pentagon Federal Credit Union $5 million for the building during closing on Tuesday, according to the deed.
County human services director Bill Browning said Friday officials' immediate focus will center on transferring keys and security and access measures, but some administrative offices move in within the next few months.
The credit union will remain in place on the first floor temporarily as its leaders search for a new location.
If all goes well, the health department should be fully moved in and established by the spring. That will lead to an application for a state certification and the hope of state funding by July 1, the start of the state's new fiscal year, Browning said.
"We pretty much have every office filled or if not filled, we have all the positions ... allocated," he said.
The county Salary Board voted Thursday to create three community health nurse positions at a salary of $42,700.
The state Department of Community and Economic Development provided $4 million of the purchase price two weeks ago, Browning said. The county used American Rescue Plan Act money to cover the rest, he said.
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