Other business from Scranton City Council's Jan. 24, 2023 meeting

Jan. 24—In other business Tuesday, Scranton City Council:

Introduced a resolution appointing Dimitri Bartels-Bray, of North Washington Avenue, to the city Shade Tree Commission. Bartels-Bray replaces former Mayor David Wenzel, who retired, and will fill Wenzel's remaining term, which expires Oct. 29.

Introduced a resolution accepting Marie C. Banicky's $200 donation to the Scranton Police Department, which will be used to purchase equipment supporting the department's K9 unit.

Introduced a resolution authorizing a $48,000 contract with Barry Isett and Associates Inc. for professional engineering, design and construction management services for an all-inclusive playground project at Nay Aug Park. The $320,000 total project cost will be partly funded by a $200,000 state Local Share Account grant. The Scranton Municipal Recreation Authority will also provide funding.

Advanced an ordinance amending previously adopted legislation related to city quality of life regulations so violation numbers correspond with the tickets issued by Scranton Code Enforcement staff. In short, the ordinance makes it so the violation number for each quality of life infraction matches that of the ticket or citation for that violation.

Advanced an ordinance permanently extending property tax and trash fee discount periods to April 15. Planned in conjunction with Lackawanna County and the Scranton School District, the change will give taxpayers more time to take advantage of the city's 2% tax and 10% refuse fee discounts if they pay by the new deadline. Because April 15 falls on a Saturday this year, residents will have until Monday, April 17, to pay the discounted rates.

Adopted an ordinance increasing the annual salary for the elected position of city controller from $40,000 to $53,300 in 2024. It marks the first pay increase for the position since 2000.

Adopted a resolution accepting a $5,000 donation to the Scranton Fire Department by Gregg and Joan Sunday in memory of late city firefighter Stephen Sunday, who passed away in late 2020. The donation will be used to purchase equipment.

Adopted a resolution reappointing William Lesniak, of Pittston Avenue, to the city's Historical Architecture Review Board. His term expired Oct. 11, and was held over. Lesniak's new term will expire Oct. 11, 2027.

Adopted a resolution authorizing a three-year contract with Texas-based Front Line Mobile Health to administer medical examinations for members of the Scranton Fire Department. The estimated annual cost of the contract is $56,000.

Adopted a resolution amending prior legislation that authorized city Treasurer Mitesh Patel to receive confidential tax information from Berkheimer. The resolution replaces the treasurer's proper name with the job title, identifying a position, as opposed to a specific individual, authorized to receive the information.

Adopted a resolution retroactively approving a grant application seeking $424,488 in COVID-19 ARPA PA Small Water & Sewer funding through the state Department of Community and Economic Development. Scranton would use the funding to mitigate damage to city infrastructure and private property caused by inadequate stormwater management and drainage facilities "in a densely populated neighborhood that adjoins Johnson College along Lemon Street, August Avenue and Greenbush Street," according to a legislative cover sheet. The city would use nearly $75,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds as the grant match.

Adopted a resolution authorizing an up to $450,000 contract with Harrisburg-based Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. for a range of services to help establish a regional authority for stormwater management. Managing stormwater on a regional basis has been a yearslong goal of the city, which could partner with several surrounding municipalities potentially covered by an authority. Scranton will use up to $450,000 in federal ARPA money to cover the cost of the HRG contract.

Adopted a previously tabled resolution approving the intermunicipal transfer of a restaurant liquor license from RMCJ Inc. and located in Moosic to C AND SRP LLC, 2217 Boulevard Ave., Scranton.

— JEFF HORVATH

JEFF HORVATH