Luzerne County Council extends heating/utility assistance, provides sheriff incentives

Luzerne County Council voted Tuesday to extend a heating/utility assistance program through this winter and reprogram $1.477 million in remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for three internal projects.

Council also authorized the use of $170,000 from unfilled sheriff’s office positions to provide retention incentives to sheriff deputies.

The three internal projects approved Tuesday:

• $200,000 to match requested state funding to renovate a county building at 54 W. Union St. in Wilkes-Barre to provide temporary shelter for children removed from their homes due to alleged abuse and neglect. County Children, Youth and Families currently shelters these children in its offices until it can make permanent arrangements. The county community development office will relocate from the West Union Street property to free up the space.

• $1 million for improvements at the county-owned Wyoming Valley Airport in Forty Fort and Wyoming. Council had earmarked $6 million in American Rescue funding for capital improvements at the 110-acre property, including new hangars, fuel tanks and safety enhancements. Tuesday’s agenda said more funding is needed because Delta Airport Consultants Inc., which is handling engineering and planning, identified additional costs associated with the projects.

• $277,037 to repair damage from past window leaks and make other improvements in the county’s Penn Place Building at 20 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Wilkes-Barre.

The funding came from past earmarks that were lowered or withdrawn because recipients scaled back plans or were unable to complete work within the deadline.

For example, council voted Tuesday to reclaim $1 million of the $2.5 million earmarked for the heating/utility assistance program.

The nonprofit Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO), which is administering the program for the county, initially proposed returning $1.5 million based on received and pending applications through the end of this year.

Council opted to keep $500,000 in the program, or a total $1.5 million, and continue accepting applications through the winter, with a new June 30 closeout.

The minimum income requirement was also removed to help more people, officials said.

Households of the following sizes are eligible for the county program if their gross annual income is under the following amounts, according to CEO: single, $43,740; two, $59,160; three, $74,580; four, $90,000; five, $105,420; six, $120,840; seven, $136,260; and eight, $151,680.

The program provides $290 in assistance to eligible homeowners and renters.

If approved, the $290 checks will be payable to the applicants’ utility of choice, and all types of heating and deliverable fuels are covered.

Applications and other information are available at ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org.

Sheriff incentive

Unanimously approved by council, the one-time incentive for 32 unionized deputies, corporals and sergeants provides payments ranging from $1,000 for less than a year of service to $10,000 for 10 workers with service ranging from five to 31 years.

County Sheriff Brian Szumski has been working to address deputy staffing shortages and said retention is a priority largely because extensive training is required to bring new deputies up to speed.

New deputies must undergo 19 weeks of training at Penn State University’s main campus in State College to obtain Act 2 certification, he has said.

Sheriff deputies must transport inmates to and from court, secure the courthouse and other county properties, assist county agencies when law enforcement duties are required and service criminal warrants, protection-from-abuse orders and civil writs.

Following the vote, Sheriff Sgt. Leslie Middaugh thanked council on behalf of all deputy sheriffs, with several standing up in the audience.

“Your recognition of our tireless work means a great deal to all of us,” Middaugh said.

She also praised the sheriff, chief deputy and lieutenants, saying they “exemplify the qualities of outstanding leaders” and often step away from their desks to assist “on the front lines” where they are needed, whether it is to cover security posts, transport prisoners or back up deputies during an eviction.

“Their willingness as administrators to serve alongside us in the trenches speaks volumes about their character,” she said, conveying a request from deputies to also provide bonuses to those managers if funding can be secured.

Council Chairman John Lombardo said the incentive for deputies was “very well deserved.”

County Manager Romilda Crocamo personally commended the deputies for their work.

“They keep us safe,” she said, noting they also work many nights and weekends. “They do their job with the utmost professionalism, and they care. That begins with our Sheriff Szumski and permeates throughout the department. I’m so very proud of them.”