AVOCA — Six years after Ss. Peter & Paul Church closed and three years after the acquisition of the church, Avoca Borough has a state-of-the-art municipal building for many decades to come.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on a brisk Saturday morning at 950 Main St. where Ss. Peter & Paul Church once stood. In attendance were borough officials, state representatives and members of the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office.
“It took a lot to get to this point,” said Avoca Borough Council President John Boone. “We are about three years in the making with site acquisition and securing the funding through grants and loan work.”
The church closed in 2011 and the borough purchased the land from the Diocese of Scranton for $144,000 in 2013. The church was demolished shortly after the acquisition to make way for the new municipal building that replaces the 106-year-old facility just a few blocks away on Main Street.
Leading the charge for the new borough building was Joe Satkowski, Sr. who passed away when construction began. Satkowski served for 39 years on council, 31 of them as president.
In a token of appreciation for Satkowski’s service to Avoca, the council chamber was dedicated in his name. “We’re happy and proud to dedicate the chambers to Joe,” Boone added.
According to Boone, the building is state-of-the art, making it eco-friendlyy buutilizing LED lighting and energy-efficient HVAC and air conditioning.
Barbara Satkowski, daughter of the late councilman, was on hand for the ribbon cutting and unveiling of the council chambers. “It’s bitter-sweet. Obviously, this is my father’s dream and passion and him not being here, but yet I’m humbled and proud that council worked so hard to carry out his dream,” Satkowski said.
Satkowski Sr.’s intent was to preserve the heritage of the community. “My dad once said to me, ‘What a beautiful place to put our new building, the home of the community, we always hold our home as being sacred and now our new home is on sacred ground,’” Barbara Satkowski said.
The building is also the home of the police department led by Chief Dave Homeschek, who is pleased with the new facility that offers 21st century amenities to the department.
“We have four times the space (from the previous site), we have a patrol room with computers, bulletproof glass, a cell block where we can securely hold prisoners which we never had in the previous building, an interview and processing room, weapons room and a security system with video surveillance,” Homeschek said.
Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis was on hand for the ceremony, announcing her department would donate a new computer system to the Avoca Police Dept.
Homeschek said the D.A.’s office is donating a laptop computer that will enable the officers to receive calls from the 911 center directly to the laptop while they are patrolling.
The new laptop will allow e-filing of citations directly from the patrol car. It would also enable officers to have access to the countywide server, allowing them to have information from surrounding municipalities.
Councilman Boone said the borough would look for funding to help raze the former municipal building.
“Our next step is really settling in,” Boone said. “We have a lot of unpacking to do.”
