[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6607908,"mediaKeyId","2947161-daa216fc40b77d6381176ae40d311a2e","parentId",2947161,"title","Votes at a glance: commissioners approve jail education contract, commissary vendor, pension audit engagement and grant ratification","audioSeconds",1324,"startMs",3212000,"endMs",4536000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2947161-daa216fc40b77d6381176ae40d311a2e&start=3212&end=4536","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2947161-daa216fc40b77d6381176ae40d311a2e/thumbnail_3212000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6607908/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Votes-at-a-glance-commissioners-approve-jail-education-contract-commissary-vendor-pension-audit-engagement-and-grant-ratification","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607908-31182be76412079117c78b05117c11cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770574791&Signature=DdWNlKlEyaPR3kiZElU60J~n7~35qT66Jnj-KtlodJjQbXTPX5PyFMBGMMVx~UniuZBgbkZzjLE~oCiqeGvHXswLbvQIxlPQCeQfcSIgq~lR12DycqUaQYKKeVB6wzF5N~XTw84Ku52qIv3gDpFFk7XP6WdSemTjwJ33z7WyTuSVPlTkfBkrydZLJJvIzK3eWIzEzGwmJZd0ehV5rRgkSNdvsaKYjocG5f8bu-zm6IOjwuxiZekf1YIPrV6k1eCAGGk~6njAwOkWOGSiSlrH49few3xAm0RFhta5U8V~suVUTU26-LUnnxO-pFDH60ct07-D8RQh2sVoR67AiaR8NA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lackawanna County, PA","date","2025-04-10T13:54:46.627Z","article","The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners approved several resolutions on April 9 that the board described as routine actions to support county services and ongoing projects. Each item below lists the resolution number, a brief description and the outcome recorded at the meeting.

• Resolution 25‑00586 — Approval of payables: The board approved county general fund payables (checks numbered 383671–383985) and electronic fund transfers including payroll. Outcome: approved (voice vote: ayes recorded; no dissent noted).

• Resolution 25‑0085 — Award GED prep course at Lackawanna County Prison to Outreach Center for Community Resources: The contract runs April 1–Dec. 31, 2025, and is not to exceed $200,117.32. Warden Tim Betti told the board the program will be funded from the inmate canteen account rather than the general fund and that the county aims to have the prison approved as an official test site. Outcome: approved (voice vote: ayes recorded).

• Resolution 25‑0088 — Inmate commissary services agreement with Keefe Commissary Network LLC: Three‑year term beginning June 1, 2025. Warden Betti said Keefe agreed to hold pricing for two years, offered a lower commission rate and proposed improved admission and indigent kits. Outcome: approved (voice vote: ayes recorded).

• Resolution 25‑0084 — Engagement letter for county pension audit with Zelenkowski Axelrod LLC: Contract covers pension‑fund audit services for years ending 2024–2027; contract compensation cited at approximately $15,000 with modest annual increases. CFO Dave Bolzoni told commissioners the prior auditor withdrew and the county sought proposals to keep the audit process timely. Outcome: approved (voice vote: ayes recorded).

• Resolution 25‑0082 — Ratify application to Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for Riverfront Park Project Phase 1: Director Krista Magnotta said the application (requested award $500,000) was filed on deadline and that the UGI remediation work on the property will serve as the required match; awards to be announced in fall 2025 and work could begin spring 2026. Outcome: approved (voice vote: ayes recorded).

• Resolution 25‑0087 — Appointments and reappointments to Agricultural Land Preservation Board: The board approved four appointments/reappointments with staggered term expirations ranging from Dec. 31, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2027. Outcome: approved (voice vote: ayes recorded).

What the votes mean: The approvals reflect short‑term contracts, routine procurement and grant application ratification; the GED program and commissary contract were described by the warden as costing the county no general‑fund dollars because they are funded from inmate canteen revenues. The pension‑audit engagement was presented as a near‑market replacement after the prior auditor withdrew.

Meeting record: Each resolution was moved and seconded and adopted by voice vote during the meeting; the public record did not show individual roll‑call tallies for the items presented.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lackawanna County Commissioners 4 9 25","oneSentenceSummary","At the April 9 meeting the board approved multiple routine resolutions: GED prep classes for the county prison, a three‑year commissary services contract, a pension‑audit engagement, ratification of a Riverfront Park grant application and several appointments to the county Agricultural Land Preservation Board.","taxTitle","Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania","taxId",2940,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607911,"Lackawanna County assessment director and contractor outline reassessment schedule as residents raise transparency and appeal concerns",0,4064000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2947161-daa216fc40b77d6381176ae40d311a2e&start=4064&end=4064","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2947161-daa216fc40b77d6381176ae40d311a2e/thumbnail_4064000.jpg","/articles/6607911/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Lackawanna-County-assessment-director-and-contractor-outline-reassessment-schedule-as-residents-raise-transparency-and-appeal-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607911-a016109cd39b3fe9adbe8914e556936c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770574791&Signature=RTCF-k8~cG86wz4CETcIiWZti~T9e8Jn6EhnwTGNeeFeXWQ2PdkSulf7Hd4jfy0wHx7Y~5cs3ZjrWbhI6FLioE5OzMKluf-dZuZsiNR88lICVskDxZG-ruMc04jsflX0v9IqCoPe3Mfz-U2aSp2oMGwkUza22kRVSDsMODnwCm~e0eJXEVA1O5osDBYLfvYH2YllsK7cRQE3Tc2qET5DalbhrsW0QuTlhENwPENAAQsiC4lxnWxmspwOecYbDs2QJYwBLjLCQdhb2EIdcIHkiPeIVe6COIa~o414KUiBZ90VLyM9d5F8vbPNDbw5vWyAztK62N9UAAkJjcL4cG-jYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lackawanna County officials and the contractor conducting the countywide reassessment briefed the Board of Commissioners and the public on the project timeline and procedures while a string of residents urged greater transparency and clarified appeal access.

Patrick Tobin, director of the county assessment office, said Tyler Technologies’ nearly three‑year reassessment was “just about complete” and that Tyler was conducting informal reviews at a 9‑1‑1 center in Jessup. Tobin said Tyler will turn the role to the county on June 1, 2025; formal appeals applications will be available on the county website July 1; formal appeals will be held August 1–September 31, and the county expects to certify the reassessment roll on Nov. 15, 2025. Tobin said as of the Monday before the meeting Tyler had booked about 7,589 appointments and completed informal meetings on about 2,682 parcels.

Samantha Edwards of Tyler Technologies told the meeting that tentative value letters went to all property owners across all tax classes — residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, utility and exempt — and reiterated that reassessment must be revenue neutral: once certified, total millage rates across taxing bodies must be adjusted so the county collects no more total tax revenue solely because of reassessment. She said informal reviews would continue through May and that Tyler would transfer files to the county by June 1.

Several residents described problems they encountered with the informal process and with the availability of comparable sale data. David Maher and Suzanne Green said they were unable to obtain comparable‑sale information before their scheduled informal meetings; Green said two properties she owns were not visited and that one tentative record incorrectly listed non‑existent additional structures. Residents also asked why vacant lots showed large increases in tentative values and requested clearer explanations for how vacant land was revalued.

Multiple speakers asked the county to publish the average ratio— the countywide change from old to new assessed values — and to provide an estimate of likely new taxes. Samantha Edwards and Tobin explained that publishing estimated new tax amounts requires certified values and municipal budget decisions; they said certification and millage adjustments cannot be completed until informal reviews and formal appeals are finished. Tobin and Edwards said they will continue informal reviews through May and that the county will provide appeal instructions and outreach.

Several speakers urged safeguards for homeowners on fixed incomes, phased‑in increases or freezes, and more time and information for property owners to prepare appeals. Commissioner Chris Chermack and county staff acknowledged the scale of the work and the public concern; Chermack said county and contractor staff should consider additional time and outreach because thousands of appointment requests had been booked.

Legal counsel noted a court‑ordered deadline: an agreed order in a 2018 lawsuit directed completion of a full county reassessment by Jan. 1, 2026, which constrains how far the county can delay the process.

Why this matters: the county is undertaking its first reassessment since 1968; residents are receiving tentative value letters that in many cases show large increases from decades‑old assessments, triggering public concern about tax impacts, appeals access, and process transparency.

What residents can do: county officials and Tyler said property owners should attend informal reviews, bring supporting documentation (photos, records of condition, income or cost documentation if relevant) and use the formal appeals window if they disagree after the informal review. County staff said further public outreach and resources will be posted as steps are completed.","Assessment director Patrick Tobin and Tyler Technologies described the reassessment timeline and informal review process; multiple residents at the commissioners meeting expressed confusion about comparables, the appeals process, millage expression and potential tax impacts.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607915,"Lackawanna County unveils $35 million bond plan to repair roads, bridges and county facilities",4375,1020000,5395000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2947161-daa216fc40b77d6381176ae40d311a2e&start=1020&end=5395","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2947161-daa216fc40b77d6381176ae40d311a2e/thumbnail_1020000.jpg","/articles/6607915/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Lackawanna-County-unveils-35-million-bond-plan-to-repair-roads-bridges-and-county-facilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607915-39fe8de64d65d666c69d932b19a24e25/orig.mp4?Expires=1770574791&Signature=O1pf2Gfm3PjagU77BwHQTz8zS~isCExZAi4zBA2Ma2f8phakcIvH1io2thGzF6dkPqieyu~QWYEIHeEPbxA32pDwCqSFX-eA2EBJnVSsBJUTQcGeMmw6IrG4wB5kVcdEb~JOKypRAWlq3qDVeub32RYG4MtRppQyFRmiRh4xXuPunutIYRI9tGSpej52TFFJOyur401Mq7ebPn4HFWKToKmgP31Kbp3FX5vT5FOHToh7wV0~LwR~5BK5ijD3qSyoHvPu0i~G34J9DVlniIiUU0jGuzp9Bgx5E9BEdyHt~w4SbXHR72Aw6SASkFP2DyO9syhpG-yj91lSMlV3l-Pksg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners held the first reading of an ordinance authorizing up to $35,000,000 in general-obligation bonds to fund a multi‑phase capital improvements program for roads, bridges and county facilities.

County Chief Financial Officer Dave Bolzoni said the ordinance would (1) refund approximately $11,990,000 in short-term notes issued in December 2023, (2) modify the interest rate on a $14,225,000 note issued in December 2023, and (3) issue a new short‑term note of about $17,500,000 to fund a second phase of capital projects. “Phase 1” work funded earlier by 2023 notes principally covered roads and bridges; phase 2 would target additional bridges and related projects, Bolzoni said.

The nut of the plan, Bolzoni told commissioners, is addressing projects that engineering assessments classify as in “poor” condition. He outlined dozens of specific projects across the county that were included in the two phases, naming the Center Street repaving, Montage Mountain resurfacing, Gordon Avenue stormwater improvements in Carbondale, the G.C. Smith Road bridge replacement in Elmhurst Township, and a large list of bridge replacements and retaining‑wall projects dispersed across boroughs and townships.

Bolzoni said the county maintains 154 bridges and about 35 miles of roadway under direct county jurisdiction and that four bridges had been closed since the 2023 project list was compiled, which increased the funding need. He said a prior short‑term note issued in 2023 matures in June 2025 and must be refinanced. He also said the county expects to spend proceeds for certain tax‑exempt financings within a three‑year federal spend‑down window.

Bolzoni and staff described several funding offsets and grants tied to specific projects: a $2,500,000 FEMA grant for Dam Number 5 reconstruction (county match $1,382,000 included in the proposed borrowing); a $1,400,000 PennDOT multimodal grant for the Plank Road Bridge in Clifton Township (county match $800,000); a $1,400,000 PennDOT contribution for the Stauffer roadway project; a $1,000,000 PennDOT contribution for the Gordon Avenue project; and $2,000,000 in county vehicle registration fee funds matched with $2,000,000 from PennDOT for the G.C. Smith Road bridge project. Bolzoni said the county’s $5 registration fee brings in roughly $1 million a year and is being dedicated to road and bridge work after completion of the G.C. Smith project.

On debt service, Bolzoni reviewed the county’s 2025 budget projections and said the plan would not force a millage increase for debt service in 2026 because the county intends to draw on balances in the debt service fund; projected debt service for 2026 was estimated at about $23.4 million. He said projected debt service is not expected to exceed $24 million and cited a long‑term relief point in 2036 when a scheduled reduction in debt service would, in his estimate, equate to roughly an 8‑mill reduction in present value terms.

Commissioners asked questions and thanked staff for the detailed analysis. Commissioner Bill Gahan said the package “finally addresses roads and bridges throughout Lackawanna County” and described the plan as responsible and forward‑thinking. The ordinance was presented as a first reading; the second and final reading is scheduled at the commissioners’ next meeting.

The ordinance does not take effect until the board completes required readings and any subsequent sale or issuance of bonds, and county staff said the phase 2 short‑term note would later be refinanced over a 20–25 year period if the board chooses that path.

Why this matters: county officials said the program is intended to create momentum on deferred infrastructure work, reduce public‑safety risk from deteriorating bridges and roads, and preserve assets over the long term. The presentation emphasized that most projects were rated in poor condition and that failure to act would likely escalate costs and safety issues.

What remains open: the ordinance was only at first reading; specific issuance dates, final sale terms and any final project prioritization will be finalized in subsequent meetings. County staff said the board should continue to seek grants and other revenue sources to reduce the amount of long‑term borrowing.","County CFO and engineers presented a phased capital program funded by up to $35 million in general-obligation bonds, including refinancing existing notes and issuing short-term debt to address more than 150 bridges and dozens of road projects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: commissioners approve jail education contract, commissary vendor, pension audit engagement and grant ratification

Lackawanna County assessment director and contractor outline reassessment schedule as residents raise transparency and appeal concerns

Lackawanna County unveils $35 million bond plan to repair roads, bridges and county facilities