Luzerne County needs citizen board applicants

Luzerne County is seeking applicants for county authorities, boards and commissions to fill vacancies, said council Vice Chairman Brian Thornton.

Thornton is pushing to recruit citizens because he chairs the council committee that publicly interviews and screens prospective board applicants for the full council’s consideration.

According to Thornton, seats are open on the following: Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board; Blighted Property Review Committee; Board of Tax Assessment Appeals; Children & Youth Advisory Board; Convention Center Authority (oversees the Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township); County Cares Commission; Farmland Preservation Board; Forty Fort Airport Advisory Board; Industrial Development Authority Board; Luzerne Conservation District Board of Directors; county Transportation Authority; Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board; Luzerne/Wyoming Drug and Alcohol Executive Commission; county Planning Commission; and Recreational Facilities Advisory Board.

Applications are available on council’s authorities, boards and commissions section at luzernecounty.org or by contacting Council Clerk Sharon Lawrence at 570-825-1634.

Completed applications should be sent to Lawrence at sharon.lawrence@luzernecounty.org or the county courthouse, 200 N. River St., Wilkes-Barre PA 18711.

Thornton noted seats on some bodies are subject to specific requirements or qualifications.

Council

County council will hold a voting meeting and work session starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

As previously reported, council is set to vote on purchasing the historic train station in downtown Wilkes-Barre and discuss court leasing of a Kingston property to house Domestic Relations and revocation of $3 million allocated toward a new hotel at the former Hotel Sterling property due to that project’s relocation.

Three opioid litigation settlement awards totaling $359,063 also are on the voting agenda for the Willow Foundation, Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance and Dress for Success.

A link for the remote attendance option will be posted under council’s online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

Study commission

The county’s Government Study Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the county courthouse.

The seven-city commission is drafting a revised charter that will come before voters for possible adoption in November.

Commission members said they may vote on recommendations for the county election board.

A remote attendance link will be posted under council’s online meetings section (scroll down) at luzernecounty.org.

Letter to legislators

Tara Fox, Luzerne-Wyoming counties Mental Health and Developmental Services administrator, prepared a letter to state senators expressing concerns about Senate Bill 716 — particularly the bill’s proposed of involuntary commitment processes to include individuals with substance use disorders.

“While we share the goal of increasing access to care for individuals in crisis, several elements of the bill raise operational, ethical, and financial concerns. In its current form, the bill makes assumptions that are not reflective of on-the-ground realities and raises a number of significant implementation issues,” Fox wrote.

Fox said the proposed bill suggests there are underutilized mental health beds, but the county often faces challenges locating available beds for those in crisis.

”Mental health beds are in short supply and often operating at or near full capacity,” Fox wrote.

Her letter raised numerous questions about how the legislation would be put into effect, if approved. Counties across the state already are in need of increased mental health and drug and alcohol base funding to sustain current services, and the proposed bill would create additional responsibilities and financial burdens, she said.

“We respectfully urge further dialogue and stakeholder involvement to ensure any legislation is practical, sustainable and adequately resourced,” Fox wrote.