Police: Man arrested after exposing himself to store employee

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Stabbing at Sherman Hills complex

<p>Butler Township officials said they are willing to take over Luzerne County roads in their jurisdiction after they are repaired to acceptable standards.</p><p>Representatives from several other municipalities said they would consider plowing, fixing potholes or some maintenance of county-owned roads and bridges in their area if the county pays them a reasonable fee.</p><p>But the dozen or so officials from seven municipalities who accepted the county&#8217;s invitation to attend an information session at the county courthouse Wednesday night collectively agreed the county must supply more data before they can consider any formal agreements.</p><p>Their invitation to the session indicated they would receive information on the liquid fuels revenue they&#8217;d collect if they took over specific roadways, but county representatives said they were unable to obtain specific data from the state despite several requests. Municipal officials said the rough figure the county extracted from the state formula &#8212; $30,000 to $40,000 per mile &#8212; was unrealistically high.</p><p>County Operational Services Division Head Tanis Manseau and county Engineer Lawrence Plesh said they will push the state to provide concrete numbers.</p><p>Butler Township Manager Maryanne Petrilla said the township plans to take over roads as they are repaired but has not received a schedule from the county on when work will be completed on these stretches.</p><p>Manseau said he will present a proposed repair plan to the township but stressed completion depends on county council&#8217;s approval of a five-year capital plan next month and the state transportation department&#8217;s willingness to fund projects.</p><p>Municipal officials suggested the county develop a fee schedule of reimbursements it would pay to municipalities for specific work.</p><p>Lake Township Supervisor Bob Pace said it may be cheaper for the county to pay municipalities to fix potholes or plow due to the travel time for county crews. He proposed a county task force that could work with municipalities on potential agreements.</p><p>Officials from Duryea and Fairview, Wright, Hollenback and Nescopeck townships also attended the session.</p><p>The county&#8217;s 127 miles of roadway and 310 bridges are scattered and often disconnected in at least 26 municipalities. The county got stuck with most of them during the Great Depression, when the court ordered a takeover because municipalities didn&#8217;t have the financial means to care for the infrastructure, county officials say.</p><p>Several municipalities flat out declined the county&#8217;s request to take over the infrastructure in light of the county&#8217;s fiscal struggles, saying they can&#8217;t afford the additional responsibility.</p><p>The county law office said the county can&#8217;t abandon its responsibility to care for the infrastructure or force municipalities to accept ownership. The county spends about $15 million annually on roads and bridges &#8212; a net cost of $1.5 million to the general fund operating budget after other funding is factored in, officials have said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Lake Township Supervisor Bob Pace, at left, speaks with Luzerne County Engineer Lawrence Plesh after Wednesday&#8217;s session at the courthouse about the proposed municipal takeover of county roads and bridges. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_TTL081315roadsandbridges_jen_2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Lake Township Supervisor Bob Pace, at left, speaks with Luzerne County Engineer Lawrence Plesh after Wednesday&#8217;s session at the courthouse about the proposed municipal takeover of county roads and bridges. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_TTL081315roadsandbridges_jen_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Operational Services Division head Tanis Manseau, left, and county engineer Lawrence Plesh ask officials from seven municipalities to consider taking over or assisting with county-owned roads and bridges at a session in the courthouse Wednesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_TTL081315roadsandbridges_jen_1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Luzerne County Operational Services Division head Tanis Manseau, left, and county engineer Lawrence Plesh ask officials from seven municipalities to consider taking over or assisting with county-owned roads and bridges at a session in the courthouse Wednesday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County request for road/bridge takeover discussed