PGC program to offer detailed look at wildlife forensics

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NEPA property owners affected by proposed gas pipelines seek allies and answers

<p>PITTSTON TWP. &#8212; Airport officials defended their rationale for selecting a security contractor after a board member questioned whether it was the best deal.</p><p>The bi-county board of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport voted 4-1 Thursday to award Prestige Security Specialists of Pittston an annual contract of $239,649 to provide security services for three years. The deal calls for two, one-year renewals.</p><p>Luzerne County Council member Rick Morelli opposed the deal, saying &#8220;I don&#8217;t think they did enough in getting the best price.&#8221;</p><p>However, he acknowledged setting the stage for the award with his vote at the July 23 public meeting that authorized the airport administration to negotiate a contract with Prestige. He participated in that meeting through a conference call.</p><p>Morelli said he asked that the board Thursday table the contract vote so that the airport could negotiate with the top two or three firms for the best deal.</p><p>The airport received responses to its request for qualifications at the end of June. Of the 12 firms that replied, five were placed on a short list: Prestige, Intrepid Security Services of Hazleton, Patrick Curley of Mountain Top, UAS of Hamlin and Legion Security of Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>George Bieber, airport director of public safety, told the board at the July meeting that he started the process because the airport security contractor AlliedBarton&#8217;s costs for extending the contract two more years were too high and he wanted to look at local firms to provide the service.</p><p>&#8220;They were all vetted through the same process,&#8221; Bieber said Thursday.</p><p>Patrick Wall, owner of Prestige, said he replied to a request for qualifications and interviewed with airport officials to talk about his company&#8217;s past performance and abilities and later provided a price for the services.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a very, very competitive industry,&#8221; Wall said.</p><p>Robert Ferdinand, a former Hazleton police chief, attended Thursday&#8217;s meeting and said that he told the board Intrepid&#8217;s owners authorized him to say the company could match the lowest bid.</p><p>He agreed with Morelli that the airport board could possibly examine the process in the future.</p><p>Morelli said there was no bidding and the airport was not precluded from negotiating with the companies. Instead the board was presented the information the day of the meeting and asked to act as a &#8220;rubber stamp&#8221; for the airport administration.</p><p>&#8220;I just have a problem with the process up there,&#8221; Morelli said.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Airport board member Rick Morelli criticizes award of security services’ contract