Presentation shows highlights of 2015 for Greater Nanticoke Area

At least nine apply for committee to seek next Luzerne County manager

PLAINS TWP. &#8212; The board of commissioners held the first reading of the proposed 2016 municipal budget during Thursday&#8217;s regular meeting.The balanced budget features $9,218,850 in revenue and expenditures with the same 1.77 mill local property tax rate that has been in place since the Luzerne County property value reassessment of 2009. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.The commissioners were thanked by Al Panatieri who has been a frequent speaker at the monthly meetings due to his concerns over the dilapidated crypt that houses the remains of his father at the Good Shepherd Mausoleum and Cemetery.Township officials closed off access to the private property as it was deemed to be a danger to any who might enter it. The owners of the property have never been successfully contacted and the Funeral Directors Association has not been able to come up with a solution to the challenge of safely removing the remains that are inside of the neglected structure.Following a regular meeting in October, however, the possibility of the creation of a waiver to allow individuals to enter at their own risk was raised. Township officials signaled their openness to a waiver arrangement and Panatieri thanked them after stating his attention to follow through as soon as possible.Also on Thursday, residents were reminded that Nov. 21 will be the last day of the year for recycling drop offs at the Municipal Recycling Center on Cemetery and Blanchard streets.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By B. Garret RoganFor Times Leader</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>What&#8217;s nextThe board of commissioners will meet next at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 10.</factboxMeta></div>

Tax rate remains the same in Plains Township budget