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Lottery Numbers for Tuesday, Oct. 25

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Coughlin girls soccer rolls in 6-1 win over Honesdale

<p>Luzerne County&#8217;s vacant, rundown former juvenile detention center won&#8217;t be purchased by local businessman Jim Casey because a county council majority rejected his offer.</p><p>Casey initially left Tuesday&#8217;s council meeting believing six of 11 council members had approved the sale.</p><p>However, Casey and his two sons were advised to return to the meeting room because Councilwoman Eileen Sorokas said her vote of support was intended for a sale package amendment, not the actual sale. The council conducted a fresh vote on the sale, and Sorokas joined five others voting no.</p><p>Four council members opposing the sale &#8212; Harry Haas, Jane Walsh Waitkus, Kathy Dobash and Stephen A. Urban &#8212; said they can&#8217;t gauge if the $20,000 offered by Casey is reasonable because the county did not complete an appraisal.</p><p>Haas said he toured the building located atop a hill off River Street in Wilkes-Barre overlooking the county Water Street prison in September 2015 and saw its deterioration, but he believes the three-story structure is &#8220;solid and sound&#8221; and may be of use to the county years from now.</p><p>Councilman Edward Brominski also voted against the sale.</p><p>If generating more money was an issue, Casey told council members they should have set a minimum amount they&#8217;d accept for the property before seeking purchase offers.</p><p>He told the council the property has a negative value because the county had earmarked $560,000 in dwindling capital funds to remove asbestos and tear down the building. His plans to renovate the building into a long-term residential program for recovering female addicts also would create 30 new jobs, generate tax revenue and address a need in a county facing a record number of drug overdose deaths, he said.</p><p>He also said he was informed city inspectors may be visiting the property to determine if it should be condemned.</p><p>Councilman Robert Schnee, who supported the sale, asked county Manager C. David Pedri if the county has any use for the building.</p><p>Pedri said the administration has not identified any need for the property, which has been vacant since former judge Michael Conahan decided to stop sending juveniles there in 2002. He stressed the council has jurisdiction over real estate under the home rule government structure.</p><p>Councilman Eugene Kelleher had reservations because objects have been thrown from the former detention center property to the prison yard below to transport drugs and possibly attempt to injure correctional officers or inmates below. He agreed to support the sale because Casey said he would enter into a written agreement to cooperate with the county on security issues.</p><p>Linda McClosky Houck, the council chair, said the county is liable for the structure and must pay to insure it as long as it remains under county ownership.</p><p>Councilman Rick Williams, an architect who also has toured the building, said he believes a sale is the best option and noted an appraisal valuing the property higher would be meaningless if no buyers are willing to pay that amount. Casey was the lone bidder.</p><p>Councilman Tim McGinley also voted for the sale.</p><p>Pedri said he recommended publicly listing the property because Casey had expressed interest. In light of the council&#8217;s vote, Pedri said staff will clean up overgrowth and work with the city to address any safety concerns. Unless someone proposes other viable ideas, Pedri said he will proceed with the demolition plan.</p><p>In other business Tuesday:</p><p>&#8226; Local resident Bob Caruso, who has been involved in elections for decades, urged county officials to keep sheriff deputies &#8220;fully deployed&#8221; on election day to protect voters from the &#8220;potential for large-scale intimidation.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; In its annual update on county debt, Harrisburg-based Public Financial Management said the county owes $342 million in principal and interest. The county is set to pay around $26 million annually until the final payment drops to $3.9 million in 2029.</p><p>The council may have an opportunity to save an estimated $2 million by refinancing a portion of the debt next year if PFM convinces Standard &amp; Poor&#8217;s to reverse last year&#8217;s credit rating downgrade, officials said.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_juvie-detention-center.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The old Luzerne County juvenile detention center in Wilkes-Barre. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_juvie-detention-center.jpg</photo0><caption0>The old Luzerne County juvenile detention center in Wilkes-Barre. (Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader)</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></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>

Sale of Luzerne County’s old juvenile detention center rejected