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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Council held a quick work session Tuesday, with much of the 13-minute meeting focused on zoning and tax-exemption issues.</p><p>Councilman Bill Barrett said he&#8217;s heard from residents in his district in Parsons about a small church that bought a house.</p><p>&#8220;When that happens the house, of course belonging to the church, becomes a not-for-profit part of the church parish,&#8221; Barrett said.</p><p>He told the other council members he was still gathering information and did not identify the church.</p><p>But based on what he&#8217;s heard, Barrett said the church intends to turn the house into a halfway house or treatment center and operate it as a for-profit business.</p><p>He questioned if the church received zoning approval for its planned use of the house and if the tax-exempt status applied.</p><p>&#8220;If they&#8217;re opening something that under our zoning ordinance would be considered a boarding house, they would absolutely need zoning approval,&#8221; replied city Attorney Tim Henry.</p><p>Barrett said he&#8217;s been in contact with the Pennsylvania Municipal League to find out how other cities have dealt with the same situation and expected some neighbors to address council.</p><p>&#8220;More on that to come. I think that we&#8217;re going to be probably hearing from some of the residents that all of a sudden find themselves living next door to a halfway house,&#8221; Barrett said.</p><p>Meanwhile, the weather and the city&#8217;s ability to plow and salt streets concerned council vice chairman Mike Belusko.</p><p>&#8220;With these storms that we&#8217;re getting, now we have another one, a doozy coming tomorrow (Wednesday), how are we on salt?&#8221; Belusko asked.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s funny you say that,&#8221; responded city Administrator Ted Wampole.</p><p>The city went through 2,400 tons and received another 800 tons for a total of 3,200 tons, Wampole said. The city budgeted for 4,000 tons for 2018.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re still under,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The only item on Tuesday&#8217;s agenda went unquestioned.</p><p>There was no discussion on the city&#8217;s pending request for a $9,876 grant from the state Department of Health for a tuberculosis program.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Barrett </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_Bill-Barrett.jpg</photo0><caption0>Barrett </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<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 @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre council hears about potential zoning issue involving church