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<p>Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri announced the third round of municipal infrastructure project awards Thursday &#8212; $595,000 for a fire facility in Lehman Township and $374,734 for Ross Township street improvements.</p><p>The money will come from $15 million in county community development business loan funds that are no longer in high demand and cannot be used for county general fund operating expenses. County officials decided to spend the money on infrastructure improvements because the federal government does not want large pools of community development office funds sitting unused in the bank.</p><p>Pedri presented the first two batches of awards last month, providing $5.8 million for southern county projects and $4.65 million for work in Wilkes-Barre and surrounding municipalities, including funding to construct a new Division Street Bridge over Solomon Creek in Hanover Township and Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>The final list of awards should be released in a week or two, Pedri said, emphasizing the funds are not county tax dollars and cannot be applied to reducing the 3 percent county tax hike proposed for 2019.</p><p>In the latest group, the $595,000 to Lehman Township will help build a new firehouse for the Lake Silkworth Volunteer Fire Department, officials said.</p><p>Fire company President Don Kivler said the current firehouse dating to the 1940s is too small and situated on a landlocked lot with no room for expansion.</p><p>A brush truck must be kept outside because there&#8217;s no space in the building, and returning fire trucks must back in on busy Route 29 because the parking bays are too close to the highway.</p><p>&#8220;The building has far outgrown its usefulness,&#8221; Kivler said.</p><p>The all-volunteer department has been trying for about 15 years to scrape together funds to build a new firehouse on nearby land it purchased from several property owners in the 1950s and 1960s, he said. The department has a $500,000 casino gambling grant for the project, but the county funding was needed to proceed because the work is estimated at more than $1 million, he said.</p><p>Bids will be sought soon.</p><p>&#8220;We should have enough money now to be able to construct a suitable building with modern facilities to better serve the people,&#8221; said Kivler.</p><p>The new building will be set back for firetrucks to maneuver safely and include four parking bays and a small meeting room. The department also owns a pumper, a mini pumper and tanker.</p><p>The department serves the township and surrounding areas and averages about 160 calls annually, according to Kivler.</p><p>In Ross Township, the funding will help to repave three municipal streets &#8212; Culver, Bear Swamp and Henrico roads. The township is kicking in approximately $33,000 and handling shoulder work in-house, said township Supervisor David Williams, who also serves as roadmaster.</p><p>Williams said the roads have deteriorated, but the township needed financial assistance to tackle them. The projects will be bid out next spring.</p><p>&#8220;This is an excellent opportunity, and we&#8217;re very thankful to have the opportunity to receive this funding,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Pedri believes both projects are worthwhile community investments. Lake Silkworth volunteer firefighters have been serving the community for decades, he said.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re thrilled to be able to support our firefighters, people who put themselves in harm&#8217;s way every day,&#8221; Pedri said.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL091318Pedri2-5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Pedri </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL091318Pedri2-5.jpg</photo0><caption0>Pedri </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>

Luzerne County infrastructure awards will go to new fire station, street work