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<p>Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri has signed a $527,645 contract with Brooklyn-based EverGreene Architectural Arts Inc. to complete the next courthouse restoration phase, according to a posting at <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/15552/Eng-EverGreene-Architectural-Arts-Inc" target="_blank">www.luzernecounty.org</a>.</p><p>Council had adopted a capital plan granting Pedri&#8217;s request for $650,000 to restore, repair and conserve first-floor walls, ceilings, artwork and floors not addressed in the $2.13 million rotunda and south lobby restoration that wrapped up last year.</p><p>A representative of Connecticut-based John Canning Co., which completed the rotunda/south lobby project, has said restoration was still warranted in other courthouse foyers and hallways on all three floors. The first floor contains the most artwork, including extensive mosaic sections that are largely intact but dirty and murals that were inaccurately touched up, covering the original intent, the company said.</p><p>The county&#8217;s outside engineer &#8212; Architecture &amp; Engineering Group, also known as A+E Group, in Plains Township &#8212; designed the project.</p><p>Bids were due in November.</p><p>According to the contract with EverGreene, work must be done by Aug. 7.</p><p><strong>Seeking proposals</strong></p><p>Pedri said Wednesday the county is seeking proposals related to two revenue-generating initiatives &#8212; adding billboards on unused county-owned property and implementing purchase or procurement cards known as P-Cards, which are used by many governmental entities to streamline the accounts payable process and generate interest on certain purchases.</p><p>Both requests for proposals have been posted in the <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/Bids.aspx?CatID=All&amp;txtSort=Category&amp;showAllBids=&amp;Status=" target="_blank">purchasing department section</a> of the county website.</p><p>Proposals from companies interested in designing, constructing, operating and seeking permitting for billboards are due at 4 p.m. March 15.</p><p>Banks that want to provide purchasing card services must submit proposals by 4 p.m. April 5.</p><p>The county has identified 12 potential locations for billboards, including sites along Route 309 in Dallas Township, the Wyoming Valley Airport in Forty Fort and Wyoming, at the intersection of Chase and Hillside roads in Jackson Township, North River Street in Wilkes-Barre and Route 11 in Hunlock Township, according to the request for proposals.</p><p>With P-Cards, the county could receive 2 percent to 3 percent back on some purchases, Pedri has said. Payment authorization procedures similar to ones in place now would be implemented for the purchase cards, he said.</p><p>The billboards and purchase cards were recommended in the county&#8217;s five-year financial recovery plan prepared by consultant Public Financial Management in 2015.</p><p>According to the plan, P-Cards are similar to a consumer credit card, but the user &#8212; in this case, the county &#8212; must pay the bank or card issuer in full each month and has the ability to set a &#8220;wide variety of card controls where necessary.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">A worker helps tear down scaffolding leading up to the rotunda of the Luzerne County Courthouse during restoration work last year. County Manager C. David Pedri has signed a $527,645 contract for the next phase of renovations. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_courthouserestorecmyk.jpeg</photo0><caption0>A worker helps tear down scaffolding leading up to the rotunda of the Luzerne County Courthouse during restoration work last year. County Manager C. David Pedri has signed a $527,645 contract for the next phase of renovations. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </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 awards contract for next phase of courthouse restorations