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A request for a public hearing on a proposed tax break and a change at Luzerne County&#8217;s Forty Fort recreation complex are among the topics up for discussion at Tuesday&#8217;s county council work session.The session follows a 6 p.m. voting meeting at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.According to the agenda, posted at <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03122019-1415" target="_blank">www.luzernecounty.org</a>, the tax break would be for an eight-story, mixed-use residential and commercial building on 3.7 acres at the Waterfront Professional Park in Plains Township. The project is called 600 Waterfront.Developer Ross Spengler owns the land and has invested $2.8 million to prepare the site for construction, an agenda submission said. The total project is estimated at $28.65 million.Spengler is seeking council authorization to hold a public hearing as part of the process to possibly obtain a break under the state&#8217;s Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program, commonly called LERTA, it said.If the proposal proceeds, county council and other taxing bodies would have to vote down the road for any real estate tax break to take effect.Forty Fort complexCouncil also will discuss the possibility of leasing land at the county sports complex in Forty Fort to the borough, the agenda said.Under this plan, Forty Fort would operate and maintain the complex to provide recreational activities instead of paying rent. The agreement also would cover a compost facility on a portion of the land, and the Forty Fort Soccer Club would be permitted to use certain fields for its youth soccer program, it said.The county had been leasing the complex to Whitewater Challengers, but that lease has ended and will not be extended, the agenda said.Coroner jobVeteran county coroner William Lisman&#8217;s retirement took effect the end of last week.The county received six applications for the position that are now being screened by human resources, said county Administrative Services Division Head David Parsnik.Applications were due Feb. 26. The position was advertised at a salary range of $48,000 to $52,000.New hiresThe county hired 15 employees last month, according to the newly released February personnel report.Most are in human service division branches. These new workers, along with their hourly pay:Carrie Adams, Children and Youth social service aide, $14.14; Courtney Bittenbender, Children and Youth caseworker, $15.82; Paul Clisham, Janet Jones and Sarah Shultz, Aging Agency care managers, $17.38; Margaret Manley, human services fiscal officer, $30.39; Gail Nasser, Aging Agency clerk, $13.91; and Lorraine Sokolowski, Children and Youth clerk typist, $12.68.The employees hired in other branches:Samantha Comes, Jennifer Dempsey and Glenn Murchison, deputy sheriffs, $15.36; Anthony Costello, prison maintenance, $17.52; Chris Gorki and Francis O&#8217;Looney, probation fiscal technician, $14.48; and Rebecca Sabol, district judge clerk typist, $13.30.Departing workersFive employees resigned last month: assistant public defender Maura Armezzani, public defender clerk stenographer Janelle Fox, Children and Youth clerk Bobbi Jo Murlin, deputy sheriff John Owens and corrections officer Michael Stiefel.Two employees retired, both in probation services: probation officer Charles Majikes and fiscal technician Patricia Veet.Majikes, a 24-year county employee, is running for Wilkes-Barre controller.PromotionsThree district attorney&#8217;s employees were promoted, which the county classifies as &#8220;internal merit hires.&#8221;Their new positions and compensation: Brigid Casey-Godfrey, senior juvenile victims coordinator, $23.87; Bobbi Ann Mertis, senior victim witness coordinator, $15.84; and Jill O&#8217;Brien, senior adult victim coordinator, $26.65.<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Courthouse </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_web1_luzerne-county-courthouse-1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County Courthouse </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Jennifer Learn-Andesjandes@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County Council to discuss hearing request for possible new tax break