web1_20190507_191831.jpg

Attorney: Insurance will cover Hanover Area bus dispute losses

web1_TTL011119Stormwater4.jpeg

Group still seeking donations to initiate stormwater fee legal challenge

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A vacant property on South Main Street could be the home of a new adult day care facility run by Geisinger, an engineer working with the property owner told city council Tuesday night.</p><p>George Albert said the health care company, property owner Marvin Slomowitz and the city have been collaborating on the plan to locate the facility on the site of the former Henry Shapiro and Co. scrap yard.</p><p>At its work session city council was presented with a resolution to approve the city applying for a $718,000 grant under the state&#8217;s Industrial Sites Reuse Program.</p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;ve committed to this site,&#8221; Albert said. &#8220;The site&#8217;s contaminated and it needs to be remediated to facilitate this particular use.&#8221;</p><p>Geisinger would create 60 jobs at the 15,000-square-foot facility and lease it from the property owner to keep it on the city&#8217;s tax rolls, Albert said.</p><p><strong>Renaming resolution</strong></p><p>Council members agreed to remove a resolution from the agenda of Thursday night&#8217;s regular meet to rename the Gordon Avenue soccer complex for Fred J. Boote who was killed in his home on nearby Donald Court on Sept. 14.</p><p>Boote&#8217;s son Bryan told council his father coached at the complex and thought the fields were an asset to the community. A scholarship established by the Boote family plans to give $5,000 to the Skyhawks youth soccer league for equipment and to pay the registration fees for kids of families in need, he said.</p><p>&#8220;We didn&#8217;t get a chance to say goodbye to my dad, but he fought back and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re trying to do for him today,&#8221; Bryan Boote said.</p><p>Council went along with the suggestion of vice chairman Bill Barrett to follow the lead of other municipalities and set up a committee to deal with renaming public properties.</p><p><strong>Other action</strong></p><p>Other items left on the agenda were:</p><p>&#8226; The purchase of a new 2020 Pierce Saber FR Custom pumper for $492,319 for the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department. The funds will come out of the Office of Community Development budget</p><p>&#8226; The second and final reading of an intergovernmental agreement between Wilkes-Barre and Hanover Township for each to pay $84,500 for the engineering costs of the new bridge Luzerne County will build on Division Street over Solomon Creek.</p><p>&#8226; Appointment of Ted Wampole, the former city administrator, to the Fire Civil Commission until Dec. 31, 2021. He would replace Angel Jirau, who retired.</p><p>&#8226; The first of two readings of an ordinance to amend the city&#8217;s Code of Ordinances to reflect the contribution change to 7 percent from 5 percent for new employees, according to the terms of new union contracts.</p><p>&#8226; Awarding of a contract to the lowest responsible bidder for the Office of Community Development and General Fund Street Paving Project.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_TTL032118sterling1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Albert </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_TTL032118sterling1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Albert </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>

Engineer: WB site could become adult care center