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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The Wilkes-Barre Parking Authority plans to make more than $100,000 in repairs on its garages and a surface lot with money held in a maintenance account by the city.</p><p>The repairs have a total estimated cost of $168,075, but the expense will be less when they are prioritized, the authority&#8217;s Executive Director Tom Torbik said Tuesday at the board&#8217;s monthly meeting.</p><p>The high priority repairs include leaks, cracks, concrete decks and tripping hazards and should be done first at an estimated $102,865, according to a report prepared by Andrew Pasonick of PennEastern Engineers LLC in Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>The Central Garage on South Main Street has the highest repair cost of $77,600, followed by $39,800 for Lot 6 on West Northampton Street, $28,615 for the North Garage on North Main Street, and $22,060 for Park &amp; Lock East on North Washington Street.</p><p>Torbik directed Pasonick to see what projects could be combined and to get quotes from contractors. They do not have to be advertised if they range between $10,000 and $19,000. Anything above $19,000 has to be advertised, Pasonick said.</p><p>Payments for the repairs would be drawn down from the $107,500 in the maintenance account funded by the authority, Torbik said.</p><p>The authority still owes the city $71,201 related to the sale of the Park &amp; Lock East garage. The authority operated the garage for the city prior to buying it in June for $1.55 million.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s the excess cash over expenses up until the time we closed on the East garage,&#8221; Torbik said. The money is held by the LAZ Parking, the Hartford, Connecticut company that manages the authority&#8217;s three garages and lot, Torbik added.</p><p>Negotiations continue with LAZ for a new management contract, Torbik said.</p><p>The authority reported a net income of $24,083 for the month of July and $144,203 year-to-date as of the end of July.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Tom Torbik, executive director of the Wilkes-Barre Parking Authority</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Tom-Torbik.jpg</photo0><caption0>Tom Torbik, executive director of the Wilkes-Barre Parking Authority</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 Parking Authority to prioritize repairs for properties