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Teenager in custody for deadly shooting in Exeter

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Man missing after falling into Wapwallopen Creek

<p>Under Luzerne County&#8217;s existing debt repayment schedule, it will owe $246 million in principal and interest through 2029 after this year&#8217;s $25 million is paid, according to a past presentation by the county&#8217;s fiscal advisor.</p><p>How would things change if the county proceeds with a new $35.14 million borrowing/restructuring plan?</p><p>A debt schedule attached to council&#8217;s proposed borrowing ordinance indicates the county would owe approximately $270 million through 2030, also after this year&#8217;s payment.</p><p>The overall debt increase: about $24 million.</p><p>But county Manager C. David Pedri and county Budget/Finance Division Head Brian Swetz said last week they have been working with the financial consultant to reduce the amount borrowed.</p><p>They expect a debt increase &#8220;significantly&#8221; less than $24 million will be presented at Tuesday&#8217;s council meeting, when council is scheduled to vote on introducing the ordinance.</p><p>&#8220;Through continued negotiations, we will be able to lower that amount,&#8221; Pedri said, reserving further details for the meeting.</p><p>The on-the-road council meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Luzerne County Community College campus center, 1333 S. Prospect St. in Nanticoke.</p><p>Representatives of Harrisburg-based Public Financial Management, the county&#8217;s financial adviser, will attend the meeting to present a debt and borrowing overview.</p><p>Pedri has said the package would provide $20.7 million for a 911 emergency radio communication system upgrade, $1.8 million toward new paper-trail voting machines and $12.1 million to close out some older high-interest bonds so the money owed on them can be repaid at lower interest rates.</p><p>After reviewing submissions from four prospective lenders, the administration is heavily favoring a proposal that would provide a guaranteed 2.174 percent interest rate, Pedri has said.</p><p>Under the administration&#8217;s proposed schedule, council would adopt the ordinance Oct. 7 so the county could settle the transaction and receive the funding Nov. 26.</p><p><strong>911 project</strong></p><p>A representative of the county&#8217;s 911 radio project consultant &#8212; MCM Consulting Group &#8212; is scheduled for a return appearance before county council during Tuesday&#8217;s work session, which follows the voting meeting.</p><p>MCM&#8217;s Michael C. McGrady had presented an overview of the project at the Aug. 27 council meeting, but some council members have since raised other questions, including why the county isn&#8217;t sticking with another analog system to save money and why the county sought proposals from radio system manufacturers, as opposed to communication companies.</p><p>During a presentation about the project a year ago, in August 2018, county 911 Executive Director Fred Rosencrans told council the need to convert to digital will be unavoidable at some point, noting few citizens still have analog televisions at home.</p><p>Pedri said all questions will be addressed in detail at the meeting.</p><p>The system allows emergency responders to exchange messages throughout the 906-square-mile county. Support for the existing 20-year-old analog system will terminate the end of 2020, officials have said. While the system won&#8217;t automatically shut down on that date, replacement parts are no longer manufactured and have become increasingly difficult to find.</p><p>Two vendors &#8212; JVC Kenwood and Motorola &#8212; submitted proposals to provide a new digital system, the administration has said. It did not identify which company it wants to select, although the presentation noted the Motorola proposal was about $3.4 million lower.</p><p>The $20.7 million project request did not include $1 million council already earmarked in the capital budget to start the work and $330,000 awarded through a gambling grant to help fund a new 160-foot emergency communication tower in Ross Township that will improve radio coverage in the Back Mountain. The 911 budget also would have to absorb the additional cost of a support and maintenance agreement estimated at $7.354 million over 20 years.</p><p>Switching to a new digital system will end radio interference and improve radio coverage that is inconsistent or nonexistent in some parts of the county, McGrady has said. The system must support 73 fire departments, 56 police departments, 38 EMS agencies, the sheriff&#8217;s department, 76 local municipal emergency management agencies, the county emergency management agency and five hospitals.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Courthouse </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_luzcocourthouse01-5.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County Courthouse </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>

Figures show potential impact of new Luzerne County borrowing