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Area Congressmen split on impeachment inquiry

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An empty lot to show for playground promised in Wilkes-Barre’s Rolling Mill Hill

<p>NANTICOKE &#8212; Hanover Township Fire Chief Joseph Temarantz Jr. told Luzerne County Council on Tuesday he &#8220;100%&#8221; supports the county&#8217;s proposed new $20.7 million 911 emergency radio communication system upgrade for safety reasons.</p><p>Under the current system, the township must share a radio channel with other communities to be monitored through 911 in an emergency, which means his crew can be &#8220;stepped on,&#8221; or blocked out, if others are speaking at the same time, Temarantz said during the on-the-road council meeting at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke.</p><p>Uninterrupted transmission is essential, he said, describing how a firefighter trapped in a burning building last year was saved because an attentive 911 dispatcher heard his portable radio call for help while monitoring the channel.</p><p>The new digital radio system will have more channel capacity because it would allow two conversations at the same time on one channel and make use of idle channels, according to the county and its project consultant, MCM Consulting Group.</p><p>&#8220;That is so key,&#8221; Temarantz said. &#8220;It bothers me every time those phones go off and we&#8217;re going on a bad accident or a structure fire or hazardous materials incident. Are we going to get stepped on, and is somebody going to get hurt because of that reason?&#8221;</p><p>Two representatives of the Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance also expressed support for the project, including Pittston Councilman Mike Lombardo.</p><p>Lombardo said the new technology will allow select radios to be patched together during large-scale incidents and improve radio coverage inside buildings and in rural areas.</p><p>&#8220;I think it&#8217;s overdue,&#8221; Lombardo said.</p><p>MCM representative Michael C. McGrady also appeared before council Tuesday to answer more questions about the project that surfaced since his presentation last month.</p><p>Council took the first step to advance the project Tuesday by introducing an ordinance for a proposed $35 million borrowing/refinancing package that would provide $20.7 million for the 911 radio system, $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>Council majority approval would be required at a future meeting &#8212; likely Oct. 7 &#8212; for the borrowing to be completed in November.</p><p>With savings from refinancing factored in, the borrowing would add $24.2 million to the county&#8217;s overall debt, according to a presentation by Harrisburg-based Public Financial Management, the county&#8217;s financial adviser.</p><p>The county currently owes $246.1 million through 2029, not including this year&#8217;s $25 million debt repayment. The amount owed would rise to $270.3 million through 2030.</p><p>County Manager C. David Pedri and Budget/Finance Chief Brian Swetz stressed the proposed borrowing amounts are maximum estimates and will be less if the county secures outside funding or savings. The money borrowed must be used for the specified projects, and any money not needed to complete them will be returned to the lender without penalty to reduce the amount owed, they said.</p><p>The new paperwork identifies the lender as Providence, Rhode Island-based Webster Public Finance Corp. and says the interest for the borrowing will be 2.174%.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri said he has heard strong support from police and emergency responders for a proposed 911 emergency radio system upgrade. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_TTL081419CountyCouncil_13.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri said he has heard strong support from police and emergency responders for a proposed 911 emergency radio system upgrade. </caption0><photoCredit0>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>

Support expressed for Luzerne County 911 emergency radio upgrade