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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; City council Thursday closed out the year with an eye toward 2020 and a goodbye to outgoing councilman Mike Merritt for his 12 years of service.</p><p>Merritt, a Democrat representing District E, choose not to run for a fourth term and will be replaced by Democrat John Marconi when council next meets on Jan. 6.</p><p>&#8220;I just want to say it&#8217;s been a pleasure working with everyone here and the past council group,&#8221; Merritt said with a nod to Mayor-elect George Brown, seated in the audience. Merritt offered holiday wishes to everyone.</p><p>&#8220;Thank you for your service Mike, appreciate it. Good luck to you,&#8221; council chairman Mike Belusko spoke up at the end of the brief work session that preceded the public meeting.</p><p>When it was time to vote, council approved a resolution commending Merritt for a job well done.</p><p>Council also approved a $3 million Tax and Revenue Anticipation Note from PNC Bank with interest at a rate of 2.28 %. The note, payable by the end of 2020, provides funds for the city to pay its bills for the first couple months of the year until tax revenues are received.</p><p>Council awarded a three-year contract to Petroleum Service Co. of Wilkes-Barre to provide gasoline at a cost of $1.75 a gallon beginning in 2020. PSC was the sole bidder for the contract.</p><p>Council agreed to settle a tax assessment appeal filed on Dec. 2, 2016, by 32 Terrace LLC for a property at 32 Terrace St. The settlement dropped the assessed value to $4,820 on the property with a fair market value of $52,400. The city is the only municipality in Luzerne County that uses its own assessments. The other 75 municipalities use the county&#8217;s assessments.</p><p>The agreement was discussed in an executive session by council that serves as the city&#8217;s Board of Revision of Taxes and Appeals, said assistant City Attorney Maureen Collins. The state Sunshine Act permits council to meet behind closed doors to discuss pending litigation.</p><p>When asked what the previous assessment was, Belusko said, &#8220;(It&#8217;s) not in front of us, I don&#8217;t think. But it&#8217;s a substantial decrease.&#8221;</p><p>Council gave its support to four applications for Local Share Account grants totaling $483,500 from the state Commonwealth Financing Authority. The city, as the host municipality, submits the applications to the CFA that determines which ones will receive a share of the gambling revenues the Mohegan Sun Pocono casino in Plains Township distributed annually to applicants throughout the county. The deadline for submission is Dec. 31.</p><p>The applications were for:</p><p>&#8226; The Institute at Wilkes University, $10,000 for the Workforce Pipeline project to develop materials so that parents can make informed decisions with their children on jobs and careers in Northeastern Pennsylvania.</p><p>&#8226; Volunteers in Medicine, $250,000 for renovations on the second floor of its building at 190 N. Pennsylvania Ave. to expand services, including behavioral health, exercise and wellness programs and eye care.</p><p>&#8226; Wilkes-Barre Connect, $35,000 for a command center in the THINK Center downtown for work in conjunction with the America250PA Commission celebrating the 250th anniversary in 2026 of the founding of the United States.</p><p>&#8226; F.M. Kirby Center, $188,500 for the second phase of heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements.</p><p>Drew Taylor, managing director of the F.M. Kirby Center, was the only representative of the applicants to attend council&#8217;s work session and meeting. Taylor said $178,000 of the funds would be used to implement a plan the HVAC contractor has to incorporate equipment still in use from 1938 with modern equipment and conform with new government requirements on Freon.</p><p>&#8220;However that&#8217;s costing much more money than we anticipated. That&#8217;s the phase two part of this project,&#8221; Taylor said. He added that the remainder of the funds would be used to purchase and install Americans with Disabilities Act-approved self-opening doors at the main entrance on Public Square.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre city council thanked outgoing councilman Mike Merritt, far right, for his 12 years of service. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_wbcouncil4_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wilkes-Barre city council thanked outgoing councilman Mike Merritt, far right, for his 12 years of service. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </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 city council approves grant applications, says goodbye to one of its own