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I'd like to call this meeting of the Dachwanakoni Board of Commissioners on September 22, 2010 to order, and invite everyone who is able to stand and join in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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to accept the minutes as presented and dispense with the reading.

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So if it's been moved and executed, is there any discussion hearing none?

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All those in favor and to keep by saying aye.

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Aye.

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Opposed?

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Okay.

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Synonymous.

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At this point on our agenda, we afford the public the opportunity to comment on agenda items.

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If you have a comment that you'd like to make in it is not related to the agenda,

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please be patient.

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You'll be afforded that opportunity to make the comments later on in the meeting.

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Is there anyone here that would like to make a comment about an agenda item?

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Okay.

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What would be an agenda item?

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All right.

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It appears that there isn't anyone here that would like to speak on an agenda item.

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So we move on to proclamations.

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The first proclamation declares life insurance awareness month.

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Okay,

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current commissioners' proclamation, whereas the vast majority of Americans recognize

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that life insurance helps safeguard their families, financial security, and nearly 80% of

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US households have some form of life insurance coverage.

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The life insurance industry returns $5 trillion in assets distributed among all segments

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of the economy as a primary source financial retirement security to more than 75 million

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families.

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is now, therefore, we, Michael J. Walsh,

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a co-ordial by, and an A.J. Munchak,

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commissioners of the County of Blackwanna, Pennsylvania,

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do hereby acknowledging proclaim, September, 2010,

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as life insurance awareness month

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in the Blackwanna County.

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John McCarrie.

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John?

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You had to come forward.

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John, would you introduce your colleagues,

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and then we'll do a photograph?

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You can introduce them for right there.

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Okay.

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I'm John McCarrie from New York Life Insurance,

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and I have Luke Petnado, and also Bruce Newjaca.

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Okay, thank you.

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Thank you.

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If you have any special policy to reach to...

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Yes, we do.

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You know, they're going to need it, I just wonder.

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That's good.

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Come on up with us.

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First to take a pistol now, but I don't know.

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Always national units, Melia.

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That's no right. How are you?

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How are you?

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Good.

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It's time the old guy on the board.

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I'm like my jacks on their old guy.

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Yeah.

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I've got one check by two years.

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That's right, huh?

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You're about to arrive in the country.

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Here's good genes.

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Good to see you.

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Thank you very much.

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No, John.

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We're tired to get us together.

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Absolutely.

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He's a good guy.

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He's a good guy.

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He's a good guy.

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He's a good guy.

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He's a good guy.

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He's a good guy.

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He's a good guy.

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I'm trying.

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I'm trying.

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So that's a good question.

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That's a good question.

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That's a good question.

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That's a good question.

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Thank you.

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You do it.

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Sure.

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Okay.

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The next recommendation is declaration for family day in Lackawanna County.

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And I'd like to read the proclamation, Mr. Munchek, has asked me to.

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Whereas the use of illegal and prescription drugs and abuse of alcohol on nicotine constitute

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the greatest threats to the well-being of America's children.

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Whereas, 15 years of surveys conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance

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Abuse Casa at Columbia University have consistently found that the more often children and teenagers

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need dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, and use illegal

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drugs.

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Whereas, frequent family dining is associated with lower rates of teen smoking, drinking, illegal

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drug use, and prescription drug use.

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Whereas the correlation between frequent family dinners and reduced risk for teen substance

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abuse is well documented and whereas parents who are engaged in their children's lives

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through such activities as frequent family dinners are less likely to have children who

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review substances.

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Now therefore, we, Michael J. Wash, O'Corey, D. O'Brien, and A.J. Monchak, commissioners of the

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county of Leica, I wanted to nearby.

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If knowledge and proclaim September 27, 2010 as Family Day in Leica, I want a county and

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I'd like to ask Jeff Zareechach from the Drug and Alcohol Commission to come forward

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and Jeff, you may have a remark or two that you want to make before we do the photo.

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Is that correct?

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Yes, that's correct.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, commissioners, and good morning.

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Jeff, please.

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Thank you, commissioners, and good morning.

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Family Day 2010, a deity dinner with your children is a national movement promoted by the

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National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, beginning in 2001 as a grassroots initiative

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and has grown to become a nationwide celebration.

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The program is based on research by Columbia University

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that conclusively demonstrates that the more kids eat dinner with their families,

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the less likely they are to smoke, drink, use drugs,

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and even postponing the onset of substance abuse decreases the likelihood of developing addiction

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and lessens the damage that alcohol and drugs have on the developing brain.

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Parents and families participating in the celebration have committed to become a family day star

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with the word star being an acronym for S spend time with kids by having dinner together

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to talk to them about their friends and interests in dangers of alcohol and drugs,

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A, answer their questions and listen to what they have to say, and or recognize that parents

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are the power to help kids stay substance-free.

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Cities in many other counties like ours across the nation are proclaiming Monday, September

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27th 2010 as family day along with Lackawanna County and they will be recognized nationally

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on the website of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.

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Also in Lackawanna County will provide them over 2500 placements for local restaurants

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to have them advertised for the event on September 27th.

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I want to thank commissioners again, family engagement at the dinner table is simple and effective

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to help prevent substance abuse among our youth and it's certainly appropriate to promote

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it in this way.

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Jeff, would you like to come forward to your photo?

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Thank you.

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We move to the resolution portion of the agenda.

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The first item is approving current payables.

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Miss Elkins, good morning.

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Good morning, Commissioner.

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The answer is that the board of commissioners of Blackwanna County does head-by approve the following

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payables.

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Lackawanna County General Fund, numbers from 1-1-4-2-7 through 1-1-6-9-6-3-inclusive,

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totaling $8,181,633 cents, electronic fund transfers to all pay-well accounts,

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totaling $6,162,187.74 cents.

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Thank you.

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Mr. Emotion?

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So much check-up has been moved and seconded, is there any discussion?

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Hearing none, all those in favor, indicate by saying aye.

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Aye.

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Opposed?

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Okay, unanimous.

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Next agenda item.

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Approving the financing by the Abington Township Municipal Authority of Capital Projects

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to benefit Lackawanna College, Ms. Elkins.

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Commissioner, this is a rather lengthy resolution, so I'll be reading a condensed version.

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A resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the County of Lackawanna, Pennsylvania approving

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the financing by the Abington Township Municipal Authority of certain capital projects

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from the benefit of lack-warnage union college.

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Whereas the Abiton Township Municipality Authority is a municipality authority.

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Incorporated pursuant to a resolution of the Township

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of Abiton Township, lack-warnage union college, lack-warnage college,

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has represented to the authority that it operates

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up by the college which provides services on a non-sectarian basis

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and is a non-profit corporation existing under laws

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the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, whereas the county approves the financing of the 2010

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project for the benefit of the college. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the boy

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that follows. In connection with the financing of the 2010 project by the authority, the

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board hereby declares it to be desirable for the health, safety and welfare of the people

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of the county, and in the area served by the college and the 2010 project to have the 2010

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project provided by and financed through the authority.

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The board hereby empowers authorizes and directs this chairman or in his absence any other

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member of the board to execute and deliver an approval of applicable representatives

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in the form attached here to.

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The approval grants are hereby shall not in any way pledge or obligate the credit or tax

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and power of the county, nor shall the county be liable for the payment of the principal

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or interest on any obligations issued by the authority in connection with the 2010 project.

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Is there a motion?

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Some of the shagaps have been moved and seconded.

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We have Ryan Kuzlanski here today to talk to us about this and to assure us that by taking an action here today,

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the county is not going to be obligated in any way.

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Is that correct?

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I can assure you that that's what taxpayers want to hear.

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Absolutely.

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I'll see you one more time, absolutely.

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I stated in the resolution, there is no obligation on a county to make any payments with respect

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to this loan.

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As you've seen in the past for other tax free deals, it is a tax code requirement that

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the elected officials that have jurisdiction over the project approve any tax exempt financing.

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You've seen, you know, these approvals have a number of occasions.

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This is for life-longing in college as we've done before for the college and for other commissioners,

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but there is no obligation on a county.

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Based on the location, fiber, and medicine, they're going to tear down the

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distant structure or just remodel it. No, acquire it in remodel it for dormitory space.

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It's already utilized and must be at least rent it. Right now the college leases

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that space and suddenly the medical school is using it right now so they're

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going to acquire it, take it back, and use it for dormitory space. Thank you.

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There's some other miscellaneous capital projects but that's the lion's share

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So they will create jobs, too, with the construction associated with this, and that's it.

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They have renovations to do, there are other renovations on the college.

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They're looking at cafeteria spaces as well.

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Okay, very good.

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Okay, any discussion?

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Hearing none, all those in favor to keep us in mind?

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Aye.

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I host, Kate, your name is.

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Thank you very much.

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Shaky questions.

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Yep, best.

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The next agenda item is approving and affirming the Lackawanna County VOJO victims of juvenile crime grant.

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We have resolved with the Board of Commissioners of Black Wanakownee, does hereby approve and

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affirm the District Attorney's Office submission of a sub-grain to the panel of the annual

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crime and commission on crime and delinquency for the Black Wanakownee Rojo Victims of

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juvenile crime grant for the period of 7-1-20 term to 6-30-20-11 in the amount of $25,608.

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Okay.

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Is there a motion?

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So much seconds.

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It's been moved and seconded.

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And we welcome the District Attorney's Grant Administrator, Jill Sumer.

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Morning, commissioners.

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Good morning, Jill.

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Of this range is for the salary of our victim advocate in the juvenile division of the DA's office.

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There's no match required for it.

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I always like to make that very clear.

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I know.

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It's important for us to do that too.

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The matching requirements on our side?

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No.

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We don't know, no, no.

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I just have a flip over.

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It's fully funded.

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Thank you.

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OK, all right.

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Well, are there any questions?

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K-hearing none.

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Are those in favor?

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And you can go to the same item.

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I write.

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I put in or K-Chemes, Mr. Jedi and Jenn Diadem approving

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an authorized and lack of one-accounting victim

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witness services grant consultants.

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Be it resolved that the Board of Commissioners of Black

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1 in county does hear by approved

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an authorized redistricted attorney's office

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to submit a sub-gram to the Pennsylvania Commission on Climbing to Win Quincy,

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for the lack of one-accounting victim, witness rates, and services act grant for the dates

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of 1-1-20-11 through 12-31-20-12 in the amount of $200,686.

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Here's their motion.

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So moved.

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Here's been moved in second, and once again, Joe.

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Commissioners, this one as well, there's no match required from the county.

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It's 100% funded through the state and this one is for our adult victim advocates

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To you know process the victims through court. Yeah, and it's just a continue renewal of a grant. Yes

249
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We get this year this grant every year

250
00:13:48,340 --> 00:13:56,080
Funds the victim witness program on an annual basis with no match by the county. Correct. Okay. It's their salaries any discussion

251
00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:59,080
Hearing none, all those in favor and to keep by saying aye.

252
00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:00,360
Opposed?

253
00:14:00,460 --> 00:14:01,140
Kate unanimous.

254
00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:05,640
Next item, approving and authorizing the submission of an application for a section

255
00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,500
108 loan guarantee funds.

256
00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,940
Whereas the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has developed a program for the use of section

257
00:14:13,940 --> 00:14:19,860
108 loan guarantee fund in accordance with federal regulations and whereas public entities

258
00:14:19,860 --> 00:14:24,920
may apply for section 108 loan guarantee funds through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

259
00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:30,480
and whereas under the PA section 108 long guidelines funds must be used for

260
00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:35,500
eligible activities which benefit low and moderate income persons and whereas the

261
00:14:35,500 --> 00:14:39,880
county of La Guana has held public hearings to receive input on the proposed

262
00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:45,060
use of section 108 long funds and whereas funding is needed to finance the

263
00:14:45,060 --> 00:14:49,780
construction of a technology incubated facilities by Scrantone Guana

264
00:14:49,780 --> 00:14:55,580
industrial building company, and whereas the group called Project, the primarily benefit

265
00:14:55,580 --> 00:14:59,380
at low and moderate income persons in the county of Wankawana.

266
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:29,000
And whereas the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, food department of community and economic developments, P.A. Section 108, long program, will make the payments necessary to ensure the county of Blackwanner will not lose the further community development, life-grade allocation, as a result of the county's participation in the SIDCO project. Now, therefore, do it resolved by the board of clinicians of the county of Blackwanner, Pennsylvania, that a few by the proves the filing of this application,

267
00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:37,480
for a section 108, long guarantee in the amount of $3,900,000 and be a further resolved

268
00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:43,240
if a county of Blackwater shall loan the section 108 loan proceeds to slipco and be a further

269
00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,640
resolved if the chairman of the board of commissioners of the county of Blackwater

270
00:15:47,180 --> 00:15:53,460
is authorized to find and is directed to file this application, including all assurances

271
00:15:53,460 --> 00:15:58,000
and certifications with the Pre-A Department of Community and Economic Development.

272
00:15:58,380 --> 00:16:01,800
He had further resolved that the chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the County

273
00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:07,080
of La Colana is hereby authorized to execute a contract for loan guarantee assistance

274
00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:13,800
under Section 108 of the Housing and Community Development Ants of 1974 as amended and

275
00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:18,940
as such commentary now, loan agreements and other instruments and documents as needy

276
00:16:18,940 --> 00:16:21,940
It's an answer to a fax rate before going to part with us.

277
00:16:22,900 --> 00:16:24,160
Okay, is there a motion?

278
00:16:24,780 --> 00:16:25,240
So moved.

279
00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:25,820
Second.

280
00:16:26,140 --> 00:16:29,700
It's been moved and seconded, and we have here with us this morning, Andy Swift.

281
00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,700
We'd like to welcome and ask you to talk a little bit about this.

282
00:16:33,860 --> 00:16:41,480
We first began discussing section 108 loans when the Basque Off Department stories came before us.

283
00:16:41,820 --> 00:16:48,320
And it caused people in the community to realize that there were opportunities for others under this program.

284
00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:52,440
and you're bringing a project to us here today, which involves no guarantee I'm

285
00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:56,220
a part of the county, but before it's the opportunity to start a very important project

286
00:16:56,220 --> 00:16:59,820
and I know Commissioner O'Brien has long been an advocate of, so

287
00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,120
do you want to talk to us a little bit about it? Thank you Michael. Good morning

288
00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:07,020
commissioners. My name is Andy Srip, vice president of the Greatest Grant Chamber of Commerce

289
00:17:07,020 --> 00:17:10,380
and SIPCO. SIPCO is the industrial realm and arm

290
00:17:10,380 --> 00:17:15,180
of the Greatest Grant Chamber of Commerce. In our 65-year history of SIPCO

291
00:17:15,180 --> 00:17:20,060
So we have developed 13 parks and 7 buildings that are the 1.2 main square feet.

292
00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:24,640
Some of the projects that we have developed are the Prudential Buildings, Bank of America,

293
00:17:25,340 --> 00:17:27,480
Diversified General Dynamics to name a few.

294
00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:32,660
But we also constructed the Scrant Interplacer on a lot of our new, which is an incubator

295
00:17:32,660 --> 00:17:34,680
building and for anchor tenants.

296
00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:43,120
The anchor part of the building for the incubator part of it is 100% occupied and our six

297
00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:49,080
years the building has been anywhere from 85% to 100% occupied. We would like to construct

298
00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:54,520
another similar facility called the Technology Inquisitor Facility. We're going to be building

299
00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:59,340
in the Justice Mad Business Center when the parks we have developed, which is in just a

300
00:17:59,340 --> 00:18:07,160
bill. The site consists of 13.6 acres and it's Kareezy until the year 2021. The new building

301
00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:13,820
would be $43,000 square feet. It's a one-story steel and glass office building. We will have

302
00:18:13,820 --> 00:18:21,480
ten incubator offices and up to eight anchor tenants. We have two. The design is completed

303
00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:26,320
and we can start the site work this year once we get our final permit. Construction will

304
00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:33,180
start in the spring of 2011 and be completed at the end of 2011. The toilet project cost is

305
00:18:33,180 --> 00:18:39,220
$8.3 million, we're requesting Rock Want Accounting to apply for the 108 loan to the

306
00:18:39,220 --> 00:18:42,860
tune of $3 million, 900, $3,000 on behalf of SIPCO.

307
00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,260
The reason why we're asking you to be the applicant is because we're not eligible to apply

308
00:18:47,260 --> 00:18:48,200
for the funding.

309
00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,540
It will be a 20-year loan, approximately a 1.5 percent.

310
00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:54,900
These are head funds which apply the federal stimulus package.

311
00:18:55,600 --> 00:19:00,540
This will be at no cost to the county with no contingent liability to Rock Want Accounting.

312
00:19:01,180 --> 00:19:04,580
I've submitted Wendring to you for the new building, any questions?

313
00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:10,460
Just want to make a comment on the facility. One of the things that we've tried to do,

314
00:19:10,580 --> 00:19:15,120
you always come here and you want to create jobs and you want to work to do that.

315
00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,780
And the three of us have been working hard in that area.

316
00:19:17,980 --> 00:19:22,260
And this is really one of the major steps in doing that moving forward.

317
00:19:22,620 --> 00:19:26,680
To have a technology incubator in our county where we've seen great success

318
00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:30,620
in a loser-in-county technology incubator in our incubator downtown

319
00:19:30,620 --> 00:19:35,340
Scranton to offer additional small businesses that are growing and starting the

320
00:19:35,340 --> 00:19:39,620
opportunity to flourish in a facility like this is a great first step.

321
00:19:40,060 --> 00:19:43,900
Now there's a lot of people in our county who are out of work and a lot of people

322
00:19:43,900 --> 00:19:48,640
in our county who are looking for the next great challenge for themselves and to

323
00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:53,840
be able to locate that idea and incubate in a facility like this and

324
00:19:53,840 --> 00:20:05,540
is going to provide them with tremendous opportunities to start businesses and not have a lot of the overhead that they would otherwise have if they weren't in a KOEZ space in an incubator.

325
00:20:05,820 --> 00:20:11,560
So we appreciate your vision in this area and your willingness to go and build it.

326
00:20:11,700 --> 00:20:17,140
You know, a lot of people kind of talk about these things a lot, but the Chamber is taking it on and getting it done.

327
00:20:17,140 --> 00:20:22,780
And I just wanted to sincerely thank you for that, because there is a great deal of

328
00:20:23,380 --> 00:20:28,160
technological-related businesses in our region, and for them to have a stadium facility

329
00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:33,700
like this is really going to be a positive development in our county.

330
00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:34,540
Thank you.

331
00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:35,000
Thank you.

332
00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:40,620
I just want to make sure there's something, when we're done, there's another subject.

333
00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:48,680
I just have to make another quick statement here, this is so compatible with the construction

334
00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:53,040
that's taking place at the colleges and universities, including the medical school, where

335
00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:57,040
right now we're worth $200 million worth of construction is underway.

336
00:20:57,580 --> 00:21:02,380
This technology incubator is something that's very consistent with that, with the kind

337
00:21:02,380 --> 00:21:07,500
of community and the kind of jobs that we're trying to create because we know that there

338
00:21:07,500 --> 00:21:12,500
There are people facing some really dire circumstances out there, so an eight million dollar project

339
00:21:12,500 --> 00:21:19,560
which will help to create jobs that are future-oriented, that aren't dead-end, but are in the direction

340
00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:25,840
of the way that this economy needs to go is the right anecdote here, and we thank you

341
00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,900
for bringing this project to us and giving us the opportunity to support it.

342
00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:29,740
Commissioner Munchek?

343
00:21:29,980 --> 00:21:31,680
Let's vote on this and I have something else for you.

344
00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:41,060
Okay, then we're voting on the approval of an application for a section 108 loan for

345
00:21:41,060 --> 00:21:41,600
SLIPCO.

346
00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:43,640
Those in favor, do keep us saying aye.

347
00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:44,220
Aye.

348
00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:45,100
Opposed?

349
00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:46,060
Okay, unanimous.

350
00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:54,220
And on the item that involves SLIPCO, they're involved with the Mount Pleasant site here

351
00:21:54,220 --> 00:21:55,460
downtown, I assume.

352
00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:56,000
Is that correct?

353
00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:56,240
Yes.

354
00:21:56,500 --> 00:21:57,700
We developed that part also.

355
00:21:57,800 --> 00:21:59,940
That's one of the 13 parts that SLIPCO has developed.

356
00:22:00,420 --> 00:22:00,600
Okay.

357
00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:07,320
Now, I'd like one of your representatives to meet with either the commissioners and Mr.

358
00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:14,720
John Eastman, our director of public works for sake of a better word.

359
00:22:15,420 --> 00:22:16,640
He's wears a lot of hats.

360
00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:20,000
But the point being is that the county is responsible.

361
00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:27,420
We've taken it on from various agreements, the solving and plowing during the winter time of the various industrial parts.

362
00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:29,060
Some of them, I don't know if there's all of them.

363
00:22:29,060 --> 00:22:32,880
And I'm just wondering, are we obligated for the Mount Pleasant one also?

364
00:22:33,420 --> 00:22:33,500
No.

365
00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:34,200
No.

366
00:22:34,660 --> 00:22:38,860
The road within the Mount Pleasant Corporate Center will be dedicated

367
00:22:38,860 --> 00:22:40,040
over to the city's grant.

368
00:22:40,360 --> 00:22:41,560
So the government obligation there.

369
00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:42,420
Okay, God.

370
00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:43,180
Thanks.

371
00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:43,800
You're welcome.

372
00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:44,820
Thank you.

373
00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,480
That is a very good question.

374
00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:48,820
I'm glad you asked that.

375
00:22:49,380 --> 00:22:50,660
That's what I knew for a question.

376
00:22:50,980 --> 00:22:51,060
Yeah.

377
00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:51,660
Okay.

378
00:22:52,340 --> 00:22:53,560
Don't get carried away, Commissioner.

379
00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:55,080
I'm sure you are.

380
00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:56,440
I'm not here just to look good.

381
00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:58,700
I'm sure you've goofed up before this meeting's over.

382
00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,960
Next agenda item, approving provider contracts

383
00:23:03,460 --> 00:23:06,100
for the Department of Human Services, Ms. Elkins.

384
00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:08,640
We have resolved to avoid the commissioners

385
00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:09,640
of Black One Accountee.

386
00:23:09,780 --> 00:23:11,800
Does hereby approve the provider contracts

387
00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,740
between Black One Accountee Department of Human Services

388
00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:18,700
and Capric Social Services and Catherine McCauley Center

389
00:23:18,700 --> 00:23:20,820
for the Homeless Assistance Program

390
00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:23,420
for first school year July 1, 2010

391
00:23:23,420 --> 00:23:25,240
through June 30, 2011.

392
00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,060
Okay, is there a motion?

393
00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,600
Similar to check, it's been moved and seconded,

394
00:23:30,740 --> 00:23:33,900
and we get a chance to welcome Trees Osborne,

395
00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,400
the director of human services for Lackawanna County,

396
00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,200
to brief us on what we will be voting upon.

397
00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:40,660
Good morning, commissioners.

398
00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:44,240
The contracts, as was just described for the homeless assistance

399
00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,520
program that allows us the opportunity with monies

400
00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:48,460
we receive from the Department of Public Welfare

401
00:23:48,460 --> 00:23:51,720
to provide shelter and rental assistance via two

402
00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,720
community programs, Catholic Social Services and Catholic

403
00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:59,580
from Callie Center or Catherine McColle Center, I'm sorry, for individuals who are at

404
00:23:59,580 --> 00:24:01,980
risk of or who are homeless within our community.

405
00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:03,440
Okay.

406
00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:05,620
Do you have a dollar amount?

407
00:24:06,700 --> 00:24:09,200
You know, commissioners, I'm sorry to say in front of me, I don't have a dollar amount.

408
00:24:09,460 --> 00:24:09,620
Okay.

409
00:24:09,820 --> 00:24:12,200
I'm hoping that they're written within the contracts before myself.

410
00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:12,500
Okay.

411
00:24:13,140 --> 00:24:13,280
Okay.

412
00:24:14,020 --> 00:24:14,640
I'm sorry.

413
00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:16,380
I wouldn't have asked that question.

414
00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:18,600
You better prepare that.

415
00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:19,940
I should be ready for it again.

416
00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:20,860
Okay.

417
00:24:21,340 --> 00:24:22,180
Any questions?

418
00:24:22,500 --> 00:24:22,540
Sorry.

419
00:24:22,540 --> 00:24:25,620
comments? Yes, please.

420
00:24:28,370 --> 00:24:32,990
It's an actual exceed amount of 115,000 per version housing.

421
00:24:33,630 --> 00:24:40,830
15,000 per case management total 141,000 that exceed. Thank you. Any other discussion?

422
00:24:42,490 --> 00:24:44,990
Hearing none. All those in favor, indicate by saying aye.

423
00:24:45,270 --> 00:24:47,830
Aye. Aye. Opposed? Okay. Thank you.

424
00:24:49,410 --> 00:24:54,630
The next agenda item is authorizing submission of application of Pennsylvania D.C.E.D. for funding

425
00:24:54,630 --> 00:24:58,510
for the Student Rehabilitation and Renovation Project.

426
00:24:59,850 --> 00:25:04,450
Whereas the board of commissioners of Blackwanda County does who have the desire to undertake

427
00:25:04,450 --> 00:25:10,210
the following project, the Student Rehabilitation and Renovation Project, and whereas Blackwanda

428
00:25:10,210 --> 00:25:14,770
County does ideas to apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development

429
00:25:14,770 --> 00:25:18,370
for a grant for the purposes of carrying out this project.

430
00:25:18,690 --> 00:25:23,590
Whereas the application package includes the document entitled terms and conditions

431
00:25:23,590 --> 00:25:27,310
of grants and a document entitled signature page for grant agreement.

432
00:25:27,970 --> 00:25:31,450
And whereas the applicant understands the conditions of the document,

433
00:25:31,890 --> 00:25:36,730
entitled terms and conditions of grants, including appendices referred to barren,

434
00:25:37,190 --> 00:25:41,490
will become the terms and conditions of a grant agreement between the applicant

435
00:25:41,490 --> 00:25:46,290
and the Department of Community and Economic Development if the applicant is awarded the grant.

436
00:25:46,670 --> 00:25:51,410
Now, therefore, we have resolved that the signature page for the grant application and grant

437
00:25:51,410 --> 00:25:56,050
agreement may be signed on behalf of the applicant by the Board of Commissioners.

438
00:25:56,530 --> 00:26:01,750
We have further resolved if this official signed the signature page for the grant application

439
00:26:01,750 --> 00:26:06,870
and grant agreement prior to passage of this resolution, this grant of authority applies

440
00:26:06,870 --> 00:26:09,090
is retroactively to the date of signing.

441
00:26:09,750 --> 00:26:13,350
The upper result is the applicant has awarded a grant

442
00:26:13,350 --> 00:26:15,430
for signature page for grants application

443
00:26:15,430 --> 00:26:18,170
and grant agreement signed by the above official

444
00:26:18,170 --> 00:26:20,990
will become the applicant grantee's executive

445
00:26:22,070 --> 00:26:24,890
executed signature page for the grant agreement

446
00:26:24,890 --> 00:26:28,350
and the applicant grantee will be bound by the grant agreement.

447
00:26:28,790 --> 00:26:31,890
The upper result, any amendment to the grant agreement,

448
00:26:32,090 --> 00:26:33,970
may be signed on behalf of the grantee

449
00:26:33,970 --> 00:26:38,670
The Bible for so-for at the time of signing a new amendment have the title specified

450
00:26:38,670 --> 00:26:41,670
above and the grantee will be found by the amendment.

451
00:26:43,050 --> 00:26:49,410
Mr. Motion, so if Shagant has been moved in seconded, we welcome David Levelle here

452
00:26:49,410 --> 00:26:55,310
today from the community and economic development business consultant.

453
00:26:55,530 --> 00:27:00,930
We always like to welcome staff members from throughout the various county departments

454
00:27:00,930 --> 00:27:05,710
and give folks a chance to see them and to hear what projects they're working on, so David,

455
00:27:05,930 --> 00:27:10,690
would you like to tell us about what we're applying for here today? Absolutely. Good morning,

456
00:27:10,830 --> 00:27:18,150
commissioners. We have applied for a $4 million grant that is going to be requesting funds from

457
00:27:18,150 --> 00:27:24,090
the local share count in Monroe County, which is drawn from attacks on gaming funds and the

458
00:27:24,090 --> 00:27:25,690
boundary, which you can see now,

459
00:27:27,790 --> 00:27:32,090
is a grant for a match, a $4 million match, which will

460
00:27:32,090 --> 00:27:35,830
be drawing from a bond issue that was based on the hotel tax.

461
00:27:36,710 --> 00:27:42,090
And these are much needed repairs to the stadium and are really hoping to get this project

462
00:27:42,090 --> 00:27:42,390
moving.

463
00:27:43,190 --> 00:27:44,090
Are there any questions?

464
00:27:44,950 --> 00:27:45,110
Yes.

465
00:27:45,730 --> 00:27:47,310
Are you talking about the stadium?

466
00:27:49,150 --> 00:27:49,790
I'm going to talk to Martin.

467
00:27:50,170 --> 00:27:50,270
Yes.

468
00:27:50,770 --> 00:27:50,990
Okay.

469
00:27:51,270 --> 00:27:51,910
So I don't identify.

470
00:27:52,030 --> 00:27:52,710
That's our mayor's name.

471
00:27:52,910 --> 00:27:53,270
Oh, yes.

472
00:27:53,830 --> 00:27:54,150
Okay.

473
00:27:54,150 --> 00:28:01,350
Okay. All right. So this is the, so this is a viewing query report which requires 13 million repairs.

474
00:28:02,070 --> 00:28:07,230
This is to get us, we have a bond issue out there that's 4 million.

475
00:28:07,850 --> 00:28:08,330
Yes.

476
00:28:08,550 --> 00:28:10,750
Need the remaining funds.

477
00:28:12,210 --> 00:28:17,090
And this would be seeking a match of that 4 million to bring us up to 8 million on that.

478
00:28:17,430 --> 00:28:21,890
Yes. Yes. The total project would be 8 million going to work in the cost of the viewing goal project.

479
00:28:21,890 --> 00:28:23,330
Thank you.

480
00:28:23,350 --> 00:28:23,510
All right.

481
00:28:23,690 --> 00:28:25,230
Any further discussion?

482
00:28:25,730 --> 00:28:25,750
No.

483
00:28:25,830 --> 00:28:33,290
I just, for Mr. Barnes, just in this resolution, I think for future reference, we should identify

484
00:28:33,290 --> 00:28:34,010
the location.

485
00:28:34,870 --> 00:28:36,250
It's just a stadium rehabilitation.

486
00:28:37,790 --> 00:28:37,950
Thanks.

487
00:28:38,330 --> 00:28:38,510
Okay.

488
00:28:39,230 --> 00:28:39,770
Thank you.

489
00:28:40,610 --> 00:28:42,130
Any further discussion?

490
00:28:42,610 --> 00:28:43,270
Hearing none.

491
00:28:43,570 --> 00:28:45,090
All those in favor, indicate by saying aye.

492
00:28:45,570 --> 00:28:46,070
Opposed?

493
00:28:46,350 --> 00:28:46,630
Okay.

494
00:28:47,050 --> 00:28:47,550
Junanimous.

495
00:28:47,770 --> 00:28:48,090
Thank you.

496
00:28:48,090 --> 00:28:53,070
The next agenda item, approving an agreement between Lackawanna County and University of Pittsburgh's

497
00:28:53,070 --> 00:28:58,890
child welfare education for a leadership program, the C-W-E-E-L-Zophanes.

498
00:28:59,490 --> 00:29:03,390
I think that the Zophanes are the commissioners of Lackawanna County to have served by approving

499
00:29:03,390 --> 00:29:08,230
agreement with the University of Pittsburgh for its child welfare education for the leadership

500
00:29:08,230 --> 00:29:12,750
program on behalf of the School of Social Work and Student Fire and E-Data.

501
00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:15,820
Okay, is there a motion?

502
00:29:15,820 --> 00:29:33,860
So if the case has been moved in seconded, I don't think there's a representative here from children in youth, but this is the program where we sponsor county employees to receive graduate degrees to the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

503
00:29:33,900 --> 00:29:41,400
It's been very, very successful and we've done this with some regularities so there's familiarity with it.

504
00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:45,080
And there's one more employee now that's going to go through this program.

505
00:29:45,620 --> 00:29:49,160
So is there any further discussion or any need for any amplification?

506
00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:51,540
Okay, then we're going to vote on it.

507
00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:53,320
All those in favor, indicate by saying aye.

508
00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:53,800
Aye.

509
00:29:54,220 --> 00:29:54,480
Opposed?

510
00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:59,860
The next agenda item is approving the Medical Assistance Transportation Program Contract.

511
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:06,160
Resolving. We resolved for the Board of Commissioners of Lake Wanakowni. Does anybody approve the contractual

512
00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:13,900
levationship for medical assistance transportation program with Lake Wanakowni coordinated transportation,

513
00:30:14,740 --> 00:30:21,140
venture powers, loads, rent, scrum counseling center, NHS, tribe county human services,

514
00:30:29,980 --> 00:30:29,980
Lake

515
00:30:29,980 --> 00:30:34,520
health care for kids at the same amounts as the 2009 through 10 contracts.

516
00:30:34,980 --> 00:30:40,620
The term of this agreement shall be from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.

517
00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:42,660
Okay, is there a motion?

518
00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:43,440
It's a motion.

519
00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:45,420
Okay, it's been moved and seconded.

520
00:30:45,620 --> 00:30:51,220
We get a chance to introduce to the number, number of the county team.

521
00:30:51,380 --> 00:30:54,940
It's John Townshale, who's a manager of coordinated transportation.

522
00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:58,320
John, do you want to tell us about what we're voting on here today?

523
00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:04,740
Yes, commissioners. Good morning. When we had the bid opening in May, the contracts were deemed

524
00:31:04,740 --> 00:31:13,640
non-responsive because of lack of information that was presented to us. The best way to proceed with

525
00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:22,720
the contracts through FIFF World to just continue working out last year's contract and have a

526
00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:26,620
That's new transition that way, so that's the purpose of that.

527
00:31:26,620 --> 00:31:28,060
I see the controller here.

528
00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:29,840
We give the controller the mic.

529
00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:34,180
I know he's very modest, but Mr. controller, if you have someone to say,

530
00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:38,700
he's very accurate in that the controller was office or solicitor.

531
00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:40,620
We were here at the bid.

532
00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:43,920
There were other sponsors to the format of the bid.

533
00:31:44,620 --> 00:31:48,940
And they were stopped by us to negotiate with the current vendors.

534
00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:57,240
Okay, so this was done in cooperation and we thank the controllers obviously. We thank you and canning for your assistance on this.

535
00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:05,880
So I guess if there are any questions, we're going to vote on this. So I vote in favor. Indicate by saying aye.

536
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:08,160
I opposed. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

537
00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:17,640
Okay, now we come to the appointment part of the agenda and the first item is an appointment

538
00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,840
to the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority.

539
00:32:21,540 --> 00:32:25,940
We have resolved with the Board of Commissioners of Lackawanna County as here by a point

540
00:32:25,940 --> 00:32:31,120
the following individual to the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority to fill the unexpired

541
00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:36,760
term of Jack Delayell, term to begin immediately an expires on January 2, 2011.

542
00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,060
Dominic Keating, Thungmore.

543
00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:41,820
Okay, is there a motion?

544
00:32:42,140 --> 00:32:45,140
Some of his movement, the movement's secondary.

545
00:32:45,380 --> 00:32:46,160
Is there any discussion?

546
00:32:47,300 --> 00:32:50,800
Hearing none, all those in favor, indicate by saying aye.

547
00:32:51,260 --> 00:32:51,400
Aye.

548
00:32:51,860 --> 00:32:51,960
Aye.

549
00:32:52,420 --> 00:32:53,480
Okay, it's unanimous.

550
00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:57,500
And Dominic Keating, we all know those of us who know him,

551
00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:01,540
is a real, real, real, real person, and a real,

552
00:33:02,660 --> 00:33:05,660
has a real, then dedicated interest in local history.

553
00:33:05,660 --> 00:33:08,120
So I know that we have to be happy with this appointment.

554
00:33:08,780 --> 00:33:14,820
The next item on the agenda will be an appointment to the Rackowanna River Basin sewer authority.

555
00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:19,040
We have resolved to prepare the commissioners of Rackowanna County.

556
00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:24,140
Desire by appoint the following individuals to the Rackowanna River Basin sewer authority

557
00:33:24,140 --> 00:33:29,320
to fill the expiry term of Joseph Ternchak and the unexpired term of Richard Galardi.

558
00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:36,440
Joseph Mercatelli, music, time to begin immediately and expire in December 31, 2012.

559
00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:43,720
Edward Gowardy, Pac-Fell, time to begin immediately and expire on January 5, 2014.

560
00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:48,680
It will be a motion, so moved and seconded is any discussion?

561
00:33:49,780 --> 00:33:55,900
Mr. Chairman, as we were discussed, please explain the requirements resident, you know,

562
00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:57,000
borrow requirements.

563
00:33:58,300 --> 00:33:58,820
Yes.

564
00:33:59,140 --> 00:33:59,300
Yes.

565
00:33:59,900 --> 00:34:01,420
Thank you, Mr. Muncher.

566
00:34:02,660 --> 00:34:13,700
We have, in the sewer authorities, representation goes back to town and music and troupe alternate,

567
00:34:13,700 --> 00:34:19,600
They share a representative and they've alternated representation and Mr. Mercatelli is from

568
00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:26,360
Lucic and Blakely has their own representative and that's Mr. Calardi.

569
00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:34,520
But I mean that's we're voting on Mr. Mercatelli and we're voting on Mr. Calardi.

570
00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,620
So are there any additional questions hearing none?

571
00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:39,340
Are those in favor and to keep us saying aye?

572
00:34:39,340 --> 00:34:40,280
I vote.

573
00:34:40,540 --> 00:34:40,660
Okay.

574
00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:41,300
Thank you.

575
00:34:42,060 --> 00:34:42,400
unanimous.

576
00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:43,700
Next agenda.

577
00:34:43,940 --> 00:34:48,380
Appointments to the Waiperana County Agricultural Land Preservation Board.

578
00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:52,140
You have resolved with the Board of Commissioners of Waiperana County.

579
00:34:52,340 --> 00:34:56,880
Does hereby appoint the following individuals to the Waiperana County Agricultural Land

580
00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:58,060
Preservation Board.

581
00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:03,520
The following long have a term to begin immediately and expire on March 23, 2012.

582
00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:10,940
Well, we'll catch Derman, Mary Booth, Donado, Madam Frontier, except Margaret Hall, Dalton.

583
00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:12,920
Thanks for your motion.

584
00:35:13,220 --> 00:35:14,160
So most seconded.

585
00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:14,560
Seconded.

586
00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:15,320
It's been moved and seconded.

587
00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:16,360
Any discussion?

588
00:35:17,300 --> 00:35:18,440
Hearing none, all those in favor?

589
00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:19,300
And to keep us in eye?

590
00:35:19,580 --> 00:35:19,720
Aye.

591
00:35:20,020 --> 00:35:20,160
Aye.

592
00:35:20,580 --> 00:35:20,740
Okay.

593
00:35:21,020 --> 00:35:21,620
It's unanimous.

594
00:35:22,060 --> 00:35:24,280
All right, now we move to the motion section of the agenda.

595
00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:28,820
I make a motion to advertise for Bids for the Earsworth Park Development Project.

596
00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:29,240
Second.

597
00:35:29,620 --> 00:35:30,820
He has been moved and seconded.

598
00:35:31,340 --> 00:35:32,680
Mr. Bill Davis is here.

599
00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:34,720
And he's going to tell us about this project.

600
00:35:35,820 --> 00:35:36,560
Morning, commissioners.

601
00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:37,040
Good morning.

602
00:35:38,220 --> 00:35:40,980
This was a project that we've previously announced.

603
00:35:40,980 --> 00:35:50,760
It's the development of a soccer field, softball field, ADA access, walking trail, and eventually a bombless playground.

604
00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:54,740
This project's been delayed due to permitting issues.

605
00:35:55,340 --> 00:36:00,200
There was a wetland mitigation that we had to do as well as our DEP permitting.

606
00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:04,700
that we're close to finalizing that and we'd like to put it out to bed.

607
00:36:05,500 --> 00:36:12,820
Okay. Any discussion? I'm sure that everyone in the last section of Archbald

608
00:36:12,820 --> 00:36:17,580
and in the mid-decker valley will be happy to see a soccer field there

609
00:36:17,580 --> 00:36:24,460
and the soccer field and an accessible walking tour. So it's good news.

610
00:36:26,460 --> 00:36:30,020
No further discussion, all those in favor, indicate by saying aye.

611
00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:30,620
Aye.

612
00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:31,520
Okay.

613
00:36:31,740 --> 00:36:36,900
The next agenda item is I'd like to make a motion to advertise for bits for the Covington

614
00:36:36,900 --> 00:36:38,680
Park Phase 2 development project.

615
00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:39,120
Second.

616
00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:40,280
It's been moved and seconded.

617
00:36:40,740 --> 00:36:41,340
Mr. Davis.

618
00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,860
This is another recreation project at Covington Park.

619
00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:54,200
The first phase which we've already started includes a baseball field, a restaurant facility

620
00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:59,860
parking. The second phase is going to include a soccer field, a baseball practice field,

621
00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:07,060
a ballless playground, a pavilion in office, walking trail, and access road in parking.

622
00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:11,240
And do you want to talk about where the funding is coming for these projects?

623
00:37:11,900 --> 00:37:19,040
Certainly, no local tax dollars are involved. It's basically a grant from the State's going

624
00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:22,680
and renal program and the length of trust we're using

625
00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:24,040
as the local match.

626
00:37:24,780 --> 00:37:27,400
We've been talking at various meetings about the fact

627
00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:31,560
that these projects, while they're not large in terms

628
00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:34,940
of dollars, they do collectively they become large.

629
00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:40,640
And they do help to stimulate a really stagnant economy.

630
00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:45,020
So we're happy about the fact that some jobs will be created

631
00:37:45,020 --> 00:37:46,900
for some people while this work is being done

632
00:37:46,900 --> 00:37:54,180
and some live-risk recreation activities will be afforded people in archfals and mid-vary

633
00:37:54,180 --> 00:37:56,320
as well as people in the local area.

634
00:37:57,040 --> 00:37:58,400
So, any additional discussion?

635
00:37:59,100 --> 00:38:01,260
Hearing none, all those in favor indicate by saying aye.

636
00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:02,320
Opposed?

637
00:38:02,540 --> 00:38:08,000
Okay. The next motion I'd like to make is to advertise for bids for the Rocky Run Stream Improvement project.

638
00:38:08,060 --> 00:38:08,420
Second.

639
00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:10,540
It's been moved and seconded, Bill Davis again.

640
00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:19,400
Commissioner was in 2006, there was flood damage to Lucky Run Stream, and at that time,

641
00:38:19,940 --> 00:38:26,180
the Lachlan County applied for a Pima grant to do a restoration project there. We actually

642
00:38:26,180 --> 00:38:35,960
have previously did this project, but because the grant stipulated that we had to use the money

643
00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:37,660
to put it to a pre-existing condition.

644
00:38:38,620 --> 00:38:41,140
We didn't feel that that was, you know,

645
00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:42,400
we thought that if it happened once,

646
00:38:42,500 --> 00:38:44,180
if it happened again, we should redesign it.

647
00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:47,000
DEP finally agreed with this

648
00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:48,960
and then we had to redesign the project.

649
00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:51,440
And that's why there was a delay in doing it.

650
00:38:51,860 --> 00:38:54,440
We're almost through a permitting process now

651
00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:56,820
and I hope this, you know, start this fall.

652
00:38:57,380 --> 00:38:59,720
And again, this is a federal grant.

653
00:38:59,900 --> 00:39:02,560
It's FEMA through FEMA, the state arm

654
00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:07,100
and it's approximately $500,000 grant for this project.

655
00:39:07,580 --> 00:39:09,760
And it's more construction dollars

656
00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:14,780
and more opportunities for people to work on the project.

657
00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:18,160
So is there any discussion hearing none?

658
00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:19,140
All those in favor?

659
00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:20,060
And to keep a single eye?

660
00:39:20,260 --> 00:39:20,520
All right.

661
00:39:20,820 --> 00:39:21,080
Opposed?

662
00:39:21,220 --> 00:39:21,800
Okay, unanimous.

663
00:39:22,740 --> 00:39:24,400
Before you move, Mr. Davis,

664
00:39:25,140 --> 00:39:28,700
I can see that someone listening to this broadcast

665
00:39:28,700 --> 00:39:30,680
will have been at the park

666
00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:39,460
and would have been at the park on Saturday, last Saturday, for the cross-country meet, and

667
00:39:40,420 --> 00:39:48,180
it was really so well done. The organization, the parking, the weather, the participation

668
00:39:48,580 --> 00:39:54,620
was really magnificent and congratulations. I appreciate it. I know that at various times

669
00:39:54,620 --> 00:39:59,400
all three of us have had a chance to be over there and see the good work that you've been

670
00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:03,960
doing and the special events that have been taking place there and it's truly marvelous.

671
00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:07,540
Taxpayers deserve it and I want to thank you for it.

672
00:40:08,620 --> 00:40:08,980
Thank you.

673
00:40:09,500 --> 00:40:09,900
Appreciate it.

674
00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:10,700
Okay, thank you.

675
00:40:11,260 --> 00:40:15,300
The next agenda item is the opportunity for the public to address the board.

676
00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:19,480
This is the time when folks who want to talk about things that weren't necessarily

677
00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:23,000
or that went out on the agenda are afforded that opportunity.

678
00:40:23,260 --> 00:40:28,640
So anyone who would like to come forward in an orderly manner, please come forward.

679
00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:30,760
and express what's on your mind.

680
00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:33,420
And first identify yourself.

681
00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:37,180
Yeah, we need names and addresses if you don't mind.

682
00:40:37,300 --> 00:40:37,400
Sure.

683
00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:40,800
Jessica Durkin, and I live in Scrazen.

684
00:40:41,240 --> 00:40:44,540
My address is 952 North Webster Avenue.

685
00:40:46,940 --> 00:40:49,640
And I answer before you guys about...

686
00:40:50,180 --> 00:40:51,320
I'm giving that in March.

687
00:40:51,900 --> 00:40:53,160
I'm with New American Foundation,

688
00:40:53,500 --> 00:40:56,460
which is a Washington, D.C. Public Policy Institute.

689
00:40:57,420 --> 00:41:02,120
and so I'm studying media policy and at the time I've not started a project yet

690
00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:06,260
but that project that I was supposed to do is done and so I wanted to share it

691
00:41:06,260 --> 00:41:09,480
with you guys and turn it in some minutes for the record.

692
00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:14,780
What I do is I did a Screenson Media Case Study where I took a really actually

693
00:41:14,780 --> 00:41:20,200
Screenson and like I want to count it and I took a look at the media here,

694
00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:27,940
you know, radio, television, print, online, and I think it's much,

695
00:41:28,820 --> 00:41:30,460
the budget just sort of assessed it.

696
00:41:30,660 --> 00:41:33,360
And what we did with the America, I'm one of several fellows

697
00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:36,280
across the country, we looked at other cities too.

698
00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:39,160
So, as friends, I was actually kind of lucky in this respect because

699
00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:50,180
it was among like Seattle, we looked at Seattle, we looked at the Triangle,

700
00:41:50,180 --> 00:41:54,540
And a few other cities too, and what we did was, now I think we're going to work in a

701
00:41:54,540 --> 00:41:54,880
stat now.

702
00:41:55,120 --> 00:42:00,940
Anyway, so part of this also was taking a look at the assets here and with respect to

703
00:42:00,940 --> 00:42:07,580
like broadband and I know that you guys, or you all did some past the, was it the, the

704
00:42:07,580 --> 00:42:07,960
Wi-Fi?

705
00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:09,800
I actually want to get an update on that too.

706
00:42:11,380 --> 00:42:12,780
So in general, that's what it is.

707
00:42:12,940 --> 00:42:18,080
And so, you know, I ended up with a case study and it's, you know, Scranton, our bottom

708
00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:23,000
one is that it's an industrial city with a media ecosystem yet to take advantage of digital

709
00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:23,560
opportunities.

710
00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:29,920
So there's a bit of a curve ahead, I think, to come up to speak to some other cities

711
00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:31,600
in the same size or larger.

712
00:42:33,300 --> 00:42:34,500
So that was one thing.

713
00:42:34,660 --> 00:42:39,900
The other thing we did was we had a forum, we hosted a ship, the ocean, the forum at the

714
00:42:39,900 --> 00:42:45,480
University of Scranton in May, and we brought together about 22-23 people, you all couldn't

715
00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:47,620
make it, you were invited, but you had obligations.

716
00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:50,840
Where we invited people from a center case,

717
00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:53,280
use office, some other local representatives,

718
00:42:54,400 --> 00:42:55,520
and media.

719
00:42:57,080 --> 00:42:59,040
And we all just talked about what does

720
00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:02,700
grant need to make things better, or different,

721
00:43:03,220 --> 00:43:05,040
if it even needs anything at all.

722
00:43:05,940 --> 00:43:08,320
There was consensus that there is a lot of

723
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:09,260
information improvement.

724
00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:12,620
Considering layoffs, I'm a former Times Tribune reporter.

725
00:43:12,940 --> 00:43:14,400
I was laid off a year and a half ago.

726
00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:20,200
you know, advertising dollars. The models are not sustainable anymore. The traditional

727
00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:24,600
media models are not sustainable. And then there's also the explosion of like, you know,

728
00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:32,920
blogs and online news. So that was part of the discussion and I just wanted to touch

729
00:43:32,920 --> 00:43:36,260
base with you guys. I may have a project I'd like to, you know, we can talk about offline,

730
00:43:36,460 --> 00:43:40,840
but I do have some ideas for the fall for here that we can maybe talk more about this.

731
00:43:41,500 --> 00:43:42,060
Thank you.

732
00:43:42,060 --> 00:43:44,980
Yeah, so what is going on with the Wi-Fi?

733
00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:46,600
Well two things I want to mention to you.

734
00:43:46,740 --> 00:43:49,800
One is the technology incubator which we spoke about earlier in the meeting,

735
00:43:50,180 --> 00:43:56,200
which hopefully will have to offset some of those issues with respect to technology

736
00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:58,600
and it not being tapped yet because I agree with you.

737
00:43:58,660 --> 00:44:03,360
It still needs to be tapped more so we're working hard with respect to that with the chamber.

738
00:44:03,900 --> 00:44:10,180
And the Wi-Fi access really in one of the final rounds to determine whether or not

739
00:44:10,180 --> 00:44:17,960
we're going to receive a very large grant to assist us in doing, you know, an extraordinary

740
00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:20,460
RIFI project here.

741
00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:27,700
So we're in the finals, we're down at a wire so we don't know if we're going to get it out.

742
00:44:27,720 --> 00:44:35,300
We're keeping our fingers crossed, we should know before the end of the month I believe is the time table

743
00:44:35,300 --> 00:44:40,560
or maybe mid-act children. So we're keeping our fingers crossed that what we received

744
00:44:40,560 --> 00:44:45,340
grant there and if we do think a lot's going to change in our county with respect to

745
00:44:45,340 --> 00:44:49,960
why I find it's a variability. So we'll see. We're keeping our fingers crossed. So we

746
00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:54,420
could talk more about it if things work out there. So stay tuned on that. Okay.

747
00:44:56,730 --> 00:44:57,510
Okay, thank you,

748
00:44:57,510 --> 00:44:58,230
Sir, thank you.

749
00:44:58,350 --> 00:44:58,810
Thank you.

750
00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:07,460
Okay. Thank you. Is there anyone else who wishes to speak today? Yes? Okay.

751
00:45:12,740 --> 00:45:18,040
Hello, commissioners. I'm Lorraine Cummings. I'm from Scrantons. Move this over to the front of it. There you go.

752
00:45:21,120 --> 00:45:33,200
Thank you for your understanding. Lorraine, do you want to say where you found your address? 513? Okay. Let's go. Let's go. Okay. Thank you. A little bit nervous. Okay.

753
00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:35,220
We'll just slow down and you'll be fine.

754
00:45:36,460 --> 00:45:38,780
Well, first of all, I'd like to thank you

755
00:45:38,780 --> 00:45:42,040
to Tracey Hart for our help with all of our lives.

756
00:45:42,340 --> 00:45:42,620
Thank you.

757
00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:47,840
We're planning another, an October 10th.

758
00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:51,220
If I'd like to give you an invitation to come and speak.

759
00:45:54,010 --> 00:45:55,770
Do you want to explain your route,

760
00:45:55,950 --> 00:45:56,770
explain what you're doing?

761
00:45:57,670 --> 00:45:59,670
Well, our route is basically educational.

762
00:46:00,630 --> 00:46:04,330
So we'd like to try and help people know what's

763
00:46:04,330 --> 00:46:07,170
happening in a country. What you're working on.

764
00:46:09,730 --> 00:46:10,770
You're looking at me on that.

765
00:46:11,950 --> 00:46:17,070
Just a little bit more. Explain what your organization is. You have to tell the public.

766
00:46:17,830 --> 00:46:21,310
We're just trying to, so we could fill out one and what it is you're doing.

767
00:46:21,650 --> 00:46:27,370
What we like to do is have power. It's grand and cheap. And what we represent

768
00:46:27,370 --> 00:46:32,650
is a growing number of Americans that are concerned with what's happening in

769
00:46:32,650 --> 00:46:36,490
context. Okay. Do you have any questions? I don't know.

770
00:46:39,930 --> 00:46:43,550
I don't think so. Okay. Is there

771
00:46:43,550 --> 00:46:47,270
a possibility for either meetings or commissioners?

772
00:46:51,520 --> 00:46:54,060
Yes, right. Well, one of the, you know,

773
00:46:54,220 --> 00:46:59,260
the principal reason we haven't done is that you've been here for most of the meeting and we've

774
00:46:59,260 --> 00:47:05,240
had an interaction with John Tavshow from where there's transportation, Treesau's born from human

775
00:47:05,240 --> 00:47:13,640
And services, David, it's very good and it's difficult to bring the staff out in the evening

776
00:47:13,640 --> 00:47:15,300
people who are scheduled for day works.

777
00:47:15,460 --> 00:47:20,380
That's been the reason that's been the logic for meeting during the day.

778
00:47:21,140 --> 00:47:21,360
Okay.

779
00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:27,520
It's much easier to access through my members and that was one of the questions that they

780
00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:31,580
had asked me about because we're trying to attend most of the school board meetings and

781
00:47:31,580 --> 00:47:37,780
commission meetings and it's hard because we're all working parents so thank God we have our jobs but

782
00:47:37,780 --> 00:47:43,280
you know it's difficult so attend. If there is a possibility of ever going into the evening we

783
00:47:43,280 --> 00:47:47,780
would appreciate something for the purpose. We do have budget meetings in the evenings okay.

784
00:47:49,180 --> 00:47:55,860
And that's that's a very important time and so watch for the the budgets when the budget meetings

785
00:47:55,860 --> 00:48:01,440
from their schedule here, a few weeks from now, and they will all be in the evening except

786
00:48:01,440 --> 00:48:04,980
one hearing here during our regular meeting, I think we have one.

787
00:48:06,280 --> 00:48:10,780
So before, there would probably be at least three opportunities around the county at various

788
00:48:10,780 --> 00:48:12,740
locations for evening meetings coming up.

789
00:48:13,360 --> 00:48:13,580
Okay.

790
00:48:14,200 --> 00:48:20,780
One of the questions that I had was in regards to the Internet was just up here, the Wi-Fi.

791
00:48:21,680 --> 00:48:23,420
I watched your meeting for me.

792
00:48:23,420 --> 00:48:31,560
And Mr. Munchek had a question for Mr. O'Brien, are we getting into the Internet business?

793
00:48:32,460 --> 00:48:34,220
And that question isn't addressed.

794
00:48:34,580 --> 00:48:35,920
So are we?

795
00:48:36,600 --> 00:48:41,160
Well, what we're doing, I don't know what we're getting into business, but we're trying

796
00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:45,600
to provide is our first responders, police departments, or educational.

797
00:48:46,100 --> 00:48:50,860
I heard that part of it, but will you be in charge of any part of the Internet?

798
00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:54,100
What is broadband can you explain that?

799
00:48:54,180 --> 00:48:55,440
Our goal is in charging the Internet.

800
00:48:56,040 --> 00:48:56,980
That's his baby.

801
00:48:57,520 --> 00:48:58,200
That's not ours.

802
00:48:58,400 --> 00:48:59,020
He's the founder.

803
00:48:59,680 --> 00:49:01,460
We're going to keep that separate.

804
00:49:03,870 --> 00:49:05,710
That's quite funny, but it didn't answer the question.

805
00:49:08,270 --> 00:49:12,430
The FCC just ruled that we cannot regulate Internet neutrality.

806
00:49:13,270 --> 00:49:18,530
So how is it that we in the county can control any part of our Internet?

807
00:49:18,930 --> 00:49:22,350
We don't have any intention of controlling the Internet in any way.

808
00:49:22,350 --> 00:49:24,630
So what would this include?

809
00:49:27,350 --> 00:49:32,970
The Wi-Fi grant would provide us with the opportunity to put Wi-Fi throughout the county.

810
00:49:33,190 --> 00:49:33,910
You can't do it now?

811
00:49:34,470 --> 00:49:34,770
No.

812
00:49:35,230 --> 00:49:39,910
Because we don't have the funds to put that technology on towers.

813
00:49:40,510 --> 00:49:44,310
So we don't have, can you purchase it from other companies?

814
00:49:48,710 --> 00:49:55,130
We don't utilize private companies to manage our emergency management infrastructure.

815
00:49:55,950 --> 00:49:58,230
What we do is we do that.

816
00:49:58,570 --> 00:50:02,770
So we provide our 911 and other things that we do.

817
00:50:02,990 --> 00:50:10,170
What we're trying to do is we're trying to put computers in police vehicles and ambulances and others and have them be able to talk to each other.

818
00:50:10,170 --> 00:50:13,350
Right now, we have a way.

819
00:50:13,410 --> 00:50:14,250
Can you answer it?

820
00:50:16,170 --> 00:50:18,590
Not through Wi-Fi, not through computers.

821
00:50:19,130 --> 00:50:23,750
So you can't pull up if you have security cameras at a certain location.

822
00:50:24,210 --> 00:50:27,230
You can't view those from your car.

823
00:50:27,530 --> 00:50:31,110
So for example, if there was an issue in this building where there was an emergency

824
00:50:31,110 --> 00:50:35,370
and we had first responders coming the building, they'd be blind coming in the here.

825
00:50:35,830 --> 00:50:38,590
What this would provide them with the opportunity is they would have a laptop computer

826
00:50:38,590 --> 00:50:43,470
So in their vehicle, they'd be able to pull up the county building, look at the cameras

827
00:50:43,470 --> 00:50:47,950
and see exactly what the situation was that they were getting themselves into.

828
00:50:48,490 --> 00:50:51,530
So it gives them advance from warning, which was coming up.

829
00:50:51,550 --> 00:50:53,690
I'm sorry, I'm pleased to hear from you.

830
00:50:53,930 --> 00:50:58,970
Police departments and emergency responders around the country have this type of access.

831
00:50:58,970 --> 00:51:00,650
We'd like to bring that access to our county.

832
00:51:00,950 --> 00:51:04,870
So other counties provide this for police officers throughout their counties?

833
00:51:05,270 --> 00:51:05,470
Yes.

834
00:51:05,470 --> 00:51:05,610
Yes.

835
00:51:06,410 --> 00:51:08,630
Is there information on that that I can find?

836
00:51:08,870 --> 00:51:09,090
Sure.

837
00:51:09,250 --> 00:51:10,030
Go on to the Internet.

838
00:51:11,870 --> 00:51:13,630
Well, where are you going to find information?

839
00:51:13,770 --> 00:51:15,070
Is that from other local people?

840
00:51:15,490 --> 00:51:17,030
I don't see any information.

841
00:51:17,050 --> 00:51:17,250
I didn't see any information.

842
00:51:17,250 --> 00:51:17,670
I didn't see any information.

843
00:51:17,870 --> 00:51:18,130
I didn't see any information.

844
00:51:18,130 --> 00:51:18,330
I didn't see any information.

845
00:51:18,650 --> 00:51:19,050
I didn't see any information.

846
00:51:19,050 --> 00:51:19,070
Okay.

847
00:51:20,050 --> 00:51:23,830
And it was basically to provide information in service to the public.

848
00:51:25,590 --> 00:51:27,590
Well, it's something you were discussed, correct?

849
00:51:27,970 --> 00:51:28,930
That's something we've discussed.

850
00:51:29,550 --> 00:51:29,690
Okay.

851
00:51:29,830 --> 00:51:31,230
So, that would be getting into the Internet.

852
00:51:31,790 --> 00:51:35,450
It all depends on what if we get a grant or if we don't.

853
00:51:35,450 --> 00:51:39,350
I don't worry about the use force, so it's premature to get in the details of this

854
00:51:39,350 --> 00:51:39,650
program.

855
00:51:40,250 --> 00:51:42,530
Yes, I knew that you won't be getting into public internet.

856
00:51:42,990 --> 00:51:43,850
It's my question.

857
00:51:44,310 --> 00:51:47,070
So that people need free internet in the county.

858
00:51:47,550 --> 00:51:50,270
I mean, if that would be taking a business away from other companies, correct?

859
00:51:50,530 --> 00:51:50,710
No, we're not.

860
00:51:51,430 --> 00:51:53,290
I'll always focus not right now.

861
00:51:53,710 --> 00:51:57,410
There's keeping our fingers crossed that we get a grant that then could provide us with

862
00:51:57,410 --> 00:52:01,370
the opportunity to provide our emergency responders or educational institutions

863
00:52:01,370 --> 00:52:04,410
and others with access that their president don't have.

864
00:52:04,410 --> 00:52:11,290
But when I watched your video, you can discuss how people in real areas don't have access to

865
00:52:11,290 --> 00:52:11,710
Wi-Fi.

866
00:52:12,230 --> 00:52:14,990
But they do have access to the Internet.

867
00:52:15,310 --> 00:52:19,090
So it's not correct that they don't have access to Internet programs.

868
00:52:20,230 --> 00:52:23,790
The senior areas do not have access to Internet programs.

869
00:52:24,850 --> 00:52:32,530
Over the telephone rooms, they don't have access to Internet programs at all to Wi-Fi

870
00:52:38,190 --> 00:52:45,630
I'm not in the business all I'm telling you is explaining to you why the grant has been provided and that's still allowing him.

871
00:52:45,830 --> 00:52:55,690
So this grant will not, you can guarantee me that this grant is not going to be for the third purpose of providing free internet access to anyone other than your police force.

872
00:52:55,690 --> 00:52:59,690
correct. The only thing that I'll guarantee you the right is that we'll keep my fingers crossed

873
00:52:59,690 --> 00:53:05,470
and get the guarantees we've made later. Okay, but that isn't one of the purposes and you're

874
00:53:05,470 --> 00:53:12,930
providing the service correct. You've received my answer. I said that in the past day with the

875
00:53:12,930 --> 00:53:17,890
public move, you're having to pay for the Internet service. I'm not going to go back and forth

876
00:53:17,890 --> 00:53:21,670
and debate with you all day. The last thing I'll say on the subject is this, and I don't know

877
00:53:23,190 --> 00:53:26,290
You're getting an answer when I'm going to give you.

878
00:53:26,510 --> 00:53:28,950
Keeping our fingers crossed, we'll get to that time.

879
00:53:29,270 --> 00:53:30,190
We'll know more about it.

880
00:53:30,510 --> 00:53:34,950
And exactly how we launched that type of activity.

881
00:53:35,710 --> 00:53:38,710
So we can let you know that later if you've read it,

882
00:53:39,150 --> 00:53:40,170
we'll be laying it out.

883
00:53:40,490 --> 00:53:42,550
So then you can come and ask questions at that point.

884
00:53:42,850 --> 00:53:44,070
But there's not going to lay out at this point.

885
00:53:44,290 --> 00:53:46,130
And we don't know where it's going or whether we're going to get it.

886
00:53:46,310 --> 00:53:47,870
So you're just not going to get more of an answer in that.

887
00:53:48,010 --> 00:53:48,390
It's a rain.

888
00:53:48,390 --> 00:53:48,910
Yes.

889
00:53:50,130 --> 00:53:54,890
Normally what we do is speakers come up and they make their presentation and at the end

890
00:53:54,890 --> 00:53:59,690
we make our comments so that we don't go back and forth because the other people here

891
00:53:59,690 --> 00:54:05,170
that may want to speak and we don't like to put a time limit on it because you want

892
00:54:05,170 --> 00:54:09,750
you to feel comfortable to be able to say what's on your mind but we won't go back and

893
00:54:09,750 --> 00:54:10,050
forth.

894
00:54:10,330 --> 00:54:12,190
So do you have another question?

895
00:54:12,510 --> 00:54:16,090
I understand now but that's kind of like Nancy Pelosi's response to we have to pass the

896
00:54:16,090 --> 00:54:22,990
before we read it, you know, wait a second, wait a second, wait a second, you've had

897
00:54:22,990 --> 00:54:28,910
the floor. There's no need. You've been treated with courtesy, which is there. You own

898
00:54:28,910 --> 00:54:35,210
this government. Now, appreciate it and act respectfully, Nancy Pelosi, who's Nancy Pelosi?

899
00:54:35,450 --> 00:54:40,590
This is like one of county government, okay? And you've had your chance. So now, do you

900
00:54:40,590 --> 00:54:45,470
have other questions? You're more than welcome to come and say what's on your mind and to

901
00:54:45,470 --> 00:54:49,830
ask questions, but we don't need to invoke the names of people from outside these rooms.

902
00:54:50,270 --> 00:54:52,010
I don't believe there is simply an answer, sir.

903
00:54:52,330 --> 00:54:58,070
But commissioner O'Brien said to you, that that was what he was prepared to say today

904
00:54:58,070 --> 00:55:00,730
that he had knowledge of and what he's advocating for.

905
00:55:00,930 --> 00:55:05,430
Now, we don't always get what we want, but is there another question that you want to ask?

906
00:55:05,790 --> 00:55:08,290
I would just like to know what grants for applying for and why.

907
00:55:08,790 --> 00:55:12,730
I mean, if we don't know why we're applying for the grant, and why how are going to use it?

908
00:55:13,290 --> 00:55:15,690
He explained why we're applying for the grant.

909
00:55:18,270 --> 00:55:19,530
I appreciate that.

910
00:55:19,790 --> 00:55:21,710
I was in that conversation with the fact

911
00:55:21,710 --> 00:55:25,350
that you're applying for it for help in our police department.

912
00:55:25,670 --> 00:55:28,490
So if they can get internet access in their vehicles,

913
00:55:29,370 --> 00:55:31,090
that's the only reason we're applying for it.

914
00:55:31,370 --> 00:55:32,690
That's the next question.

915
00:55:32,890 --> 00:55:33,090
That's it.

916
00:55:33,370 --> 00:55:33,770
That was it.

917
00:55:34,410 --> 00:55:36,430
Did you ever chance to see what you wanted to say?

918
00:55:37,050 --> 00:55:37,490
Yeah.

919
00:55:37,630 --> 00:55:38,650
I just didn't prepare the answer.

920
00:55:39,690 --> 00:55:40,710
I don't know.

921
00:55:40,710 --> 00:55:46,310
I mean, I'll continue to watch for that to see what the grant is entitled to, but that was going to make a sense.

922
00:55:46,830 --> 00:55:47,590
Okay. All right. Thank you.

923
00:55:47,810 --> 00:55:50,750
Thank you for taking us a bit back and forth. I appreciate that.

924
00:55:50,910 --> 00:55:52,630
Thank you for expressing what's on your mind.

925
00:55:52,850 --> 00:55:53,730
Thank you. Have a good day.

926
00:55:54,030 --> 00:55:54,270
Thank you.

927
00:55:54,550 --> 00:55:57,470
Okay. Is there anyone else here that would like to speak?

928
00:56:06,440 --> 00:56:08,160
Good morning, gentlemen. I'm Attorney John McGee.

929
00:56:08,240 --> 00:56:10,800
I reside at 224 North Abington Road Clarks Street.

930
00:56:11,460 --> 00:56:12,400
Good morning. Welcome, John.

931
00:56:12,680 --> 00:56:12,960
Thank you.

932
00:56:12,960 --> 00:56:15,720
I want to talk about AAA base car.

933
00:56:17,920 --> 00:56:22,460
Let's be clear, the only reason that the New York Yankees would insist on buying the

934
00:56:22,460 --> 00:56:27,440
AAA base car franchise is to give them the ability to relocate the franchise at some

935
00:56:27,440 --> 00:56:27,800
point.

936
00:56:28,260 --> 00:56:32,960
Otherwise, they could work out an alternative arrangement that would give them 100% of the

937
00:56:32,960 --> 00:56:34,800
economic benefits by remaining here.

938
00:56:35,280 --> 00:56:36,500
Let's not share the code it.

939
00:56:36,800 --> 00:56:38,820
Let's not try to rationalize it any other way.

940
00:56:39,500 --> 00:56:40,700
Let's not mislead the public.

941
00:56:41,660 --> 00:56:45,960
On July 22, 2010, the Commonwealth Court issued a

942
00:56:45,960 --> 00:56:50,400
order directing SWB Yankees to disclose public information regarding

943
00:56:52,340 --> 00:56:54,480
concessionhoods. Honorable Johnny J. Butler,

944
00:56:55,060 --> 00:56:57,860
in issuing the opinion, said, quote,

945
00:56:58,180 --> 00:57:01,160
the stadium authority was created for the benefit of the people of this

946
00:57:01,160 --> 00:57:06,040
Commonwealth, for the increase of their commerce and prosperity, and for the

947
00:57:06,040 --> 00:57:07,760
improvement of their health and living conditions.

948
00:57:07,760 --> 00:57:12,440
and quote, the New York Yankees and the New York Yankees were not created for that purpose.

949
00:57:13,380 --> 00:57:17,360
That's why ownership of the franchise should not be in the hands of the New York Yankees

950
00:57:17,360 --> 00:57:23,240
or the New York Yankees or the New York Yankees or the New York Yankees or the New York

951
00:57:23,240 --> 00:57:27,900
Yankees because the franchises here, if the franchise were not here, they couldn't care

952
00:57:27,900 --> 00:57:29,820
less about the people of Blackwater County.

953
00:57:31,340 --> 00:57:39,260
In 1988, when money was needed to complete the construction of the then new stadium in

954
00:57:39,260 --> 00:57:44,120
music, Bill Giles, the president of the Philadelphia Phillies, offered to buy the franchise

955
00:57:44,120 --> 00:57:46,600
as a way of helping to contribute funds.

956
00:57:47,960 --> 00:57:52,320
Like one of the county commissioners at that point said no, if the like one of the county commissioners

957
00:57:52,320 --> 00:57:58,640
had not done that, then in 2006 when the Phillies moved to downtown, we would have had an

958
00:57:58,640 --> 00:58:01,420
and be stadium and no franchise for the Yankees to come to.

959
00:58:04,240 --> 00:58:07,580
25 years ago, Joe Quirky and Raya Burigi adopted a model

960
00:58:07,580 --> 00:58:09,500
of Columbus Franklin County, Ohio,

961
00:58:10,120 --> 00:58:12,300
where the government entity owns a franchise.

962
00:58:13,820 --> 00:58:18,320
The advantages that Franklin County, Ohio

963
00:58:19,020 --> 00:58:20,660
can take the franchise profits,

964
00:58:20,880 --> 00:58:22,400
concessions, parking, and revenues,

965
00:58:22,460 --> 00:58:23,860
and product back into the stadium.

966
00:58:24,660 --> 00:58:28,740
But most importantly, it was so that the private sector

967
00:58:28,740 --> 00:58:34,600
would not own the franchise in Northeastern Pennsylvania, which would enable it to relocate

968
00:58:34,600 --> 00:58:39,920
it to another community with a higher population base or higher disposable incomes.

969
00:58:41,280 --> 00:58:46,440
In September 2006, Commissioner Cordell signed an agreement giving New York acres and

970
00:58:46,440 --> 00:58:48,260
New Delhi the option to buy the franchise.

971
00:58:50,160 --> 00:58:56,280
In March of 2007, after being a Commissioner for two years, Commissioner Washall, you said

972
00:58:56,280 --> 00:59:01,000
that quote 25 years ago this community committed to the principle of public ownership of its

973
00:59:01,000 --> 00:59:05,940
baseball team. You said, in my opinion, that principle is still valid and every effort

974
00:59:05,940 --> 00:59:11,760
should be made to protect it no matter what the stage of negotiations between the parties.

975
00:59:12,560 --> 00:59:15,060
You said, now is the time to stand up and be counted.

976
00:59:17,240 --> 00:59:20,920
On October 30, 2007, one week before

977
00:59:20,920 --> 00:59:26,280
the County Commission's election, Mr. O'Brien and the televised debate, you said quote,

978
00:59:26,280 --> 00:59:31,500
So Mike Washington and I are certainly 100% opposed to the sale of our AAA franchise.

979
00:59:32,040 --> 00:59:35,340
This franchise was purchased with tax dollars.

980
00:59:35,620 --> 00:59:37,040
This is the tax payers franchise.

981
00:59:37,480 --> 00:59:38,260
It's our franchise.

982
00:59:38,260 --> 00:59:39,340
We're not selling it.

983
00:59:39,980 --> 00:59:40,240
End quote.

984
00:59:41,380 --> 00:59:45,820
In January 2008 shortly after you took off assignment with you privately and advised you

985
00:59:45,820 --> 00:59:49,720
of the legal arguments for terminating the management agreement and the option agreement.

986
00:59:50,220 --> 00:59:55,180
In March of 2008, I advised your attorney who headed up your base on negotiating team

987
00:59:55,180 --> 00:59:59,900
as well. And after a year and a half had passed without any of

988
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:17,680
Report on your part to terminate the option agreement. I released on September 10, 2009, a public report detailing how the New York Yankees and me in the way violated the professional baseball contracts and violated the federal Unitrust laws. And I recommended a course of action to eliminate that option.

989
01:00:21,240 --> 01:00:32,020
I presented that report at a public hearing, baseball hearing which you held just a year ago. And at that public hearing in response to my Releasing Report Commissioner O'Brien, you said, quote,

990
01:00:32,020 --> 01:00:37,200
We continue to be opposed to the option. We favor the elimination of the option and quote.

991
01:00:39,080 --> 01:00:43,080
However, some time between September 2009 and June 2010,

992
01:00:44,240 --> 01:00:47,560
you changed your position without the closing or a change to the public.

993
01:00:48,320 --> 01:00:54,100
You had an obligation to disclose that position, so that the public at that point could have given you input

994
01:00:54,100 --> 01:00:56,600
regarding alternatives to the sale to franchise.

995
01:00:57,780 --> 01:01:02,380
In June 2010, you had a private meeting in New York with New York Yankees in the way at

996
01:01:02,380 --> 01:01:07,000
which tune you agreed in principle to sign a franchise in New York Yankees in the way.

997
01:01:08,120 --> 01:01:13,600
On July 28, 2010, when I publicly confronted you with this information at a public hearing,

998
01:01:14,060 --> 01:01:18,300
you attempted to justify your change in position by stating that you had had no other way of

999
01:01:18,300 --> 01:01:20,500
providing funds with which to renovate the stadium.

1000
01:01:21,280 --> 01:01:27,360
This was the very first state that you disclosed this to the public that there was a change

1001
01:01:27,360 --> 01:01:31,220
for reposition that you had maintained publicly for more than two and a half years.

1002
01:01:32,740 --> 01:01:37,860
Since that date, I have been publicly advocating to say that the management rights as an alternative

1003
01:01:37,860 --> 01:01:39,180
to a sale of the franchise.

1004
01:01:39,900 --> 01:01:46,460
You can sell the management rights for a one-time lump sum up to $3, and move rental payments

1005
01:01:46,460 --> 01:01:50,560
annual contributions to repair capital improvement fund can be made.

1006
01:01:52,040 --> 01:01:56,320
Since that date, I have also been advocating the hiring of attorney Eric Kramer and

1007
01:01:56,320 --> 01:02:00,740
I trust attorney to initiate legal action to have the option agreement invalidated.

1008
01:02:02,020 --> 01:02:07,060
First of all, contrary to the assertion of Randy Levine of the New York Yankees, either I

1009
01:02:07,060 --> 01:02:12,040
or Eric Kramer has recommended any legal action against the New York Yankees.

1010
01:02:12,040 --> 01:02:16,360
Any litigation would be against Mandelae and SWB Yankees.

1011
01:02:17,120 --> 01:02:23,040
Second-line attorney claimer has pointed out that the contracts with SWB Yankees require

1012
01:02:23,040 --> 01:02:29,060
mandatory mediation in front of an independent mediator before any litigation is instituted.

1013
01:02:30,240 --> 01:02:34,560
This could result in a rapid resolution of the issue depending upon the recommendation of

1014
01:02:34,560 --> 01:02:37,640
the mediator after the four cases presented by attorney claimer.

1015
01:02:38,780 --> 01:02:45,280
On September 10, 2010, the New York Yankees came into town to put on a PR stunt in design

1016
01:02:45,280 --> 01:02:48,520
to intimidate the state of authority so that the state of authority would refrain

1017
01:02:48,520 --> 01:02:50,400
from instituting any legal action.

1018
01:02:51,680 --> 01:02:56,780
But the first thing that Mr. Levine said at that September press conference was quote, we

1019
01:02:56,780 --> 01:02:59,500
would love to say that we could stay here for the next 30 years.

1020
01:03:00,180 --> 01:03:05,280
But we signed into the rules of professional baseball, a play development contract which

1021
01:03:05,280 --> 01:03:09,540
So it only allows us to say that we will be here for four years at a time.

1022
01:03:09,940 --> 01:03:14,960
But if we didn't have that agreement in those rules, I might be saying something a little bit different."

1023
01:03:15,680 --> 01:03:20,260
Well, there is a professional baseball agreement, and there are those rules that have to be complied with.

1024
01:03:21,020 --> 01:03:29,780
So even if the New York Yankees own the franchise and sign a 30-year lease, the longest period of time with the New York Yankees can commit to providing players is for four years.

1025
01:03:30,560 --> 01:03:34,720
For example, for years and now the New York Yankees could sell its 50% interest in

1026
01:03:34,720 --> 01:03:39,060
SWB Yankees to the end of the way, the New York Yankees would then be free to provide

1027
01:03:39,060 --> 01:03:42,840
players under a player development contract to an owner of a AAA franchise in another

1028
01:03:42,840 --> 01:03:43,260
city.

1029
01:03:44,520 --> 01:03:51,720
Also on September 10, 2010, Mr. Roshal, you publicly admitted that you opposed any effort

1030
01:03:51,720 --> 01:03:52,860
to stop the sale.

1031
01:03:54,480 --> 01:03:59,180
This position is a complete reversal of your campaign pledge not to sell the franchise

1032
01:03:59,180 --> 01:04:01,880
to the private sector for profitability.

1033
01:04:02,560 --> 01:04:05,560
You're also state of the EU policy government ownership of the franchise.

1034
01:04:06,920 --> 01:04:12,640
I have stated consistently since 2006 that I oppose the sale of the franchise to a private

1035
01:04:12,640 --> 01:04:18,740
sector for profit entity since by definition it gives away the right to relocate the franchise

1036
01:04:18,740 --> 01:04:19,740
to another community.

1037
01:04:21,480 --> 01:04:26,340
I have stated consistently since 2006 that the franchise should be owned by a public private

1038
01:04:26,340 --> 01:04:27,760
non-profit foundation.

1039
01:04:27,760 --> 01:04:30,140
I suggested it could have 17 members.

1040
01:04:30,660 --> 01:04:34,320
The board could be appointed to members by the county of black and one of two members

1041
01:04:34,320 --> 01:04:35,500
by the county of Luzern.

1042
01:04:36,040 --> 01:04:42,060
13 members at large could be appointed initially by representatives of the chambers of commerce

1043
01:04:42,060 --> 01:04:45,980
or board trustees of local hospitals and colleges.

1044
01:04:46,880 --> 01:04:49,920
And that after that the board would select its own members.

1045
01:04:50,400 --> 01:04:55,860
I suggested also as part of that that a management company could be hired to retain the profits

1046
01:04:55,860 --> 01:04:58,500
after annual payments are made to the state and the authority.

1047
01:05:00,180 --> 01:05:05,260
I suggest that as part of that that the sale, any future sales could be approved by any

1048
01:05:05,260 --> 01:05:08,480
future sale to franchise would have to be approved by the state and the authority,

1049
01:05:08,900 --> 01:05:13,560
the foundation, the county of lack one and the county of LaZone, and that the proceeds of

1050
01:05:13,560 --> 01:05:18,800
the sale would be split 50, 50 between the counties of lack one and LaZone as was agreed

1051
01:05:18,800 --> 01:05:19,840
to in 1986.

1052
01:05:21,640 --> 01:05:27,400
In response to Mr. washer and Mr. Brian's concern about having to sell the franchise in

1053
01:05:27,400 --> 01:05:34,540
order to maintain the stadium, I suggested instead that the management rights be served.

1054
01:05:35,740 --> 01:05:40,100
You should put this to the Yankees by the management rights, not the franchise rights.

1055
01:05:42,260 --> 01:05:46,320
If they choose to buy the regent rights, that tells us that they want to stay.

1056
01:05:46,940 --> 01:05:50,820
They'll have to run a first-class operation and make money here because they won't have

1057
01:05:50,820 --> 01:05:53,320
of the ability to relocate the franchise to another community.

1058
01:05:54,120 --> 01:05:56,800
And if they say no, then begin to leave the proceedings

1059
01:05:56,800 --> 01:05:59,900
to firmate the American contract and the option agreement.

1060
01:06:01,380 --> 01:06:03,300
SWB Yankees and Mendeley Baseball

1061
01:06:03,300 --> 01:06:05,620
and operating the franchise here have run

1062
01:06:05,620 --> 01:06:08,640
the operation into the ground with the lowest attendance

1063
01:06:08,640 --> 01:06:10,360
in the 22-year history of the franchise,

1064
01:06:10,600 --> 01:06:12,580
despite the team finishing in first place

1065
01:06:12,580 --> 01:06:13,880
for four consecutive seasons.

1066
01:06:15,180 --> 01:06:17,700
The agreement between Mendeley and the stadium authority

1067
01:06:17,700 --> 01:06:20,440
states that the stadium authority can end its contract

1068
01:06:20,440 --> 01:06:25,000
with Mandelae. If the state of authority doesn't have a play development contract with the New

1069
01:06:25,000 --> 01:06:30,060
York Yankees, instead of having the opportunity to terminate the relationship with Mandelae

1070
01:06:30,060 --> 01:06:35,400
by communicating with the New York Yankees, Mandelae, without the state of authority's authorization,

1071
01:06:36,200 --> 01:06:40,120
sign on behalf of the state of authority, a renewal of the play development contract with

1072
01:06:40,120 --> 01:06:45,000
the New York Yankees, thereby giving Mandelae itself a four-year renewal of its contract with

1073
01:06:45,000 --> 01:06:45,800
the Stating Authority.

1074
01:06:46,240 --> 01:06:51,120
The end of the way has a clear conflict of interest in this regard, and when the Stating

1075
01:06:51,120 --> 01:06:55,080
Authority members were indignant because of what had happened, Mr. Washer, you stated

1076
01:06:55,520 --> 01:06:59,380
that you could understand why they followed Dignit, but you had marched in Stating Authority

1077
01:06:59,380 --> 01:07:03,140
not to allow their indignation to interfere with its business relationship with the New

1078
01:07:03,140 --> 01:07:12,820
York Yankees, which Mr. Washer has referred to as the most well-known brand in professional

1079
01:07:14,780 --> 01:07:18,700
Mr. Walsh, are you doing business with the company when I say you?

1080
01:07:18,920 --> 01:07:23,660
Why is the county of Lackawanna and the state of authority doing business with the company

1081
01:07:23,660 --> 01:07:27,600
that required a kickback from the state of authority as a condition of doing business

1082
01:07:27,600 --> 01:07:28,660
with the state of authority?

1083
01:07:29,700 --> 01:07:33,660
New York Inc. has insisted on a kickback disguised as a management agreement.

1084
01:07:34,880 --> 01:07:39,820
Under the professional baseball agreement, there is a contract which is collectively barged

1085
01:07:39,820 --> 01:07:43,460
every several years between major league baseball and minor league baseball.

1086
01:07:44,160 --> 01:07:47,700
And one of the provisions in that contract says that there's a certain percentage

1087
01:07:47,700 --> 01:07:52,360
of ticket sales for every dollar that is sold at the minor league level,

1088
01:07:52,820 --> 01:07:55,560
there's a certain percentage that is the go to the major league fund.

1089
01:07:57,160 --> 01:08:00,320
That agreement also states that there's not to be any other agreements

1090
01:08:00,320 --> 01:08:03,880
in addition to that. But yet when the Yankees came here,

1091
01:08:04,160 --> 01:08:07,080
they wanted to make sure that they got some money directly.

1092
01:08:07,080 --> 01:08:14,880
And so they insisted on the formation of a management company so that they could pull out 50% of the profits

1093
01:08:16,040 --> 01:08:21,880
between me and the light and themselves because they knew that they could not impose that condition directly.

1094
01:08:22,420 --> 01:08:27,840
So they used that management agreement as a device to pull money out that they weren't entitled to.

1095
01:08:28,320 --> 01:08:32,260
The Yankees had pulled out hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last several years

1096
01:08:32,260 --> 01:08:34,660
and you've done nothing to recruit those dollars.

1097
01:08:35,700 --> 01:08:41,040
When Mr. Costanza took money from Lackawanna County that he wasn't entitled to, you took

1098
01:08:41,040 --> 01:08:45,760
the appropriate steps to get that money back, yet you've done nothing to confront the

1099
01:08:45,760 --> 01:08:50,000
New York Yankees regarding this arrangement by which they pulled out money towards their

1100
01:08:50,000 --> 01:08:50,740
entitled to.

1101
01:08:51,800 --> 01:08:53,200
When are we going to stand up?

1102
01:08:53,880 --> 01:08:59,400
When are you going to stand up to the New York Yankees in the middle of the way, instead

1103
01:08:59,400 --> 01:09:01,480
of being a spokesman for the New York Yankees?

1104
01:09:02,240 --> 01:09:06,480
Why are you doing business with the company to conspire to violate the federal antitrust laws

1105
01:09:06,480 --> 01:09:10,940
by insisting on the right to buy the franchise as a condition of signing a plurid development

1106
01:09:10,940 --> 01:09:11,380
contract?

1107
01:09:12,580 --> 01:09:17,340
As I mentioned, Attorney Kramer has suggested that we would first file a notice of the

1108
01:09:17,340 --> 01:09:23,320
mean for mediation before an independent mediator, before there would be any litigation.

1109
01:09:24,740 --> 01:09:28,580
Why are you doing business with the company that refuses to comply with two corridors

1110
01:09:28,580 --> 01:09:33,260
directors directing it to comply with the Pennsylvania right to Noah, a company that refuses

1111
01:09:33,260 --> 01:09:39,140
disclose concession bids, concession contracts, restaurant contracts and naming rights contracts.

1112
01:09:41,710 --> 01:09:48,150
Last night when I was preparing my remarks for today, the song, The House I Live In, kept

1113
01:09:48,150 --> 01:09:52,810
going through my mind, it was a 1945 song recorded by Frank Sinatra.

1114
01:09:54,670 --> 01:09:59,890
They had significance to me because my father sang that on Veterans Day in front of the

1115
01:09:59,890 --> 01:10:08,450
Courthouse in 1858. It starts out, what is America to me? A mean, a map, a flag I see,

1116
01:10:08,810 --> 01:10:15,830
a certain word democracy, what is America to me? My dad served in World War II. My uncle

1117
01:10:15,830 --> 01:10:21,430
served in World War II. My cousin's husband was killed in Vietnam. Thousands of veterans

1118
01:10:21,430 --> 01:10:27,250
who like one county fought to allow us to live in a democracy. And then a democracy we all

1119
01:10:27,250 --> 01:10:31,770
have responsibilities. Candidates for public office have an obligation to

1120
01:10:31,770 --> 01:10:37,590
set forth their positions in a campaign. Voters have a responsibility to elect

1121
01:10:37,590 --> 01:10:41,670
those candidates based on those positions. Elected officials have an

1122
01:10:41,670 --> 01:10:46,570
obligation to fulfill the sacred pledges of campaign promises and the public must

1123
01:10:46,570 --> 01:10:50,510
hold accountable those elect officials who do not keep those sacred pledges.

1124
01:10:56,410 --> 01:10:57,230
Just one

1125
01:10:57,230 --> 01:11:00,170
I am stated in a televised debate as I said before.

1126
01:11:01,150 --> 01:11:04,030
Mike and I are certainly 100% opposed to the sale

1127
01:11:04,030 --> 01:11:05,130
of our AAA franchise.

1128
01:11:05,790 --> 01:11:07,870
This franchise was purchased with tax dollars.

1129
01:11:08,490 --> 01:11:09,810
This is the taxpayer's franchise.

1130
01:11:10,150 --> 01:11:10,810
It's our franchise.

1131
01:11:11,090 --> 01:11:11,870
We're not selling it.

1132
01:11:12,150 --> 01:11:13,210
We met with Mandalay.

1133
01:11:13,630 --> 01:11:15,370
They understand our position with respect

1134
01:11:15,370 --> 01:11:17,150
to not selling the franchise to them.

1135
01:11:17,690 --> 01:11:18,450
That's what you said.

1136
01:11:19,550 --> 01:11:21,510
You two commissioners made that sacred pledge

1137
01:11:21,510 --> 01:11:23,030
to the people of Lackawanna County.

1138
01:11:24,110 --> 01:11:25,230
If you sell that franchise,

1139
01:11:29,280 --> 01:11:37,860
Then you will be violating that sacred pledge not to sell the franchise, and by doing so you will be engaging in an act which is the equivalent of

1140
01:11:37,860 --> 01:11:46,200
desecrating the graves of every veteran who fought in wars to perform our way of government. If you sell that franchise in violation of that sacred

1141
01:11:46,200 --> 01:11:52,300
pledge not to sell the franchise, you will be engaging in an act and it's the equivalent of spreading in the faces of every resident of Blackworn

1142
01:11:52,300 --> 01:11:54,440
in the county, whether they vote for you or not.

1143
01:11:55,240 --> 01:11:56,460
And if you sell that franchise,

1144
01:11:56,860 --> 01:11:58,460
then violating that sacred pledge,

1145
01:11:58,460 --> 01:11:59,620
not to sell the franchise,

1146
01:11:59,980 --> 01:12:01,640
you've been engaging in an act

1147
01:12:02,160 --> 01:12:04,360
that is equivalent to telling every young person,

1148
01:12:04,600 --> 01:12:05,480
don't register to vote,

1149
01:12:05,980 --> 01:12:07,760
don't participate in the election process,

1150
01:12:08,300 --> 01:12:09,580
don't respect our democracy,

1151
01:12:10,060 --> 01:12:11,260
because we elected officials

1152
01:12:11,260 --> 01:12:13,700
or nothing more than betrayers of the public trust.

1153
01:12:14,440 --> 01:12:16,660
What you're doing is not democracy in action.

1154
01:12:17,260 --> 01:12:19,260
What you're doing is not America to me.

1155
01:12:19,260 --> 01:12:21,740
Thank you, Mr. McGee.

1156
01:12:22,260 --> 01:12:23,480
Is there anyone else?

1157
01:12:32,040 --> 01:12:34,380
I mean, Ray, but would you identify yourself with your name and address?

1158
01:12:34,620 --> 01:12:34,920
Oh, Mike.

1159
01:12:35,180 --> 01:12:35,280
Yeah.

1160
01:12:35,380 --> 01:12:35,800
Thank you.

1161
01:12:36,160 --> 01:12:37,660
My name is Ray Nierhud.

1162
01:12:37,800 --> 01:12:39,860
I live a four-mind charge street in Scranton.

1163
01:12:40,760 --> 01:12:49,940
I also become part of the Tea Party, and I want to follow up to what Ray was saying earlier.

1164
01:12:50,580 --> 01:12:59,420
There will be a Tea Party event held at the courthouse square on the Union Street side on

1165
01:12:59,420 --> 01:13:04,420
10, 10, 10, 10, October 10, 2010, at 5.30.

1166
01:13:05,120 --> 01:13:10,260
The purpose of it is, obviously, is educational, but it's also to discuss things that come

1167
01:13:10,260 --> 01:13:10,480
up.

1168
01:13:10,900 --> 01:13:15,660
For instance, today there was a couple of subjects that Lorraine bought up that could be a discussion.

1169
01:13:17,840 --> 01:13:25,240
First, you know, I've been involved in local government for a long time.

1170
01:13:27,280 --> 01:13:31,720
I guess I put my first local government job back in 1976 down in the Harrisburg area,

1171
01:13:32,300 --> 01:13:37,280
and I've served as a number of positions, including city manager of some cities and so

1172
01:13:37,280 --> 01:13:37,600
forth.

1173
01:13:39,300 --> 01:13:46,480
One of the things I always noticed in council meetings or board of supervisors meetings were

1174
01:13:46,480 --> 01:13:51,960
always in the evening, and those of us who worked for the local government, we knew that

1175
01:13:51,960 --> 01:13:56,960
as a manager or supervisor that we would be in the position that we would need to attend

1176
01:13:56,960 --> 01:14:02,920
evening meetings with that, and those meetings were held so that the citizens would have access.

1177
01:14:02,920 --> 01:14:09,480
Many of the citizens who worked during the day cannot gain access or come to a county or

1178
01:14:09,480 --> 01:14:15,120
a council meeting otherwise because they're working and that's the purpose for citizen

1179
01:14:15,120 --> 01:14:24,700
access, not, you know, public meetings of elected bodies are not necessarily set up for the

1180
01:14:24,700 --> 01:14:31,760
convenience of the employees, the public employees, but should be set up for the access and the

1181
01:14:31,760 --> 01:14:37,560
convenience of the citizens of it. So I just want to make that point. I understand, you

1182
01:14:37,560 --> 01:14:42,080
know, I can understand because as a public servant, I think right during the evening meetings

1183
01:14:42,080 --> 01:14:47,480
I never feel with my family life too, but that was part of what I've signed on for. Okay.

1184
01:14:49,680 --> 01:14:58,480
I do have a question on the Wi-Fi. A Wi-Fi grant, a grant, is willing to indicate or should

1185
01:14:58,480 --> 01:14:59,980
indicate whether yes or no.

1186
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:29,240
We're going to be strictly for public safety, which I wholly support. I think that our police officers, our firefighters, and our emergency responders, the AMG and so forth do need access. I'm wholly supportive of that. My concern is public access. We recently had in Washington a lot of talk of the fairness doctrine, which is anything but fair. It was really an infringement on freedom of the press.

1187
01:15:29,240 --> 01:15:31,960
and on the freedom of the other ways.

1188
01:15:32,740 --> 01:15:35,440
And you know, any food government gets involved

1189
01:15:35,440 --> 01:15:39,020
in communications in that way.

1190
01:15:39,640 --> 01:15:44,560
If Wi-Fi became a public entity owned by government,

1191
01:15:45,120 --> 01:15:47,360
government does have a tendency

1192
01:15:47,360 --> 01:15:49,460
to put rules and regulations on.

1193
01:15:50,540 --> 01:15:52,600
And those rules and regulations are often

1194
01:15:52,600 --> 01:15:55,320
interfere with the freedom of individuals.

1195
01:15:57,500 --> 01:16:02,560
For instance, I know when the Department of Education was started as a federal level, this

1196
01:16:02,560 --> 01:16:08,280
was just a funding mechanism, but now it pretty much mandates what goes on in our schools.

1197
01:16:09,720 --> 01:16:11,300
I know child left behind.

1198
01:16:13,120 --> 01:16:19,920
So the question really is, does this quote stimulus grant, and I do know that the president

1199
01:16:19,920 --> 01:16:24,760
had indicated that he wanted to use a stimulus and he wanted to do broadband across the

1200
01:16:24,760 --> 01:16:34,520
U.S. and so forth. Is this and does this propose to have public access to Wi-Fi? That's

1201
01:16:34,520 --> 01:16:36,560
the question. Does the grant indicate that?

1202
01:16:40,410 --> 01:16:45,790
And, you know, that could be a subject that we could well speak on on 10, 10, 10. Because

1203
01:16:45,790 --> 01:16:51,630
it is one that everyone needs to have concern with. Wi-Fi is available. Well, these services

1204
01:16:51,630 --> 01:16:57,190
is all available. I can take my laptop and if for instance if I have Verizon wireless I can

1205
01:16:57,190 --> 01:17:02,330
go out and just about anywhere the Verizon wireless is and use my laptop. I've got access

1206
01:17:02,930 --> 01:17:07,350
but it's a private company and it doesn't have, it doesn't come with the strings of government

1207
01:17:07,350 --> 01:17:08,790
to often put some things.

1208
01:17:11,790 --> 01:17:16,870
So otherwise that's really all I wanted to say and I want to thank

1209
01:17:16,870 --> 01:17:19,410
you. I don't know if you have any answer to my question or not.

1210
01:17:20,110 --> 01:17:22,810
Thanks for coming. I will appreciate it.

1211
01:17:23,490 --> 01:17:25,150
Are there any other questions you want to leave with us?

1212
01:17:25,710 --> 01:17:31,150
Well, that's really it, you know, because I think people of this country really are starting

1213
01:17:31,150 --> 01:17:32,070
to be concerned about it.

1214
01:17:32,070 --> 01:17:39,090
We will answer the word in which we normally do it after you've made your comments and left

1215
01:17:39,090 --> 01:17:40,310
with hosting everyone, okay?

1216
01:17:40,690 --> 01:17:40,890
Okay.

1217
01:17:41,270 --> 01:17:41,430
Thank you.

1218
01:17:41,650 --> 01:17:43,110
Thank you very much.

1219
01:17:43,310 --> 01:17:43,630
Thank you.

1220
01:17:44,750 --> 01:17:50,190
It's anyone else here who has something that they have on their mind that like no one

1221
01:17:50,190 --> 01:17:55,910
that she must get off her mind, attorney no one in there, but you identify yourself,

1222
01:17:56,190 --> 01:17:59,670
you give your address, please.

1223
01:18:00,010 --> 01:18:03,610
I definitely will, I'm really sure that it really is happening up here.

1224
01:18:04,030 --> 01:18:11,610
I'm no one in there, my address is 305 Eastern grocery in Denver and I'm here before the

1225
01:18:11,610 --> 01:18:20,630
three of you today, just to state that there's a neighborhood in Demor, and many of the owners

1226
01:18:20,630 --> 01:18:29,070
in this neighborhood in the patch, Madison Avenue, my Marla Avenue, and Grove Street are

1227
01:18:29,070 --> 01:18:34,010
opposed to the placement of the county morgue or the possibility of the placement of the

1228
01:18:34,010 --> 01:18:35,670
county morgue in new neighborhood.

1229
01:18:36,410 --> 01:18:41,630
From me, the newspaper, on the screen time, she may be aware that last month, the

1230
01:18:41,630 --> 01:18:49,630
zoning hearing board, I've done more, re-zoned a residential property to a commercial property.

1231
01:18:49,810 --> 01:18:54,510
And I have a few of that decision to the Court of Common Please on behalf of my brother, his wife,

1232
01:18:54,670 --> 01:18:58,230
and some real estate holding companies that we own that are in the neighborhood.

1233
01:18:58,230 --> 01:19:05,890
The fellow other neighbors who are opposing this commercial use in especially the county

1234
01:19:05,890 --> 01:19:11,170
morgue in their neighborhood and they all testified at last week's hearing and the

1235
01:19:11,170 --> 01:19:16,190
neighbor to testify against the morgue being placed in this neighborhood all within

1236
01:19:16,190 --> 01:19:19,070
the same block or within a block radius.

1237
01:19:19,270 --> 01:19:23,510
The people who testified, oh, this morgue is great, this great site, don't even live in

1238
01:19:23,510 --> 01:19:30,230
the neighborhood. And I had the opportunity to talk to Commissioner Brian, and I understand

1239
01:19:30,750 --> 01:19:35,950
talking to him that you haven't made a decision as a board, that you've received proposals,

1240
01:19:36,330 --> 01:19:41,550
netbeds, and you're weighing your options. And I'm just here to ask you on behalf of that

1241
01:19:41,550 --> 01:19:47,410
neighborhood to really consider if by chance we lose the appeal against the zoning hearing

1242
01:19:47,410 --> 01:19:52,210
board and down one, you really go and talk to the neighbors and talk about what their concerns

1243
01:19:52,210 --> 01:20:02,230
are because it is a neighborhood. There's only, in the black, where this is placed, there are two businesses. And that's it. And P.P.

1244
01:20:02,230 --> 01:20:09,290
Now, everything else, people who are in that neighborhood, they have single units or they have duplexes.

1245
01:20:11,110 --> 01:20:17,990
And I was just, and I think the neighbors are very concerned that this was a done deal because two employees of the corner's office

1246
01:20:17,990 --> 01:20:23,690
spoke on behalf of the applicant at last week's hearing before the zoning board, and I'm

1247
01:20:23,690 --> 01:20:28,390
trying to placate them and say, no, they did that on their own, this wasn't an endorsement

1248
01:20:28,390 --> 01:20:34,390
by this board, but I think that the public and especially these neighbors need to hear

1249
01:20:34,390 --> 01:20:39,310
it from the three of you, that you're just investigating, trying to save money, their

1250
01:20:39,310 --> 01:20:44,790
other options, their other proposals, and this isn't a done deal for the county work.

1251
01:20:44,790 --> 01:20:46,870
And I thank you for having me today.

1252
01:20:47,490 --> 01:20:49,350
And we thank you for being here.

1253
01:20:49,750 --> 01:20:50,510
Thank you, no one may.

1254
01:20:50,770 --> 01:20:54,190
Is there anyone else that would like to make any remarks?

1255
01:20:56,030 --> 01:20:56,570
Okay.

1256
01:20:57,330 --> 01:21:06,350
Well, we now afford the commissioners the opportunity to make any comments at this point on the agenda.

1257
01:21:06,350 --> 01:21:10,430
I think the work comments made back and forth when the rain started.

1258
01:21:10,830 --> 01:21:18,590
So I don't think we need to address the rain's comments, but that's the private of each

1259
01:21:18,590 --> 01:21:19,450
individual here.

1260
01:21:19,970 --> 01:21:23,050
But is there anyone that has anything in response to Mr. McGee?

1261
01:21:24,650 --> 01:21:25,970
I have a couple of items.

1262
01:21:28,210 --> 01:21:32,750
Mr. McGee, I'm not going to address the questions you put forth to make colleagues.

1263
01:21:33,290 --> 01:21:35,050
We're not going to go back and forth either.

1264
01:21:35,050 --> 01:21:43,010
You're going to just make a presentation like or comments you and commissioner of buying in or me, but we're not making the right questions for him.

1265
01:21:43,490 --> 01:21:44,550
Are you going to engage in questions?

1266
01:21:44,850 --> 01:21:44,890
Yes.

1267
01:21:45,350 --> 01:21:45,590
All right.

1268
01:21:46,390 --> 01:21:57,550
I'm not going to respond to his questions for you to my colleagues, but there's two questions.

1269
01:21:57,550 --> 01:22:05,170
There are a couple of questions that John, I'd like to, if you don't mind, kind of like

1270
01:22:05,170 --> 01:22:11,270
talk around it and throughout the release, are you at the opinion that we need in Australia?

1271
01:22:13,230 --> 01:22:15,410
Do you believe we need in Australia?

1272
01:22:15,770 --> 01:22:22,530
I haven't looked at the reports from you and Coral, I have looked at the reports from regarding

1273
01:22:22,530 --> 01:22:30,150
their opinion that the possibly $13 million used to be put into it, which would not enhance

1274
01:22:30,150 --> 01:22:34,470
if you were the state of experience. I was at the fellow healing. I heard them say that

1275
01:22:34,470 --> 01:22:41,350
there are mechanical systems in sound that need to be replaced. So I understand what

1276
01:22:41,350 --> 01:22:49,270
that means, what we've done, and I agree with that. With respect to any other changes that

1277
01:22:49,270 --> 01:22:55,330
would fall and fall and see the payment space, it depends how those costs would be incurred

1278
01:22:55,330 --> 01:22:57,230
and what the funding source would be.

1279
01:22:57,910 --> 01:23:01,830
Okay, now, and then I can say, okay, if I don't think that's representative to the public,

1280
01:23:02,030 --> 01:23:02,510
to my knowledge.

1281
01:23:03,210 --> 01:23:09,310
Well, no, I'm just asking, you talk about, you're interpreting the agreement, you're interpreting

1282
01:23:09,310 --> 01:23:13,200
the options, you're interpreting the original franchise agreement, and I'm not going to

1283
01:23:13,200 --> 01:23:17,720
point to point on that, I have opinions on several of the things that you just said

1284
01:23:17,720 --> 01:23:25,080
but I'm at least doing an agreement that the stadium, or at least a partial agreement

1285
01:23:25,080 --> 01:23:31,800
if I can put you on record, that approximately 13 million, if the county, excuse me, if

1286
01:23:31,800 --> 01:23:38,460
the NPSA, not the proper stadium authority, which owns the field, which owns the franchise,

1287
01:23:39,120 --> 01:23:47,240
if they have to go through at a minimum, which are $13 million of repairs.

1288
01:23:48,840 --> 01:23:57,740
The question then comes to, if you agree with that, where do you think that the MPSO,

1289
01:23:58,640 --> 01:24:04,480
which has to rely on accounting, where are we going to get that money to fund that?

1290
01:24:04,480 --> 01:24:08,700
that, examine the possibility of selling the management rights on a long-term basis.

1291
01:24:09,320 --> 01:24:15,080
I'm sure that Mr. Resnick of the baseball and adhesion team has presented some numbers

1292
01:24:15,440 --> 01:24:21,780
to the commissioners with respect to projections for financial revenue is going forward.

1293
01:24:22,300 --> 01:24:24,500
So I think that that's one of the things that should be done.

1294
01:24:26,260 --> 01:24:28,600
But you would mention that about selling the management right.

1295
01:24:28,800 --> 01:24:28,920
Okay.

1296
01:24:29,780 --> 01:24:34,320
And the last time I met a cover with you, do you have any conception of how

1297
01:24:34,320 --> 01:24:43,660
much taxpayer money has been put into that stadium operations etc since 1986. Now you said

1298
01:24:43,660 --> 01:24:51,420
stadium and you also said operations. Excuse me, let me rephrase that, Your Honor. You know how

1299
01:24:51,420 --> 01:25:00,300
much taxpayer money that the county commissioners devoted, gave land or whatever to the MPSA for the

1300
01:25:00,300 --> 01:25:07,120
building the operations, et cetera, of the stadium and the team.

1301
01:25:12,520 --> 01:25:13,220
I think you have to

1302
01:25:13,220 --> 01:25:16,740
distinguish between... I know you've said, Commissioner, somewhere between the range

1303
01:25:16,740 --> 01:25:22,980
of $13 to $15 million, but I think that you ought to point out that there's a difference

1304
01:25:22,980 --> 01:25:29,740
between payments that have made to retire burned issues to make capital improvements

1305
01:25:30,420 --> 01:25:36,340
Distinguished from subsidizing any operations disagree with you because if we have to take

1306
01:25:36,340 --> 01:25:41,800
a taxpayer dollar and give it to the NPSA whether it's for a bond payment whether it's

1307
01:25:41,800 --> 01:25:45,740
for a little grass or whatever it's still a taxpayer dollar.

1308
01:25:46,100 --> 01:25:49,640
Now I'm going to answer your question that I knew the answer to before I asked you.

1309
01:25:50,360 --> 01:25:57,820
On the books, and this is only since ladies and gentlemen, 2003, on the books, there's

1310
01:25:57,820 --> 01:26:10,620
$13 million, $950,000, on the books, that the Muckett and PSA owns the county of Lackawanna.

1311
01:26:11,880 --> 01:26:18,840
Now from 86 to 2003, no one knows how much was up because the accounting systems and

1312
01:26:18,840 --> 01:26:25,320
the diversion and the way the money was spent, we have no idea if it's a million or 20 million.

1313
01:26:25,320 --> 01:26:31,020
Again, I would do know when my administration took over an old firm, we went back to 2003

1314
01:26:31,020 --> 01:26:33,000
and that's the best we could do.

1315
01:26:33,920 --> 01:26:40,540
So since 2003, it's 14 million dollars of the taxpayers' money that is owed for the

1316
01:26:40,540 --> 01:26:46,540
maintenance operations, whatever bond payment you call it, came out of your pocket towards

1317
01:26:46,540 --> 01:26:48,240
our facility and its team.

1318
01:26:49,140 --> 01:26:52,180
Prior to that, I had no idea, no conception.

1319
01:26:53,060 --> 01:26:54,280
And that was my point.

1320
01:26:54,280 --> 01:27:02,680
We don't know how much it's going to cost to, well, excuse me, we know it is going to renovate

1321
01:27:02,680 --> 01:27:06,500
the stadium, approximately 13 million, we're not sure we're going to get the money for

1322
01:27:06,500 --> 01:27:06,680
that.

1323
01:27:09,520 --> 01:27:14,600
So, again, when I say we, the commissioners, because we have to support the stadium up to

1324
01:27:14,600 --> 01:27:21,420
it, depending on what their actions, they can't buy money without us, and they have them

1325
01:27:21,420 --> 01:27:21,820
in the past.

1326
01:27:22,680 --> 01:27:27,440
What the MPSA is going to do with this option of agreement, I frankly don't know right now.

1327
01:27:27,980 --> 01:27:30,360
I have not talked to any of the members.

1328
01:27:31,060 --> 01:27:32,620
But I want to get those two things.

1329
01:27:33,220 --> 01:27:41,880
John, you did mention a very, very sad state that for the playoffs, the playoffs, the number one team,

1330
01:27:42,760 --> 01:27:48,280
took the vision championship for a four-show year since I've been here, there's 1,300 people.

1331
01:27:49,520 --> 01:27:54,500
Now, you can blame it on mandalay, you can blame it on the Yankees, you can blame it on

1332
01:27:54,500 --> 01:27:55,300
the stadium authority.

1333
01:27:56,400 --> 01:28:04,800
But the declining and the spent times at an exposé for sake of an example went from an

1334
01:28:04,800 --> 01:28:12,440
average of 8800 fans in the first year that the Yankees were here, down to around 3,000,

1335
01:28:13,020 --> 01:28:14,700
and this year it's going to be even worse.

1336
01:28:15,760 --> 01:28:21,680
blame all you want to blame, but the interest isn't there. It's not there. And if you

1337
01:28:21,680 --> 01:28:28,760
bring in the acres going to bring in the farm team from Seattle and Mariners who are

1338
01:28:28,760 --> 01:28:33,760
the Washington Nationals, I don't see how that's going to improve. So I just want to

1339
01:28:33,760 --> 01:28:38,620
relate to us. Thank you, John. It's much like if I could just point out one statement.

1340
01:28:38,620 --> 01:28:45,440
As of December 31st, 2003, the Auditorial Financial Statements of the Stadium Authority in

1341
01:28:45,440 --> 01:28:50,080
the Auditorial Financial Statements of the County of Lackawanna showed that $1.5 million

1342
01:28:50,080 --> 01:28:53,060
was owed by the Stadium Authority to the County of Lackawanna.

1343
01:28:53,620 --> 01:28:58,200
So, if you look at the Auditorial Financial Statements that were done independently by two separate

1344
01:28:58,200 --> 01:29:00,060
companies, you'll see that figure.

1345
01:29:00,060 --> 01:29:02,640
Yeah, Mr.

1346
01:29:05,630 --> 01:29:05,870
Irvine,

1347
01:29:08,040 --> 01:29:12,080
I'll come back on other items.

1348
01:29:15,320 --> 01:29:19,960
Okay, let's talk about, let's see what I want to talk about first.

1349
01:29:21,700 --> 01:29:28,540
This is the first thing I want to talk about is the, this should face what I'm trying to say to the Wi-Fi.

1350
01:29:29,280 --> 01:29:30,600
I think we've talked about the Wi-Fi.

1351
01:29:30,860 --> 01:29:33,460
We're going to learn more about the Wi-Fi as we get closer to the grants.

1352
01:29:33,720 --> 01:29:37,860
And you have plenty of opportunities to come back to us and share in a dialogue online,

1353
01:29:38,180 --> 01:29:39,960
meaning that the meeting and not at the meeting as well.

1354
01:29:40,300 --> 01:29:42,960
So you'll have opportunities for that as we move forward.

1355
01:29:44,660 --> 01:29:49,660
On the morgue, I think it's going to be important for you when we are.

1356
01:29:49,900 --> 01:29:51,700
Just we put out a proposal.

1357
01:29:52,200 --> 01:29:54,260
We're waiting to see how those come back.

1358
01:29:55,540 --> 01:29:56,900
We have not made a decision.

1359
01:29:56,900 --> 01:29:59,760
We haven't brought anything to the commission's meeting to make a decision.

1360
01:30:00,140 --> 01:30:08,920
I have spoken to a few neighbors in that community who have raised concerns. With that, I'm

1361
01:30:08,920 --> 01:30:14,560
hoping that anyone who is thinking about doing a more than that location will talk to the

1362
01:30:14,560 --> 01:30:20,720
neighbors and explain everything to the neighbors. So I think that that is an important part

1363
01:30:20,720 --> 01:30:27,840
of the past as an, and I'm hoping that anyone who is interested can gain, gain, gain,

1364
01:30:27,840 --> 01:30:38,560
or questions from the neighbourhood. So that's an important element and I'm always willing to talk to every neighbourhoods or the other two commissioners here who have concerns about anything that we're doing.

1365
01:30:38,860 --> 01:30:48,480
So we welcome those conversations. I'm not happy that two members of the coroner's office who went to a meeting on behalf of anyone who's submitting a proposal.

1366
01:30:49,280 --> 01:30:53,800
I don't think that that was appropriate to do that prior to us making any kind of decision.

1367
01:30:53,800 --> 01:30:57,360
and I thought it's central one signal.

1368
01:30:57,860 --> 01:30:59,860
You know a lot of people bring good ideas to us.

1369
01:31:00,060 --> 01:31:04,020
And in this situation, ideas have been brought to us.

1370
01:31:04,500 --> 01:31:08,600
But that doesn't mean the pain of getting the work.

1371
01:31:08,940 --> 01:31:10,820
I know of a few examples of my head work.

1372
01:31:11,160 --> 01:31:16,900
People brought a great ideas and they ended up not being the entities

1373
01:31:16,900 --> 01:31:19,680
that have received the work.

1374
01:31:19,680 --> 01:31:27,180
So I think that people should be really of that or anyone who says that there is a done deal.

1375
01:31:27,360 --> 01:31:34,060
There isn't and we're going to review it very, very closely and hearing that the issue is here with respect to the neighborhood.

1376
01:31:34,060 --> 01:31:37,980
We're going to review them with even additional scrutiny because of that.

1377
01:31:38,480 --> 01:31:47,480
Because I think that's inappropriate for members of any county office staff to go in to speak on behalf of any potential recipients.

1378
01:31:47,480 --> 01:31:51,740
And so we're going to be talking more about that going forward.

1379
01:31:52,460 --> 01:31:53,520
I'm based back.

1380
01:31:54,980 --> 01:31:57,820
Oh boy, there's no...

1381
01:31:57,820 --> 01:32:00,760
This is a loose-leave situation.

1382
01:32:01,120 --> 01:32:04,140
There's no victory here, no matter what we do.

1383
01:32:05,520 --> 01:32:06,140
We're...

1384
01:32:06,140 --> 01:32:08,520
It's not a good position to be placed in.

1385
01:32:10,220 --> 01:32:13,940
Back in 2007, during the election had significant conversations

1386
01:32:13,940 --> 01:32:21,620
with a training of getting others with respect to baseball and discuss what our thoughts were with respect to baseball.

1387
01:32:21,760 --> 01:32:28,660
Made those comments known to me in a way as well with respect to the option and the fact that we didn't like it and we didn't want it moving forward.

1388
01:32:29,460 --> 01:32:34,100
When we came into office, the first thing we did, one of the first things we did, I don't know when it was timing,

1389
01:32:34,260 --> 01:32:38,600
but one of the things we did was we retained the sources of viewing clear.

1390
01:32:38,600 --> 01:32:45,540
So what we wanted to find out from you in court was whether or not we needed a new stadium.

1391
01:32:48,380 --> 01:32:53,520
And they came back and said, no, we don't need a new stadium, but you need not for

1392
01:32:53,520 --> 01:32:57,540
a lot of improvements and be shocked by that.

1393
01:32:57,840 --> 01:33:00,920
Because looking at the stadium, it looks good when we're there and when people come in,

1394
01:33:01,040 --> 01:33:01,980
they wonder, why do we need a new stadium?

1395
01:33:02,120 --> 01:33:02,780
You know, this looks nice.

1396
01:33:03,600 --> 01:33:08,180
But all of a sudden, they went behind what looks nice and noticed that all the electrical

1397
01:33:08,180 --> 01:33:13,380
was bad, the plumbing was bad, we had issues with code enforcement. People were cooking

1398
01:33:13,380 --> 01:33:17,860
food in areas that they shouldn't be cooking food in. I mean, there are all these issues

1399
01:33:17,860 --> 01:33:23,960
emerged when they did a big study, and they said to us, listen, you need to do $13 million

1400
01:33:23,960 --> 01:33:29,220
now just to get this thing up to stuff. That all $13 million is code enforcement or code

1401
01:33:29,220 --> 01:33:34,500
improvements, but a lot of them were code improvements. So they said, this is to get it up to

1402
01:33:34,500 --> 01:33:39,260
Well, yeah, so then the question is, okay, well, 13 million, all right, and how long is that going to get us?

1403
01:33:39,560 --> 01:33:41,900
Well, that would get us to the day that you do them.

1404
01:33:43,020 --> 01:33:44,240
But this is an old facility.

1405
01:33:44,880 --> 01:33:49,000
So you're going to have to put millions of dollars in this facility and room forward, millions.

1406
01:33:49,420 --> 01:33:51,520
It's going to be the way that you have to do it.

1407
01:33:51,820 --> 01:33:54,100
So you have to adjust that, and you have to be thinking about that.

1408
01:33:54,720 --> 01:33:55,700
Okay, so we know that.

1409
01:33:56,060 --> 01:33:57,960
So now we come out of this meeting with you and Colin.

1410
01:33:58,120 --> 01:34:02,140
Come out of the whole space study with you and Colin, which is on the county website if you want to see it.

1411
01:34:04,160 --> 01:34:09,460
We come out of that, and now all of a sudden, we find ourselves in a situation where

1412
01:34:09,460 --> 01:34:14,140
no, we don't need new stadium, but oh, by the way, you need 13 million really quickly,

1413
01:34:14,580 --> 01:34:15,740
and then after that, you're going to need more.

1414
01:34:17,260 --> 01:34:18,240
So that's where we are.

1415
01:34:19,140 --> 01:34:23,620
Then it starts raining heavily, and the field can't take the water.

1416
01:34:24,680 --> 01:34:30,360
So now we figure out, and now we find out, from my really good spot, we need to replace

1417
01:34:30,360 --> 01:34:30,720
the field.

1418
01:34:31,540 --> 01:34:34,560
And if we don't replace the field, the team would be relocated.

1419
01:34:35,460 --> 01:34:37,080
Pretty simple, pretty simple.

1420
01:34:37,320 --> 01:34:40,160
If they can't play in a field, on a field, you can't play here.

1421
01:34:40,500 --> 01:34:41,540
And then we can form this in that.

1422
01:34:42,200 --> 01:34:44,280
So we went and spent $1.2 million.

1423
01:34:44,500 --> 01:34:46,580
And we didn't have budget to replace the field.

1424
01:34:47,160 --> 01:34:51,500
And we spent $1.2 million to replace that field to keep baseball here.

1425
01:34:52,300 --> 01:34:55,100
And if we replace the field, baseball wouldn't be here.

1426
01:34:55,560 --> 01:34:56,900
Make no mistake about it.

1427
01:34:57,220 --> 01:34:59,880
And if you tell us it would be, there's a big accurate.

1428
01:34:59,880 --> 01:35:03,240
It wouldn't be here. We wouldn't have this but here. We really close the field.

1429
01:35:06,800 --> 01:35:07,400
After we

1430
01:35:07,400 --> 01:35:13,560
close the field, now we have this $13 million in repairs, which by the way, we don't have

1431
01:35:13,560 --> 01:35:18,600
our money. We just approved today an application to try to get 4 million that we've got. Now

1432
01:35:18,600 --> 01:35:24,280
absolutely, now we have 8. Still short. We've been in the worst economic crisis in this country

1433
01:35:24,280 --> 01:35:29,720
since a great depression, we've reduced the size of this government by 32%, cut the budget

1434
01:35:29,720 --> 01:35:37,320
by $4 million, cut the workforce drastically, and here we are having to spend $1.2 million

1435
01:35:37,320 --> 01:35:37,800
on a field.

1436
01:35:39,380 --> 01:35:42,520
Now some people might think that the economy is going to turn around and get better real

1437
01:35:42,520 --> 01:35:46,860
quick, but I'm not banking on it, and I don't think we're going to count it on our cash

1438
01:35:46,860 --> 01:35:47,900
bills either.

1439
01:35:49,440 --> 01:35:53,560
We can't bank on the fact that we're going to have money five or ten years down the road

1440
01:35:53,560 --> 01:35:57,340
to keep this facility open, because we'll get another letter.

1441
01:35:57,860 --> 01:35:59,120
We'll get another letter.

1442
01:35:59,640 --> 01:36:03,560
If we can't repair the lights in five years, there will be no baseball here

1443
01:36:03,560 --> 01:36:05,020
because they can't play in the dark.

1444
01:36:05,840 --> 01:36:10,300
If we can't keep that facility in the electrical up to code in five or ten years,

1445
01:36:10,660 --> 01:36:13,220
there will be no baseball here because it needs to be closed

1446
01:36:13,220 --> 01:36:16,520
because the code enforcement officers won't let us play in the facility.

1447
01:36:17,260 --> 01:36:20,840
If those seats crack and continue to crack and break apart,

1448
01:36:20,840 --> 01:36:24,540
At some point we're not going to be able to buy a replacement seat on eBay.

1449
01:36:25,460 --> 01:36:28,660
We're simply not going to be able to because they don't make their seats anymore.

1450
01:36:29,220 --> 01:36:32,920
After we built it, those seats went out of fashion and they're not made.

1451
01:36:33,420 --> 01:36:37,400
When we have to find a seat, we either take it from the upper deck and we try to get one on eBay.

1452
01:36:38,240 --> 01:36:42,080
At some point those seats are going to deteriorate and when I can be sitting in the stadium.

1453
01:36:42,540 --> 01:36:45,240
So at that point, we won't have baseball here.

1454
01:36:46,460 --> 01:36:48,840
Now, do I like the situation we're in? No.

1455
01:36:49,400 --> 01:36:54,820
I don't. Do I want? Does anyone want to sell the team? Nobody wants to sell the team.

1456
01:36:55,520 --> 01:37:00,140
But we've got to be realistic here with respect to expectations about baseball moving forward.

1457
01:37:00,760 --> 01:37:03,860
You know what the easy answer is here? There's a politically easy answer.

1458
01:37:03,960 --> 01:37:07,700
John McGee laid it out. We're the easy one. How is it?

1459
01:37:07,700 --> 01:37:10,220
How is it the matter of what in the Yankees is in a fair amount of easier?

1460
01:37:11,000 --> 01:37:16,140
That's the easy political experience answer. Make no mistake. It makes good arguments.

1461
01:37:16,720 --> 01:37:27,400
I agree with 99% of them, make no mistake, but that publicly-experient answer may not be the best answer for this for a long term here, or for keeping it.

1462
01:37:28,620 --> 01:37:33,300
We need to show right now and demonstrate leadership, and that leadership is going to demonstrate through our actions.

1463
01:37:34,440 --> 01:37:40,980
We do not have a deal on the table that we believe is a deal that we can work with as we move forward.

1464
01:37:41,700 --> 01:37:44,740
But when we do have that, we're going to take that to a public hearing.

1465
01:37:44,840 --> 01:37:45,600
We're going to explain it.

1466
01:37:45,660 --> 01:37:48,520
We're going to explain why we either are for it or against it.

1467
01:37:48,640 --> 01:37:52,280
We'll make a recommendation in stating authority as to whether or not we believe they should

1468
01:37:52,280 --> 01:37:53,180
be for it or against it.

1469
01:37:53,540 --> 01:37:56,300
I have no idea sitting here today what's going to happen here with baseball.

1470
01:37:56,880 --> 01:37:59,720
I don't know if we're going to have a deal or if we're not.

1471
01:38:00,500 --> 01:38:03,080
The fact that John McGee laid out a few of us, that's just not correct.

1472
01:38:03,740 --> 01:38:05,520
Just not correct, not correct.

1473
01:38:07,840 --> 01:38:12,240
with respect to, you know, June 2000's and meeting we agree to celebrate us.

1474
01:38:12,620 --> 01:38:13,240
It's not true.

1475
01:38:14,060 --> 01:38:14,760
He wasn't in the room.

1476
01:38:15,200 --> 01:38:16,680
He hasn't talked to anybody who was in the room.

1477
01:38:17,880 --> 01:38:18,980
Because it wasn't true.

1478
01:38:19,460 --> 01:38:19,920
It didn't happen.

1479
01:38:20,360 --> 01:38:21,420
That's not what was said.

1480
01:38:22,180 --> 01:38:24,340
We didn't agree with anything in that room.

1481
01:38:25,160 --> 01:38:26,340
We didn't agree with anything to do.

1482
01:38:27,060 --> 01:38:33,040
With all of the options, we're going to see which one is the best of the bad.

1483
01:38:33,980 --> 01:38:37,980
That's what's going to go on here, but we don't have that yet, we're not there yet.

1484
01:38:38,600 --> 01:38:40,940
And what we do, we're going to look at it very, very closely.

1485
01:38:41,580 --> 01:38:42,420
We don't want to solve the team.

1486
01:38:43,340 --> 01:38:45,460
We don't want to do that, you think we want to do that?

1487
01:38:45,960 --> 01:38:46,260
No.

1488
01:38:47,000 --> 01:38:47,600
We don't.

1489
01:38:48,100 --> 01:38:52,080
But we also have to face the fact that the long term in this stadium, while it may look nice today,

1490
01:38:52,840 --> 01:38:55,460
come five or 10 years from now, it's not going to look so nice.

1491
01:38:56,020 --> 01:38:59,140
Because all the repairs and the back office stuff that's going on now,

1492
01:38:59,580 --> 01:39:04,040
is going to be front and center a few years from now, because it's going to start bleeding

1493
01:39:04,040 --> 01:39:07,320
over and then you're going to start noticing and you're going to start seeing it.

1494
01:39:08,480 --> 01:39:11,140
A goal here isn't to save baseball for the next five years.

1495
01:39:11,420 --> 01:39:12,940
A goal here is to save baseball period.

1496
01:39:14,600 --> 01:39:17,020
Because in five or ten years, the question is going to be asked,

1497
01:39:17,520 --> 01:39:19,820
based on the action we take now.

1498
01:39:20,760 --> 01:39:23,360
Whether or utilize a government of $20 million or not,

1499
01:39:23,920 --> 01:39:27,180
whether we're able to get $20 million in some point in the future to do it or not,

1500
01:39:27,800 --> 01:39:30,780
whether or not baseball is here in five or ten years.

1501
01:39:31,380 --> 01:39:34,240
Whether or not we require to raise taxes to keep baseball.

1502
01:39:34,560 --> 01:39:36,960
Or is that the discussion that we're going to have five or ten years from now?

1503
01:39:37,360 --> 01:39:40,420
Five years from now is the discussion going to be, well, okay,

1504
01:39:40,800 --> 01:39:43,080
to keep baseball where we have to raise taxes, that's amount.

1505
01:39:43,320 --> 01:39:44,240
Because we don't have any money.

1506
01:39:44,580 --> 01:39:45,460
There's no money here.

1507
01:39:46,100 --> 01:39:46,640
There's no luck.

1508
01:39:46,760 --> 01:39:47,900
And it's going to come up under disaster.

1509
01:39:47,980 --> 01:39:49,000
There's zero money.

1510
01:39:49,540 --> 01:39:51,000
The company doesn't have any money.

1511
01:39:52,180 --> 01:39:53,880
Let's call that a state of spade.

1512
01:39:54,260 --> 01:39:55,880
We never want a borrowing capacity.

1513
01:39:56,240 --> 01:40:01,320
We don't have it. It's done. It's non-existent. So we can't just turn it on.

1514
01:40:02,860 --> 01:40:06,880
So what we're going to do is we're going to continue to look at this as closely as we can.

1515
01:40:07,720 --> 01:40:10,500
And we're going to try to make the best possible decision for the taxpayers of this country.

1516
01:40:11,120 --> 01:40:16,480
I don't know what that decision is going to be. Maybe Mandela won't be here in a few years. Maybe they will be.

1517
01:40:16,840 --> 01:40:22,580
I don't know. I don't know. But I do know that we're thinking a lot about it. We're working hard on it.

1518
01:40:22,580 --> 01:40:25,720
And we're going to try to make the best possible decision.

1519
01:40:26,500 --> 01:40:27,460
That's all I have for Commissioner.

1520
01:40:27,920 --> 01:40:28,200
Thank you.

1521
01:40:28,940 --> 01:40:32,440
I'd like to make some comments about the stadium as well.

1522
01:40:35,300 --> 01:40:35,800
I

1523
01:40:38,010 --> 01:40:44,990
have great admiration for the work that Jan McGee has done before I became a commissioner.

1524
01:40:45,710 --> 01:40:50,170
I thought the stadium should have been called Jan McGee Stadium and I still believe that

1525
01:40:50,170 --> 01:40:53,330
baseball would not be here if it weren't for Jan McGee.

1526
01:40:53,330 --> 01:40:55,050
There's absolutely no question.

1527
01:40:55,450 --> 01:40:56,690
Doesn't make John feel any better.

1528
01:40:57,170 --> 01:40:58,570
Doesn't make John like me anymore.

1529
01:40:59,270 --> 01:41:01,990
But that's what I believe in my gut.

1530
01:41:02,730 --> 01:41:04,350
And I know that my gut is rising.

1531
01:41:05,750 --> 01:41:08,190
But period, new paragraph.

1532
01:41:09,890 --> 01:41:13,070
But I don't agree with everything that John said here today.

1533
01:41:13,830 --> 01:41:17,450
And I have to say what I do think here today,

1534
01:41:17,450 --> 01:41:21,890
because I'm a custodian like the other two commissioners here

1535
01:41:21,890 --> 01:41:28,870
like the stadium authority of the assets of this county in this case the acid is the stadium and

1536
01:41:28,870 --> 01:41:34,630
the franchise. John, first of all I have to tell you, I know the commissioner Brian said it but I

1537
01:41:34,630 --> 01:41:40,490
like to say it too. I'm going to say that it's pretty reckless to come here and say that we met in

1538
01:41:40,490 --> 01:41:46,550
New York in a secret meeting and agreed to sell the franchise, agreed in principle to sell the franchise.

1539
01:41:48,010 --> 01:41:53,050
It's more than the fact that you were in the room, you're just wrong, you're dead wrong,

1540
01:41:53,450 --> 01:41:54,430
nothing like that happened.

1541
01:41:54,690 --> 01:42:00,010
If that had happened, Commissioner Munchack would be pushing us off the platform here,

1542
01:42:00,050 --> 01:42:02,590
because he would have said, I didn't know about that.

1543
01:42:03,090 --> 01:42:05,870
And the stadium authority would be saying, I didn't know about that.

1544
01:42:06,690 --> 01:42:08,530
No such action took place.

1545
01:42:09,170 --> 01:42:11,310
It's very important to get that out there.

1546
01:42:11,310 --> 01:42:16,290
But, you know, we do have meetings with people, and you don't necessarily have those meetings

1547
01:42:16,290 --> 01:42:22,630
out on the street corner to discuss how to get the best possible deal if a deal is possible

1548
01:42:22,630 --> 01:42:23,410
for the taxpayers.

1549
01:42:23,990 --> 01:42:28,750
So, I want to get out there that you're just wrong about that, and that did not happen.

1550
01:42:29,050 --> 01:42:31,450
And there's no deal with under consideration right now.

1551
01:42:31,970 --> 01:42:36,370
You know, it sounds nice when you say things like, well, if the fillings about the franchise

1552
01:42:36,370 --> 01:42:37,430
they wouldn't be here.

1553
01:42:37,810 --> 01:42:40,450
But, John, that's pretty good that you know that.

1554
01:42:40,670 --> 01:42:41,690
That's pretty impressive.

1555
01:42:41,950 --> 01:42:46,130
You know that if the fillers had purchased the franchise, they would never have gone

1556
01:42:46,130 --> 01:42:46,850
to Allentown.

1557
01:42:47,510 --> 01:42:52,070
You know, what I've been told is that the fillers became dissatisfied with conditions here,

1558
01:42:52,170 --> 01:42:57,030
and the lack of responsiveness on the part of government to their desires.

1559
01:42:57,190 --> 01:42:59,030
Now maybe their desires were unreasonable.

1560
01:42:59,710 --> 01:43:05,450
I'm not advocating for the fillers, but I'm saying that when you have government ownership,

1561
01:43:05,450 --> 01:43:10,430
When you have government ownership, private business just doesn't want to do business with

1562
01:43:10,430 --> 01:43:10,590
you.

1563
01:43:10,850 --> 01:43:12,970
They find it too hard to do business with you.

1564
01:43:13,230 --> 01:43:17,650
We don't need to go into that because every one of us has our own interpretation of that.

1565
01:43:18,010 --> 01:43:21,590
But I'm quite sure that you don't know whether or not the Phillies would have still been here

1566
01:43:21,590 --> 01:43:23,070
if they had purchased the franchise.

1567
01:43:23,830 --> 01:43:27,390
I also think that you say it all very convincingly, John.

1568
01:43:27,790 --> 01:43:32,570
You say the sale of the management rights, and you throw it up there as if somebody would want to buy it.

1569
01:43:32,570 --> 01:43:40,450
You know, by the management rights, the fact of the matter is that we're all saying

1570
01:43:40,450 --> 01:43:44,190
that there's no attendance and we're laest in the league, and they were acting like

1571
01:43:44,190 --> 01:43:49,330
if there's some value to the management rights, if someone's going to buy something where

1572
01:43:49,330 --> 01:43:53,310
someone else is already losing money, I don't think it works that way.

1573
01:43:53,910 --> 01:43:58,010
The management rights, this would not be the time to sell the management rights, a time

1574
01:43:58,010 --> 01:44:01,750
to sell management rights would be when the management rights have some value and when someone

1575
01:44:01,750 --> 01:44:05,090
in the private sector thinks they can make some money off the management rights.

1576
01:44:05,590 --> 01:44:08,170
So it sounds real nice, but it isn't so.

1577
01:44:08,610 --> 01:44:12,010
Oh, you sell the management rights, and you're going to refurbish the stadium.

1578
01:44:12,310 --> 01:44:13,710
Well, let me give you some real numbers.

1579
01:44:14,750 --> 01:44:15,570
Some real numbers.

1580
01:44:15,690 --> 01:44:19,250
It costs about a half a million dollars to borrow six million dollars.

1581
01:44:19,570 --> 01:44:20,490
That's what we're paying.

1582
01:44:21,090 --> 01:44:22,750
And we're going to struggle to pay it.

1583
01:44:23,170 --> 01:44:28,070
And these are dollars that are very, very precious, and they can be used for other initiatives

1584
01:44:28,070 --> 01:44:32,610
in the community that will take place because we're going to spend that. Commissioner Brian

1585
01:44:32,610 --> 01:44:38,510
mentioned the $1.2 million through the field. That's part of the $6.2 million borrowing

1586
01:44:38,510 --> 01:44:45,110
that's costing us $500,000 a year. So at a minimum, if you double that, you're going

1587
01:44:45,110 --> 01:44:50,210
to be talking about $1 million a year. It's just not going to happen. And you know, you

1588
01:44:50,210 --> 01:44:52,950
talk about a sacred pledge.

1589
01:44:55,550 --> 01:44:59,910
I don't know where that comes from. If every person that

1590
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:29,980
We took office. Could never change a position or take a new position. Our government will be frozen. Businesses change course of direction. When conditions change, you know, where we arrived here, unemployment and lack of one accounting was a little more than half of what it is now. We've made the efforts. We've cut the size of county government employee sample over 30%. I mean, it's incredible. And it's still not enough to, in order to

1591
01:45:29,980 --> 01:45:35,700
bring the the money's here that we desperately need. We're told by the library board that the library

1592
01:45:35,700 --> 01:45:42,200
tax does not bring in enough money to fund library services. We've got to look at all of it. We've

1593
01:45:42,200 --> 01:45:46,900
got to look at the libraries as well. We can't just look at baseball over here and say, you know,

1594
01:45:47,380 --> 01:45:52,980
we said that this was what we're going to do and this was the answer in 2007. No, that's not it.

1595
01:45:53,340 --> 01:45:57,440
And Commissioner O'Brien said it well, you know, the easy thing to do would be to say,

1596
01:45:57,440 --> 01:46:02,020
Let's take the John McGee position. Well, what they're trying to sell those management rights

1597
01:46:02,020 --> 01:46:08,000
But we know something about valuation. We know something about the economics of the situation

1598
01:46:08,000 --> 01:46:09,560
Commissioner Monshek

1599
01:46:10,740 --> 01:46:18,480
You know one of the things that he did that's very very important and he did it and he did it alone

1600
01:46:18,480 --> 01:46:23,080
Was he went back and did an audit of what was

1601
01:46:23,080 --> 01:46:33,740
expended from 2003, December 31, 2004, and 2003, and you've come up with $13 million.

1602
01:46:34,460 --> 01:46:40,340
Now, in addition to that $13 million, plus, there was a bind issue for $18 million

1603
01:46:40,340 --> 01:46:41,000
in the stadium.

1604
01:46:41,000 --> 01:46:41,460
It was built.

1605
01:46:41,580 --> 01:46:42,960
These are real dollars.

1606
01:46:43,500 --> 01:46:46,300
Here you have a fan base that's evaporated.

1607
01:46:46,420 --> 01:46:49,300
We can talk about the reasons that it's gone.

1608
01:46:49,300 --> 01:46:58,980
It's gone, and we have expended close to 40 million, we can account for our $18 million bond issue.

1609
01:46:59,780 --> 01:47:03,040
$13 million of Commissioner Munchack has calculated.

1610
01:47:03,460 --> 01:47:05,940
$6.2 million on the recent borrowing.

1611
01:47:06,360 --> 01:47:12,020
We have a fiduciary responsibility to do what's right for the taxpayers here

1612
01:47:12,020 --> 01:47:15,820
and what's right for the future growth and development health of this county,

1613
01:47:16,280 --> 01:47:17,720
the fiscal health of the county.

1614
01:47:17,720 --> 01:47:21,440
Now, again, there's no deal on the table.

1615
01:47:22,460 --> 01:47:27,140
I wish that there was something that we could talk about, that there was something that

1616
01:47:27,140 --> 01:47:30,340
we could propose, that there was something that we could advocate for.

1617
01:47:33,520 --> 01:47:37,980
And we're in pretty serious condition here as all I'm going to say.

1618
01:47:38,620 --> 01:47:44,700
And while I appreciate the comments and have to be respectful of, in the case of John,

1619
01:47:44,700 --> 01:47:46,340
where these comments are coming from.

1620
01:47:47,060 --> 01:47:53,460
I also am glad you came today to afford media opportunity to say some things that I haven't

1621
01:47:53,460 --> 01:47:55,960
said and that needed to be said.

1622
01:47:56,280 --> 01:48:01,180
Do you know we sat with the governor and the governor said, hey, look, this $20 million

1623
01:48:01,180 --> 01:48:05,480
they want to give you when the jobs that will be created in your community by a $40 million

1624
01:48:05,480 --> 01:48:07,040
project if you can do it.

1625
01:48:07,220 --> 01:48:09,560
I can spend it anywhere in the commonwealth.

1626
01:48:10,180 --> 01:48:12,520
I'm not begging you to take these funds.

1627
01:48:12,520 --> 01:48:17,020
these these monies you know I hear people say well why can't we take those

1628
01:48:17,020 --> 01:48:22,360
monies and using for road construction or libraries this capital money this

1629
01:48:22,360 --> 01:48:26,820
capital money and I mean for if when I say that I mean for services as opposed to

1630
01:48:26,820 --> 01:48:32,460
construction these are capital dollars they can only be used for capital purposes

1631
01:48:32,460 --> 01:48:39,860
so like families we're just we're 209,000 families that's what we are the

1632
01:48:39,860 --> 01:48:45,240
population of Lackawanna County, and we're working to create the best possible

1633
01:48:45,240 --> 01:48:49,480
situation for the people of Lackawanna County who are struggling

1634
01:48:49,480 --> 01:48:55,700
mightily, most in most cases, and that's why we are where we are. So that's all I

1635
01:48:55,700 --> 01:48:56,880
have to say about baseball.

1636
01:48:59,350 --> 01:49:05,030
Well, Mr. Chairman, I, some items are made, but

1637
01:49:05,030 --> 01:49:11,330
with a rely-on baseball, you know, it's been in the papers, it's been on TV, I had a message

1638
01:49:11,330 --> 01:49:13,390
for our colleagues in Gersharn County.

1639
01:49:15,510 --> 01:49:20,410
My understanding they went to court to try and

1640
01:49:20,410 --> 01:49:35,010
stop any action taken by the, I assume, the NPSA multi-purpose stadium authority and the

1641
01:49:35,010 --> 01:49:41,290
have chosen that option. Mr. Steve Irman, who is a, I consider a good

1642
01:49:41,290 --> 01:49:47,450
fundamental last year, I provided him with copies of the original three-page

1643
01:49:47,450 --> 01:49:53,250
franchise agreement, the sales agreement, the option agreement, everything, and

1644
01:49:53,250 --> 01:49:58,170
explain to him because he still thinks that he owns 50% of the team.

1645
01:50:00,970 --> 01:50:04,990
The same

1646
01:50:04,990 --> 01:50:09,870
case closed, they can go to court and do all they want, that's what's going to happen.

1647
01:50:10,970 --> 01:50:17,630
And LaZone County, except for the $1 million economic investment back in 86, has contributed

1648
01:50:17,630 --> 01:50:24,550
nothing to the operation of the team or the stadium in La Corona County.

1649
01:50:25,210 --> 01:50:33,510
They refuse at the time when the cost came up, way back when when Commissioner's Court

1650
01:50:40,150 --> 01:50:55,590
I think it's very sad when a friend is there and they think that if there's a show,

1651
01:50:56,230 --> 01:51:03,330
and if it's the $13 or $14 million, you want six and a half million dollars, not

1652
01:51:03,330 --> 01:51:09,530
to get it because in the option agreement in the sale it says that the money will be applied

1653
01:51:09,530 --> 01:51:20,470
to debt owed by the MPSA and that debt is locker on a county to the tune of $14 million,

1654
01:51:20,790 --> 01:51:33,310
$13.9 million change. So they're not going to get raised in the taxpayers' money of the

1655
01:51:33,310 --> 01:51:41,730
defend us. So I'm very disappointed in my colleagues on here. Mr. Chairman, the other

1656
01:51:41,730 --> 01:51:46,090
items I have can wait, but as I forsake

1657
01:51:49,800 --> 01:51:53,140
of poverty in time, I'll say them for the

1658
01:51:53,950 --> 01:51:59,820
middle. We appreciate the generosity of the gentleman from downtown Scranton, giving

1659
01:51:59,820 --> 01:52:08,620
is time over to General and to his right, Melanie, you brought up the matter of the

1660
01:52:08,620 --> 01:52:15,420
morgue which was addressed by Commissioner O'Brien, you know everything we're doing is

1661
01:52:15,420 --> 01:52:20,480
we're willing to investigate cross-savings wherever we can find them and that's

1662
01:52:20,480 --> 01:52:26,160
reflected in support of an investigation. There should be no assumptions as to where the

1663
01:52:26,160 --> 01:52:37,480
more will end up or if it would be moved at all but it wasn't initiated by us, it was initiated by

1664
01:52:37,480 --> 01:52:44,140
the coroner's office but were the ones that have to advertise it and that's why it was advertised by

1665
01:52:44,140 --> 01:52:50,140
us and we thought it was a good idea to advertise and to find out if there were ways to save money and

1666
01:52:50,140 --> 01:52:55,820
that's what it's about and we appreciate the dignified way in which you brought it to us and

1667
01:52:55,820 --> 01:53:02,880
And Ray, near Rich, hello again Ray, I just want to say one thing about evening meetings.

1668
01:53:04,100 --> 01:53:12,560
One we do our budget evening meetings and nobody in my three budget years would 5, 6,

1669
01:53:12,800 --> 01:53:19,900
7, 8, whatever I've been here for, or 5, or 10, or whatever, too long, anyone agrees with

1670
01:53:19,900 --> 01:53:25,320
that, it's just embarrassing and maybe this year we'll do better with that.

1671
01:53:25,320 --> 01:53:33,260
But here's the other thing I want to say about that you know, there was no public access TV when night time meetings began to be held and

1672
01:53:33,980 --> 01:53:35,320
When you have a

1673
01:53:36,860 --> 01:53:39,440
A paid staff which we are

1674
01:53:39,440 --> 01:53:46,780
What happens is we're out at night working because that's people we're here during the day all day

1675
01:53:46,780 --> 01:53:52,960
It's not just for the convenience of the staff. I didn't state that well we were in night we're at meetings throughout the week

1676
01:53:52,960 --> 01:53:55,380
And they're not scheduled by us.

1677
01:53:55,500 --> 01:54:00,000
They're scheduled by the towns or by the school boards or by the boroughs or by the civic

1678
01:54:00,000 --> 01:54:00,860
organizations.

1679
01:54:01,620 --> 01:54:06,820
And so if we're scheduled, if it's only one night, it might be that night when a commissioner's

1680
01:54:06,820 --> 01:54:11,780
meeting was scheduled and somebody expected us to be in Blakely for an event or in Musick

1681
01:54:11,780 --> 01:54:14,060
for Event or wherever, in North Pocano area.

1682
01:54:14,380 --> 01:54:21,040
So that's the reason for daytime meetings, whereas school boards and burial meetings, those

1683
01:54:21,040 --> 01:54:26,420
Those are people that they work full-time at jobs, real jobs in the real world, and then

1684
01:54:26,420 --> 01:54:29,160
they make themselves available in the evening for their communities.

1685
01:54:29,400 --> 01:54:35,100
So you need to take that distinction at least, process it for a little while, as I know

1686
01:54:35,100 --> 01:54:40,480
you will, because I know you will, and I know what a thoughtful person you are, and know

1687
01:54:40,480 --> 01:54:42,360
that that's why we meet the way we meet.

1688
01:54:43,600 --> 01:54:47,980
Okay, is there any other business that needs to come before this body?

1689
01:54:48,780 --> 01:54:53,340
Hearing none, I think I could entertain a motion for adjournment.

1690
01:54:53,660 --> 01:54:55,080
So it's time to move to the second.

1691
01:54:55,200 --> 01:54:55,720
It's all in favor.

1692
01:54:55,840 --> 01:54:56,440
Any committee saying aye?

1693
01:54:56,720 --> 01:54:56,860
Aye.

1694
01:54:57,200 --> 01:54:57,440
Opposed?

1695
01:54:57,600 --> 01:54:58,000
unanimous.

1696
01:54:58,480 --> 01:54:58,880
adjourned.