[0:03] to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one nation

[0:09] under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

[0:14] » Almighty and everlasting God who presides over all things in heaven and

[0:17] earth come and preside over these deliberations so that those that make

[0:20] the decisions may be guided by your wisdom.

[0:25] » Mayor, you're up. He's

[0:33] not on

[0:40] either.

[0:50] » Hi. >> Officer, how are you?

[0:55] » Good evening, council. Okay, we have a resolution and ordinance

[1:00] for your u approval tonight authorizing the proper city officials to execute an

[1:06] agreement for financial advisor services and any related documents with PFM

[1:14] related to performing a financial analysis of the value of the city's

[1:18] sewer conveyance system and other related services. This is basically uh

[1:25] employing PFM with your approval to go out and actually value the sewer system.

[1:31] Okay, we don't have the ability to do that in house and they are experts in

[1:36] the field to do that. So that's what this is about. Uh their fee would be

[1:40] paid uh if we do sell the sewer system and be paid out of that sale. Okay,

[1:47] any questions regarding that? >> So it's just the

[1:52] value. It gives us a valuation. >> Yeah. Yeah. Councilman, it's going to

[1:56] give us a value of what our system is is worth. I'll give you an example. Um at

[2:02] Brookside Levy, we put roughly $1.2 million into that flood mitigation. That

[2:09] adds value to our system. Uh down in Barney, off of Barney Street, there's a

[2:14] pumping station. Okay. these different things that we've invested in, you know,

[2:20] helps to add values to the the sewer system. That's they're going to go out

[2:25] there and they'll do that for us based on your approval.

[2:30] Well, regardless what right regardless of what the how much it's worth, it

[2:34] certainly is in our best interest to explore for future infrastructure needs

[2:40] because obviously it's one of the most important things we could do to make

[2:43] sure that all our infrastructure is up to date.

[2:46] » Exactly. >> Okay.

[2:49] » If we um decide not to sell it at this time, how how does the fee get paid?

[2:56] We're paying that fee. there'll be an evaluation of the the services

[3:04] and and if I can elaborate just a little bit uh you you know what we've gone

[3:09] through with the Horton Street situation um sewer system roughly over 125 years

[3:16] old but going through the city of Wsbury over 600 streets I mean the systems are

[3:21] old they're aged they're in repair it could cost 5060 million dollars to do

[3:27] required repairs over the next several years. If we do decide that it's in the

[3:33] best interest with your approval to sell the sewer system, all those repairs

[3:39] would be done by the entity that buys the system. Okay, that's one of the

[3:44] reasons. But also we look at the best thing that's best for the residents of

[3:48] the city of Wooksbury. You know, trying to keep our rates as low as possible,

[3:52] but also trying to uh gain as much money as we can if we do sell it. Okay, with

[3:59] that in mind. >> So, I think we're all on feeling the

[4:03] same way there, but we don't know what's going to happen. Let's get the first the

[4:06] evaluation first, then we can proceed further if necessary. So this is

[4:11] basically just getting your approval to perform the analysis.

[4:15] Okay. Can I go on? Okay. All right.

[4:21] Secondly, an ordinance adopting a cable franchise agreement with Verizon

[4:26] Pennsylvania LLC to construct, operate, and maintain a cable television system

[4:32] together with other services prescribing uh terms and conditions and other legal

[4:39] requirements. Uh this is basically another cable provider. It's good to

[4:44] have, you know, competition within the city and uh it's just another one that

[4:49] people can choose if you do approve it so that now our residents have approval

[4:54] for your approval to go ahead and look at another uh way to provide the cable

[4:59] service. >> Mayor, if I may, I don't know, I don't

[5:04] know if you know the answer to this, but I know we have service electric Comcast

[5:09] I guess is the other one. Comcast Xfinity.

[5:12] I see a lot of trucks like Loop and some other ones around. I don't know if we

[5:16] have agreements with all those other ones. I see them hanging a lot of wires

[5:19] all over the place and >> I don't know if there's agreements with

[5:22] others that I'm not. Maybe we can if you if we can find out how many others that

[5:27] we currently have that have agreements besides uh service electric

[5:32] » just Verizon and Comcast are the franchise agreements that I'm

[5:36] » and service electric. >> Yeah, [clears throat]

[5:39] » Service Electric and Comcast. That's all I know of.

[5:41] » Yeah. >> All right. I just see a lot of trucks

[5:44] and a lot of activity going on now with other names on trucks. I I didn't know

[5:48] if we had agreements, but um I'll let you know seeing the other ones out there

[5:52] that >> So just uh I know he's

[5:57] » Go ahead. >> There's a difference. I'm not a expert

[5:59] on cable, but there's a difference between the provider and a service

[6:02] provider, which is which is a group is a provider of of distribution, but they're

[6:09] not a cable provider. So these cable franchises are basically companies that

[6:14] provide streaming services. >> Oh,

[6:16] » that's what the difference is. So you may see any number of companies hooking

[6:20] wires up, but they're just basically providing the wire system upon which the

[6:26] the uh streaming services are >> use they use the system. Okay.

[6:29] » Yeah. So our cable franchises were providing that type of visual.

[6:37] » Okay. >> Those type of networks.

[6:39] you will see service companies, but they're they're doing something

[6:43] different. They're not producing the streaming vehicles.

[6:46] » Okay. Thank you. >> Now, just so council's aware, I have a

[6:50] Paul Train on speaker phone now. Uh Paul is the attorney for Verizon. He's up in

[6:55] Boston, but uh he's with us tonight to answer any questions council may have.

[6:59] Paul, can you hear me? >> Yes, I can.

[7:01] » Okay. Uh and if you can't hear the questions from council, I'll certainly

[7:05] repeat them. >> Yeah. Great. So if I could just get a

[7:09] general idea, is this going to require any digging? Is this going to be lines

[7:13] run? Are they already set and ready to go?

[7:17] » Yeah. So in this instance, Verizon because it currently provides broadband

[7:21] and telephone service in the community most of the built out already

[7:30] first three to four years of the franchise didn't need no building at all

[7:34] except for maybe a drop from the street to a house. So the benefit is that I

[7:40] think I thought I was 11,650 households eligible for the service right away once

[7:47] the franchise is approved.

[7:51] » Anybody [snorts] else? >> Perfect.

[7:53] » Pretty interesting. >> All right. Uh that's the only question,

[7:55] Paul. So I guess we're going to let you go.

[7:58] » All right. Appreciate it. >> If you need me for anything, do you know

[8:00] how to get in touch? >> All right. Thanks, Paul.

[8:11] I I I do want to say one other thing. Uh we did have a a bereavement ceremony for

[8:18] uh one of our paramedics, Eric John's, and it was really heartwarming to see

[8:23] how the fire company paramedics and the police department came out to pay homage

[8:30] to uh one of our brothers. So it was great because um the police honor guard

[8:36] was there also police officers were making sure that you know the the cars

[8:41] and the traffic was moving in an orderly fashion. People were safe coming across

[8:45] the street and then also several of the policemen and fire people were there uh

[8:51] to show their like I said their homage to uh Mr. John. So it was nice to see

[8:56] everyone getting together between police and fire to pay their tribute. So um

[9:02] being tell Tony you were there also and it just great to see that u because this

[9:07] this young man u he fought it for several years cancer and uh took his

[9:12] life but it was a great tribute >> presentation

[9:19] presentations >> you're good

[9:22] » well I'm waiting for you to start hitting me with the questions you

[9:27] » sense me sitting down >> no the only thing I have

[9:30] this come and we've been down this road before literally exit 2 Boulevard. I

[9:38] don't know if there's any way of revisiting that again with the state and

[9:42] ask them if they've done any other surveys or

[9:45] » I came down yesterday around this time yesterday from Hollandback station down

[9:49] towards downtown and there was some poor motors that pulled out

[9:55] across there and had nowhere to go because of traffic coming north and he

[9:59] was unable to see it I guess at that particular point literally stopped in

[10:03] front of me in the lane of travel. I stopped, of course, and I didn't blow

[10:07] the horn or anything because I certainly understand that he was had nowhere to

[10:11] go. And it's a lack of a traffic nightmare that we've discussed numerous

[10:16] times there. And I just don't want to see anyone else get hurt there. I just

[10:21] don't know the what's working. What's there now is not working. The

[10:26] stop sign is not working. It's just too big of an intersection. The traffic

[10:30] speeds are too great. The sight distance is minimal at best.

[10:35] And I know we've revisited revisited several times with the state. I don't

[10:39] know if there's any way that we can reach out to them one more time, ask

[10:42] them to again maybe refresh their survey and see if there's anything that can be

[10:47] done sort of what's their I don't know who I would see about that as far as

[10:53] having making that request, but I think I think to do nothing right now that

[10:58] could situation has not gotten any better.

[11:02] I don't would that be through your office or

[11:05] » It would be. Yeah. >> If we could I know in all your free

[11:08] time. Uh I know how busy you are, but I think it's something that we should

[11:12] revisit at some point and ask them to take another look at it.

[11:15] » Charlie and I would discuss that tomorrow.

[11:17] » Okay. Thank you. Mayor >> Bill, did you want to mention anything

[11:19] about your park the park at Parson's Park?

[11:23] » No, I just want to thank you for all that you're doing with it. I I know and

[11:27] the meeting with the Parsons Lions and your staff as we did about a week or so

[11:31] ago and meeting again at the park to look at a layout and the plan is for

[11:36] that 200 by 200 piece of land in the front of Parson's park which was the

[11:43] little league field which was taken down and everyone agreed that the best use

[11:49] for that land would be a veterans memorial type park at that location and

[11:55] I know your staff Joyce and and uh Dave and everybody's

[11:59] been working putting something together that would be a proper

[12:03] tribute to our veterans and I think I'm really happy about it moving forward and

[12:09] so are the parson's lions. I think it's going to be really nice. Everybody's

[12:13] throwing their ideas out there and I think we can get something really

[12:18] really uh >> and the nice thing is you're going to

[12:20] see a large 4x8 sign erected at that site showing the the different branches

[12:26] of the military that will be honored and there'll be a nice sign red, white, and

[12:31] blue with the flag behind it designating that this is going to future home of the

[12:35] Veterans Park. Okay. >> [clears throat]

[12:38] » when we do the veterans parade every year, we'll be able to stop there and uh

[12:44] Memorial Parade and stop there and pay tribute on Memorial Day. So, uh if you

[12:49] get up there in the next give us a couple of days, the sign's going to go

[12:52] up and then you'll see a beautiful sign designating that as the next uh Veterans

[12:57] Park. The Parsons Lions appreciate it because they well they are Parsons. uh

[13:03] they use the park in that area for their Memorial Day parade, Easter egg hunts

[13:07] and some other events that they do have and other residents would be able to use

[13:11] that area for other events as well. So, it's going to be nice. Thank you,

[13:19] » Mr. Brooks. I want to thank I want to thank the

[13:22] mayor [clears throat] and Dave Lewis for um

[13:27] paying particularly good attention to Virginia Thomas who came to our last

[13:31] meeting on Dana Street. Um and also uh thank you for the suggestion

[13:37] about looking at different amendments to perhaps the pave cut ordinance. So, I I

[13:43] I passed out the recent amendment that Scranton did to their pave cut um just

[13:51] for people to review. Not saying this would be something that we would would

[13:54] do, but I'd like to get your input on back particular you Tim if we want to

[13:58] analyze the differences, the strengths and weaknesses of the Scranton ordinance

[14:02] visa varss. But one thing that they do do that I think is really helpful for

[14:07] the public and it's on the front page of this ordinance is on this Scranton

[14:11] City's website they have this thing called a pave cut dashboard and it shows

[14:17] in a location it's a map and you can zoom in on the map and it's colorcoded

[14:24] between the water company the gas company wastewater internet and

[14:29] electrical work and so for example today right Now, Scranton has 673

[14:37] permits that are out there doing doing work and it has it broken down exactly

[14:43] who's the water company, where they are and all that and a time frame, the

[14:47] status, is it an emergency, is it not an emergency. Um, so it has all that

[14:51] information. So, um, take it for your review, Charlie, and and Tim and, um,

[14:57] and rest of council to see if there's something in there that might, um, help

[15:01] us, help the public. Um, I I do want to thank the Citizens Voice over there. Um,

[15:08] the utility companies have called me and, uh, Pennsylvania American Water

[15:14] wants to do a neighborhood meeting. um they saw that in the newspaper that I

[15:19] was talking about their exorbitant salaries and going doortodoor. So the PR

[15:23] executive called and said I saw your quote in the paper. So we are now

[15:26] arranging a public meeting for the the neighbors um for at least on

[15:31] Pennsylvania American water. So that's also good news as well.

[15:35] » Thank you Madam Chair. Great >> Mr. Mayor.

[15:38] » Yeah it's got a quiet week here. Um I just had a call about uh see if we can

[15:43] get more police presence down at the bus station. I guess the gentleman said that

[15:47] there's a lot of kids riding bikes, bothering people, hitting cars and

[15:50] stuff. So, I mean, I personally didn't witness it, but I'm just relaying it to

[15:53] the, you know, proper officials. And, um, thank DPW for removing a bunch of

[15:58] graffiti on Wayne Street. It looks so much better. And, um, that's all I have

[16:02] for today. >> Perfect. I actually have nothing for you

[16:06] today. >> You Tim, so [laughter]

[16:11] » yes, again. Say that. >> Getting away that easy.

[16:12] » Oh, no. >> Say that again.

[16:14] » You give you were off. >> Thursday's another day.

[16:18] » Thursdays. >> It's two days away. He bites. So, I was

[16:25] looking at rules that are in place. So, New Jersey just passed a statewide. So,

[16:31] I really do think I have to go to the state on a lot of what I would like to

[16:35] implement. So, can we look at putting something in place where they are

[16:39] limited in the business district? >> I mean, at least as a start for now. Are

[16:45] we able to do that? >> I would think so. Uh I don't want to

[16:51] give you 100% sure we can, but I would think so. Yes.

[16:54] » Okay. >> So, just just do something that would

[16:57] eliminate the operation of ebikes in the business district, right?

[17:00] » Which would be defined as a certain area downtown.

[17:04] » On sidewalks. >> Yeah.

[17:06] » Well, right now they're technically not supposed to be on sidewalks anyway.

[17:10] » Just to follow the same rules as like we had talked without doing a

[17:15] registration or you know a type of insurance but that really does have to

[17:19] be done statewide because we couldn't regulate just our small area. So I think

[17:25] for a start maybe we can look at that and that's all I got.

[17:30] » Anybody else got anything? Okay. >> All right. Motion journ and we wish you

[17:35] good luck. >> Thank you.

[17:40] » Thanks. [laughter]

[17:44] safe travel >> feel. You know

[17:50] » here we get

City of Wilkes-Barre Council - Work Session 1.20.26

Transcript