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First Posted: 8/7/2013
NANTICOKE — Michael Dziak, executive director of Earth Conservancy, asked City Council on Wednesday to consider allowing the organization to acquire a 8.5 acre parcel across from Luzerne County Community College.
The land stretches from Middle Road to Alden Road.
Dziak gave a presentation of the land’s exact location and asked the city to enter into an agreement in which the property is traded to Earth Conservancy in exchange for something of equal value. Dziak said the conservancy might offer the city a 12-to-15-acre parcel that could be used for an athletic field as one of the possibilities for such an agreement.
The Ashley-based non-profit organization is dedicated to area mine land reclamation, conservation and economic development.
Council agreed to discuss the matter with its attorney, William Finnegan, before voting on the matter.
In another matter, the city has been awarded a $205,350 grant to be used for the West Union Street bridge rehabilitation project. The work cannot begin until all environmental studies have been completed.
Resident Hank Marks asked council when the downtown streetscape project will begin. Marks said it has been seven years and the project still has not begun.
City Manager/Finance Director Pamela Heard said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation stated it can have only one project started at a time, and the K Route Project has not been completed.
Heard said the city has been in touch with PennDOT to “try to get things speeded up.” She said another meeting with PennDOT about the Streetscape Project has been scheduled.
The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 21.