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AVOCA — Borough council approved the motion to become a voting member of the Northeast Land Bank at its regular monthly meeting on June 11.
The Northeast Land Bank currently consists of four municipalities — Pittston, West Pittston, Jenkins Township and Duryea. Its purpose is to acquire blighted or slighted properties and refurbish or demolish them to return them to the tax market before outside authorities can claim them.
Council vice-president John Boone attended the Northeast Land Bank Authority meeting in May and expressed his desire to have Avoca become a member.
“We have an interest in getting involved in the Land Bank and I think it’s going to possibly be a vital tool for all of the boroughs that get involved,” Boone said. “I don’t know if there’s a lot of blight in Avoca now that would fit into the criteria, but it may help us down the road.”
At the previous Land Bank meeting, Executive Director Joe Chacke said he would redo the current bylaws to allow Avoca to become a voting member.
Council also wanted to make it known that, within the next few weeks, PPL will replace poles along Main Street, causing residents and businesses to lose power for several hours. PPL will notify those who will be affected of the scheduled work dates and times of the scheduled power outages.
In other business, the council approved the motions to:
• Give Boone the authority to sign for loans the borough may need in the absence of council president Joseph Satkowski Sr.
• Approve the new police contract for the Avoca Police Department Chief and Sergeant in regards to their salaries and work hours.
The next council meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 16 at the Avoca Borough building, 752 Main St.