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WILKES-BARRE — City council had an almost perfect night voting-wise with just one dissent on an agenda item that was out of the elected body’s control.
All 12 resolutions and ordinances passed, covering an array of topics from the sale of city property, to the approval of transferring a liquor license so the Mary Stegmaier mansion on South Franklin Street can hold wedding receptions and catered-events, to the purchase of $600 worth of equipment to video the council meetings and post them on the city’s web site.
The only bump in the otherwise smooth ride through the agenda was a “No” vote by councilman Tony Brooks on a resolution “expressing the sense” of council regarding the U.S. Senate’s constitutional duty “to advise and consent” of President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court. The resolution passed by a margin of 4 to 1, while the other votes were unanimous, 5 to 0.
Brooks, the sole Republican on the council, kept partisan politics out of the vote when explaining his opposition, “I believe we ought to focus on the business of Wilkes-Barre and the city.” He held the same sentiment offered earlier by John Suchoski who told council to stick to things closer to home.
“If we’re going to oppose things like that we should oppose fracking,” he said referring to hydraulic fracturing used to extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale in the northern tier counties and elsewhere in the state.
Council Chairman Bill Barrett said council was not taking sides on the Garland resolution. “We’re supporting the process,” he said.
The agenda items approved during the regularly scheduled public meeting included:
• The sale of city property at 107-109 S. Main St., for $140,000 to BELLDIVA LLC.
• The waiver of building permit and zoning fees for improvements by Wyoming Valley Habitat for Humanity for a residence at 17 Espy St.
• The sale of a city property on the rear of Sheridan Street for $250 to Timothy Pearce.
• The recommendation of Mayor Tony George to appoint Vaugh Koter of Irving Place to the zoning hearing board.
• The sale of retired K-9 dog “Zorro” to his handler officer Stan Wychock for $1.
• The temporary suspension of prohibiting the open consumption of alcoholic beverages on Public Square to allow Blue Mountain Vineyards to have a wine tasting area during the Fine Arts Fiesta from May 19 through 22.
During the public comment period, Oak Street resident Matthew Ford asked about the stepped-up parking enforcement instituted by the mayor. “My car was ticketed on Wednesday,” said Ford, who’s been critical of the new administration. His car was parked with the driver’s side facing the curb.
But he said he wanted to know if he and others in South Wilkes-Barre were targeted for their “outspoken nature.” He showed a reporter a photo taken at 7:40 a.m. that day on his cell phone of the $15 ticket issued at 7:45 a.m. He said he’d like to see the law changed to allow left side to the curb parking on a one-way street.