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Luzerne County Councilwoman Kathy Dobash said the county should come up with some or all of the $1 million gypsy moth spraying tab for 1,281 privately owned properties.
But even if funds are identified and supported by a council majority amid a county budget crisis, the council members won’t vote on the matter until their next regular meeting on Nov. 24.
Property owners who want guaranteed spraying must pay by Nov. 15, according to the state’s deadline, which may not be up for negotiation.
The state imposed the deadline because it must finalize spraying boundaries across the state by Dec. 1 to secure contracts with aerial companies who will complete the work as early as the end of April, said county staff engineer Keri Skvarla, also the county’s gypsy moth coordinator.
Several local property owners have complained they can’t afford the spraying.
Property owners who signed up must pay $55 per acre instead of the past $27 because the federal government is no longer providing funding for spraying, resulting in “sticker shock,” county Manager Robert Lawton told the council Tuesday.
The state also requires the spraying of a 500-foot buffer around each residence, which means some property owners with small lots must pay for up to 23 acres — $1,265 — if adjacent property owners within that buffer won’t share in the cost, officials said.
Councilman Harry Haas questioned if the county can use its natural gas recreation funding for the spraying — an idea supported by Dobash and Councilman Stephen A. Urban.
Dobash also pointed to the county’s remaining past-borrowed bond funding as another possible source.
“We’re losing our forests,” she complained.
County Chief Solicitor C. David Pedri said Thursday the recreation funding can be tapped, but bond funding cannot be used for such operating expenses.
County Budget/Finance Division Head Brian Swetz could not be reached for comment on the amount of remaining natural gas funding.
The county received $306,863 this year for 2014. Former county operational services division head Tanis Manseau publicly said in September around $165,000 will be left after spending on maintenance of River Common recreational amenities in Wilkes-Barre, black fly spraying along the Susquehanna River that costs about $85,000 and previously approved earmarks to outside organizations.
The council granted three earmarks this year to date: $37,500 toward a Mountain Top trail expansion, $7,500 for the Keystone Active Zone Passport program and $10,000 for free, family-friendly programs at the River Common and Nesbitt and Kirby parks.
County officials also planned to spend up to $65,000 of the remaining $165,000 on grants to outside recreation organizations for trails and other projects. Applications for those grants are due Nov. 20.
Dobash has repeatedly requested a breakdown on the administration’s spending of the more than $800,000 the county received for 2011 through 2013. Lawton has said the money was used for county parks or other general fund expenses permitted by state law governing the funding.
Luzerne County has the most properties signed up for the spraying statewide, Lawton told the council. A total 51,100 acres are requested for spraying statewide — 21,272 in Luzerne County.