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By JUAN TORRES; Times Leader Staff Writer
Monday, February 01, 1999     Page: 3A

HAZLETON- Mayor Michael Marsicano is apparently banking on getting rent
money the city already received and spent. And two councilmen are questioning
the whole deal.
   
The city owns and maintains the Luzerne County Courthouse Annex, generating
revenue by renting space, with the county a key tenant.
    Ordinarily, the rental income- and spending of it- is included in the
budget at the start of the year, and 1999 is no exception. Marsicano’s
proposed budget includes $64,000 in county rental fees, up $6,000 from last
year.
   
But the city received about $100,000 in advance rent from the county late
last year, according to Russ Arnone, county director of property and supplies.
   
And that money already has been spent, City Administrator Mildred DeLorenzo
told council recently. The funds paid for extensive renovations at the annex.
   
Arnone said that, regardless of how the money was spent, the county was not
paying for the renovations directly, but was simply giving an advance on the
rent.
   
The county received rental bills for January and February, but has not paid
them, said county Deputy Controller Tom Dugan.
   
And it’s not likely the county will pay rent until its advance runs out,
Arnone said.
   
Council President Bill Lockwood and Councilman Lou Barletta don’t
understand how $100,000 in unexpected revenue could flow in and out of city
coffers without council approval.
   
Both men believe the money should have been classified as “miscellaneous
income” for 1998, and then transferred by council to a different budget line
item to pay for the renovations.
   
“I’m concerned with how (Marsicano) is paying for it without going into a
(budget) transfer,” Barletta said.
   
In a financial forecast performed last year, auditors reported more than
$109,000 was spent citywide on building repairs and maintenance, well over the
$10,000 originally budgeted. Marsicano had said most of that money was spent
on renovations to the annex.
   
A $163,000 list of budget transfers the administration submitted to council
doesn’t include any reference to the movement of funds for annex renovations.
Council rejected those transfers.
   
Lockwood questioned the use of a rent advance to pay for the repairs.
   
“I don’t think you can spend future revenues in a current year,” Lockwood
said. “I don’t know if it’s legal, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
   
Marsicano, DeLorenzo and Solicitor Robert Powell did not return messages
seeking comment.