Township of Plains

The agenda for the meeting included general business such as accepting various minutes (Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting of December, Plains Township Sewer Authority Meeting of October, Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority Meeting of November, and Special Board Meeting minutes from November), contractor licenses, and monthly reports for December. Financial reports for December showed General Fund Receipts of $806,686.40 and Disbursements of $1,022,376.85, resulting in an ending balance of $3,228,203.29. New business items involved authorizing payments for General Fund Bills totaling $1,418,230.28, authorizing the disposal of old Township records from 2015, and several reappointments and appointments to the Plains Township Sewer Authority, Civil Service Board, and Zoning Hearing Board. Additionally, a motion was adopted to authorize the preparation and submission of the 2025 Recycling Performance Grant.

The meeting commenced with a presentation honoring John Coffay Jr. for his creation of the Wings of Service Butterfly garden. Key actions included the approval of minutes from previous board, recreation, and sanitary authority meetings, as well as several departmental reports for October and the Treasurer's Report. Committee reports covered updates on a police investigation at the Cemetery, the arrival of a new fire engine, updates on yard waste and recycling schedules, and plans for pavilion rentals. New business involved authorizing payments for General Fund Bills, the Hudson Garden Drainage Project, and the Plains Hilldale Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project. Resolutions were adopted to apply for Statewide Local Share Account Funding for DPW projects, Meeting Room Renovation, and the East Mountain Roadway Improvement Project. Further resolutions supported funding applications for the Wilkes Barre Area CTC HVAC Renovation Project and revised funding applications for the DPW Truck and North Main Street Roof Replacement projects. The board accepted a proposal for a 2026 Tax Anticipation Note and authorized a lease financing agreement for a new DPW dump truck. Additionally, the board ratified the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Police Department and authorized an agreement for specialized police services. The first reading of the 2026 Tentative Operating Budget was accepted. Taxpayer comments addressed a previously resolved neighborhood issue and ongoing concerns regarding the condition and responsibility for the privately owned Good Shepherd Cemetery, where representatives discussed the difficulties in remediation and potential involvement of the Attorney General's office.

The agenda includes a presentation to Brody Grymko, acceptance of various meeting minutes and monthly reports, authorization of payments for general fund bills, the Plains Township Boat Ramp project, and the Harriett Street Drainage Improvements Project. It also covers hiring part-time firefighters, reimbursement for overpayment of taxes, executing an engagement letter for the annual audit, resolutions for a Tax Anticipation Note, agreements for HVAC maintenance and electrical supply, and negotiating a cable agreement. The agenda concludes with reading and accepting the 2026 Budget and adopting the Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2026.

The agenda includes authorizing payments for general fund bills and for the Hudson Garden Drainage Project. It also covers payments for the Plains Hilldale Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project. The board will consider resolutions for Statewide Local Share Account Funding for the DPW Salt Shed Project, the Plains Township Meeting Room Renovation Project, and the East Mountain Roadway Improvement Project. Additional resolutions include support for a Local Share Grant Account application of Wilkes Barre Area CTC for their HVAC Renovation Project, and revised resolutions for the DPW Truck Project and the North Main Street Roof Replacement project. The board will discuss accepting a proposal from M&T Bank for the 2026 Tax Anticipation Note, entering into a lease financing agreement with M&T Bank for a Chevrolet 5500 Dump Truck, ratifying the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Plains Township Police Department and Plains Township, and entering into an agreement with the Luzerne County Emergency Services Commission for specialized police services. The agenda also includes the first reading of the 2026 Budget.

The agenda includes motions for payment of General Fund bills, ratification of re-hiring a Part-Time DPW laborer, and rejection of a garbage bag bid. It also involves hiring a Full-Time DPW laborer, executing a revised Penn Dot Winter Maintenance Services Agreement, and seeking appraisals for properties on Center Street and Burke Street for potential sale. Additional items cover accepting resignations and appointing members to the Plains Township Recreation Board, authorizing reimbursement for overpayment of taxes, disbursing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Aid Pension Allocation to Township pension plans, and executing a Right of Entry agreement with DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mining Reclamation for exploratory drilling.