Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners 10 21 26

The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners meeting on October 21, 2026, addressed several financing and funding matters. Commissioners held the first reading of an ordinance authorizing up to $15 million in 2027 tax and revenue anticipation notes, with a second reading scheduled for November 4. The county’s CFO said the short-term borrowing would cover operating cash needs ahead of property-tax receipts and recommended accepting Essex Securities LLC’s proposal for the private placement; the notes would be repaid within the fiscal year, with an estimated net interest cost of about 2%. The board also approved and ratified payables of $1,766,188.28 and electronic fund transfers, including payroll, totaling $5,215,260.65.

The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with Berks, Dauphin, Lehigh, and Delaware counties to participate in a regional youth detention center, described as a more cost-effective option than building or converting a local facility; annual costs were cited as exceeding $2 million. It also approved applications for Monroe County Local Share Account grants on behalf of community organizations and projects, and a $5,428.20 reallocation of existing CDBG funds to a Scott Township municipal-park ADA walkway, with no additional county funding required. The annual 2027 CDBG application and a state food-purchasing-program agreement were discussed; the food program provides approximately $459,000 for food banks and services, though the transcript does not clearly capture a vote on that item. Separately, a commissioner requested an independent PFM review of the proposed 2027 budget and future projections; no procurement decision related to that request was recorded.