Bid awarded for SR 29 replacement project

Commissioner Alan Hall provided an update on the State Route 29 full depth reclamation project at the Sept. 28 meeting of the county commissioners.

Hall said the proposed project was estimated to cost about $25 million; but the bid has been awarded – coming in at about $22 million and is scheduled to begin in the spring of next year. The project calls for a full depth reclamation of the road from the New York state line to the Wyoming County line.

The project, Hall said, happened after PennDOT officials from Harrisburg and the regional office in Dunmore toured county roads earlier this year and determined that the work done to SR 29 two years ago was failing.

Hall said the work the state has committed to on that road will free up a lot of local maintenance dollars which will allow for more work to be done by local PennDOT crews around the county.

“This happens by the community getting involved,” Hall said, and thanked the public for their phone calls to PennDOT officials about the road conditions in the county. He also thanked his fellow commissioners, as well as PennDOT officials for their help.

Hall also spoke about the drug fentanyl, and the emerging trend identified by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of “rainbow fentanyl.”

According to the DEA: “…this trend appears to be a new method used by drug cartels to sell highly addictive and potentially deadly fentanyl made to look like candy to children and young people.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the DEA. Two milligrams – equal to 10-15 grains of table salt – is considered a lethal dose.

Hall expressed concern about the drug with Halloween coming up, and asked for vigilance. He noted that fentanyl is responsible for 300 deaths per day – or 110,000 per year.

Commissioner Judy Herschel said the Susquehanna County Recovery Alliance has planned an educational billboard campaign, beginning this month with the “One Pill Can Kill – Deadly Fentanyl is Everywhere.”

According to the Recovery Allliance website, toxicology tests have shown the presence of fentanyl in nearly all overdose deaths in the past two years in northeastern Pennsylvania.

The commissioners approved the transfer of Vincent Chiaramonte from the position of Deputy Warden to Prison Warden/Outreach Support, effective Sept. 28.

Chiaramonte replaces Acting Warden Mark Shelp, who temporarily came out of retirement to fill the post earlier this year.

The commissioners also approved:

*purchase of two, 20-yard roll-off containers for Recycling Center, at a cost of $16,150, with $14,55 paid with 902 grant funding;

*purchase of a 2022 Tahoe 9C1 patrol vehicle for the district attorney’s office, at a cost of $64,666.12, paid with DUI funds and Act 13 revenue;

*entered a professional services agreement with Dr. David Palmiter for record review, competency review and court appearance service for Children and Youth Services, effective Sept. 14-Aug. 30, 2023;

*approved Susquehanna County Planning Commission schedule of fees, effective Oct. 1.

October was proclaimed Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Susquehanna County.

The commissioners also proclaimed Oct. 2-8 as Mental Illness Awareness Week in Susquehanna County.