Funds arrive for ’06 buyout

BY MICHAEL J. RUDOLF

Wyoming County Press Examiner

TUNKHANNOCK - Money to buy out several homes damaged in the June 2006 flood is finally available, the Wyoming County commissioners learned Tuesday.

 County emergency management director Gene Dziak told the commissioners that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has come through with funding to take over five of the 11 eligible properties in the county.

According to Dziak, the property owners will be paid a fair market price based on each property's pre-flood value.

Dziak expects FEMA funds to obtain the remaining six properties to come later this summer.

Once the sites are purchased, they will be turned over to the municipalities. No building on any of the sites will be permitted in the future, Dziak explained.

In order to get the buyout procedure down, Dziak said the county emergency management agency will begin the process with a single home on the list in Meshoppen Township.

A flood-damaged building on the site must be torn down once the land is acquired. Because the demolition cost is expected to be less than $10,000, Dziak said it may be able to be done without going through the bidding process. He said he plans to obtain three quotes from area contractors and bring the prices back to the commissioners.

The next four properties on the list are all in Monroe Township. Dziak said these will likely be acquired as a group. As such, the demolition costs will probably be higher, requiring the commissioners to seek bids.

Dziak emphasized that when the next round of FEMA money comes through, flood-damaged properties in Nicholson Borough will be on top of the list for acquisition.

In another matter, the commissioners said there is a problem with people depositing household garbage at the county recycling center.

They read a report from recycling director Mike Rogers stating that the excess material is increasing the cost and taking up time of recycling center workers. The commissioners said if the problem continues, they would consider video surveillance of the center and prosecution of offenders.

The commissioners also agreed to purchase two four-wheel drive vehicles for the Nurse Family Partnership Program to do home visitations. The vehicles will cost just over $17,000 each, with the low bid coming from Tunkhannock Auto Mart.