The City of Williamsport has helped those seeking residential, industrial and commercial tax abatements find an easier and more efficient pathway.

Council passed two ordinances repealing and reenacting residential local economic real estate tax abatement (LERTA) for residential and for industrial and commercial.

There are numerous ways the city has made it more efficient and easier to obtain the tax abatement on the improvement of properties. The LERTA updates were presented by Valerie Fessler, executive director of the city Department of Community and Economic Development.

Such LERTAs were approved for the recent Maynard Street Commons Wawa and Chick-fil-A as examples of commercial LERTAs.

The city is hoping the residential LERTA also will entice developers and owners of properties to see the economic benefits of the tax abatement for 10 years, each year on a sliding scale.

Details are available at the Bureau of Codes and more information about the LERTA can be found on the city website. The Sun-Gazette wrote an extensive story listing all of the details about a prior council meeting.

In other actions, the council passed a resolution approving financing by the Redevelopment Authority of Lackawanna County. This is concerning St. John Neumann’s window replacement and other improvements through the Diocese of Scranton. Bond counsel Brian P. Koscelansky was on a Zoom call to give the council the update and reason. The Diocese has 12 other facilities it is investing in and the approval was needed to cover tax code requirements with no debt to the city.

Council approved a trail easement agreement for the Susquehanna River Walk Trail Extension project. Bill Scott, city engineer, explained how this corrected a previous alignment on Berger Alley, and was needed as Lycoming County seeks future grants for the project.

Councilman Eric Beiter, vice president, asked Scott if this had anything to do with houses razed along West Fourth Street. This alignment is behind the Domino’s off Third Street and Scott did not believe it had any correlation to the tear downs on West Fourth Street but agreed to confirm that with Beiter and council.

Council approved a resolution awarding construction services for the 2025 Streets Paving Project to Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. for a contract after a bid of $1.3 million. HRI Inc. was only $39,000 higher. It is for 20 streets.

Scott listed off several streets, roads and avenues but there may be additions: Selkirk, Packer, Dove, Maynard under 180, Upland Road, Almond, Logue, Maxwell Place, Fifth, Laurel, William, Lyons, Chestnut, Sherman, Blaine, Newcomer and Hammond Place. The project is paid for by liquid fuels funds.

Councilwoman Bonnie Katz, chair of the public works committee, asked if the streets could be posted on the city website.

Council passed a resolution awarding construction services for the Bowman Field Outfield Wall Replacement Project to WG Land Co. The contract is for $574,000 with foul poles provided to the city by Major League Baseball. The project is covered through a state Department of Community and Economic Sports Marketing Tourism Grant.

Council approved a resolution authorizing an agreement between the Williamsport Bureau of Fire & H&P Construction for a ceiling tile project. The contract is $41,355 and the city will use a state Municipal Fire Department Capital Grant it received earlier this year.

The next regularly scheduled council meeting will be. Sept. 18.