Schuylkill County has entered into an agreement with Northumberland County in what could eventually be enhanced emergency response services for both counties.

At their weekly meeting Wednesday, the commissioners voted unanimously to execute a memorandum of understanding with Northumberland County to establish a collaborative framework between the two counties for the shared operation and management of 9-1-1 calls.

Schuylkill County 9-1-1 Center Director Scott Krater called the move “a first step.”

Commissioner Gary J. Hess said the move will spark a study to determine if combining the two counties’ 9-1-1 systems would save money.

“We need to start consolidating services to save money,” Hess said.

Commissioners Chairman Larry Padora pointed out one of the reasons the commissioners had to raise property taxes for 2025 is that the state forced the county to take on 100% of the responsibility for the county’s 9-1-1 center to the tune of $2.4 million.

“We are trying to think outside the box,” Padora said. “If we could consolidate emergency response, it could be a cost savings to both counties. Eventually, the state is going to force consolidation in other areas. We’re just trying to get a jump on it.”

County solicitor Paul Datte said the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is involved in the process.

Northumberland County Commissioner Sam Schiccatano said Tuesday after that board of commissioners approved the study that Northumberland County previously worked with Montour and Columbia counties on similar studies. Schiccatano said each county’s 9-1-1 center will continue to operate independently until the study is complete, which Schiccatano said could take several months.

LERTA approved

The Schuylkill commissioners also approved a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program for a 7-acre tract of land in East Union Township that is part of a larger piece of land in Hazle Township in the Humboldt Industrial Park for a project.

Frank Zukas, president of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corp., said Hazle Township and the Hazleton Area School District had already approved LERTA for the project.

Joe Lettiere, president of CAN DO Inc., the Hazleton area’s economic development organization, said the project is being undertaken by Mericle Commercial Real Estate, a developer who has built several speculative industrial buildings in the Humboldt park and the Hazleton area over the years.

LERTA is a program where property taxes are phased in over a period of years as an incentive to develop undeveloped land.