The Schuylkill County commissioners are continuing their quest for information about the immigrant detention center proposed for Tremont Township.

At their weekly meeting Wednesday morning, commissioner Chairman Larry Padora provided an update about the facility, proposed for the 1-million-square-foot former Big Lots warehouse.

Another facility is proposed at a warehouse in Upper Bern Township, Berks County.

In a meeting on Monday were commissioners from Schuylkill and Berks counties; a Schuylkill County solicitor; Tremont Township supervisors and their solicitor; superintendents from Pine Grove Area and Hamburg Area school districts; state representatives from Schuylkill County; state Sen. David Argall; U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser; and a representative of U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick.

“We had a meeting with DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement),” Padora said.

“We have a lot of concerns we have to get information on. They have our letters. They have our concerns, and they’re getting us more information,”

He added, “We told them about all of our concerns. We are working on having direct contact with DHS.”

Padora said the commissioners are particularly interested in how water and sewer service was going to be provided to the building, which is supposed to house 7,500 detainees at one time. Tremont Township has 300 residents, so the water and sewer systems aren’t designed to handle more.

The commissioners are also looking for answers on the impact of Tremont Township losing approximately $200,000 in annual property tax revenue – since federal government ownership will make the property tax-free — and what kind of inspection program will be set up for the facility.

“The facility is expected to open in the spring,” Padora said. “They will need 1 million gallons of water per day to operate it. If they bring it in tanker trucks, they only hold 4,000 gallons each. That means a lot of truck traffic. They cannot use Route 209.”

Padora also said the federal government has money set aside to develop the center and the other proposed in Berks County.

“They have set aside $36 billion for these centers,” Padora said.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the commissioners voted to appoint five members to the Schuylkill County Redevelopment Authority: Joseph Palubinsky, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2026; County Administrator Gary Bender, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2027; Clyde Holman, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2028; Vince Wychulis, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2029; and Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation President Frank Zukas, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2030.