Luzerne County added 13 workers in March

Luzerne County government added 13 workers in March and lost 23, according to the new monthly personnel report.

Five of the new workers are in Children and Youth. Lisa Jones and Christopher Perez were hired as caseworker 1s at $20.30 per hour. Katherine DeLuca and Marie Kreischer are working as social service aides at $16.66 per hour, and Celia Pambianco is employed as a caseworker 2 at $22.64 per hour.

The other employees added, along with their positions and hourly compensation: Aliyah Benjamin, district attorney administrative assistant, $19.66; James Elliott, part-time assistant public defender, $40.91; William Haskell, building/grounds custodial worker, $13.24; Cross Hunt, Shianne Kudrako and Jocelyn Williams, 911 telecommunicators, $18.15; Paige Quick, public defender clerk/stenographer, $15.85; and Mary Theresa Zigler, Aging Agency care manager 2, $20.56.

Departures

Seven workers retired in March: Sharon Hayward, Aging Agency clerk; Patricia Bonham, part-time tourism fulfillment coordinator; Michael Chudoba, prison corrections officer; Jean-Mary Noss, Mental Health/Developmental Services program specialist; Barbara Radzwilla, MH/DS accountant; Catherine Winifred Serfass, MH/DS fiscal technician; and Jean Smith, part-time Aging Agency clerk.

Thirteen employees resigned: Frank Brynok, MH/DS fiscal technician; Carrie Adams, Kyleen Thomas and Traci Fritz, Children and Youth caseworker 2s; Shannon Holohan, 911 telecommunicator specialist; Patrick Joyce and Nicholas Sandri, deputy sheriffs; Barrie Kepp, prison nurse; Laura Laubauskas, building/grounds mailroom clerk; Ronald Maloney, prison minimal offenders unit corrections officer 2; Meghan Mietlicki, Children and Youth caseworker 1; Phillip Richards, prison corrections officer; and Mary Stein, prison lieutenant.

Three terminations were listed: deputy sheriff Yefry Rodriguez, Aging Agency clerk/typist Krystal Shaw and 911 telecommunicator Courtney Slapo.

Promotions

Two employees changed positions through the internal merit hiring process, the report said.

Lisa Barancho now works as a legal assistant 1 in Children and Youth at $17.18 per hour. James Wilbur is the new correctional services division head, at $41.82 per hour.

DA grant

The county District Attorney’s Office will be receiving a $444,038 Gun Violence Prosecution Initiative Grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, according to Tuesday’s council work session agenda.

Council will discuss a budget amendment ordinance accepting the funding.

Election bid

The county’s election bureau is swiftly seeking bids for conference room furniture due to a change in the room that will be used to process mail ballots and hold the election board adjudication process for the May 16 primary, officials said.

The election bureau told the board last week it must switch to another location inside the county’s Penn Place Building in downtown Wilkes-Barre because the sheriff’s department is now occupying a former courtroom previously used for election processing.

According to the bid, the county will require 25 new conference tables, 50 new stacking conference chairs and 10 chair dollies.

The selected company must assemble and install the furniture and deliver it as soon as possible, the solicitation said.

Proposals are due April 17, according to the posting on the purchasing page at luzernecounty.org.