Primary election write-in steps emphasized

Because some May 16 primary election races are attracting write-in votes, Luzerne County’s Election Bureau is reminding voters they must both legibly write the name and blacken the oval beside that line on their ballot.

The bureau is concerned some voters will forget the second step of shading in the oval, even though the procedure is stated on the ballot.

This rule applies to all voters because paper ballots will be used for both mail voters and those at the polls on Election Day.

Write-in votes will determine nominees in the Hanover Area School Board race because no candidates appear on the ballot for five open seats. Candidate Brian C. McDermott said he and four teammates — Paul Holmgren, Jacob S. Hyder, Michael D. Mazur and Matthew Redick — sent mailers to more than 270 households explaining the write-in procedures and have prepared instruction cards for voters at the polls.

Mail ballots

Mail ballots were sent last week to more than 19,500 voters who requested them to date, the election bureau said.

Four drop box locations are available for mail ballot voters choosing that option:

• Penn Place, 20 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Wilkes-Barre, main lobby and second floor election bureau, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Misericordia University, Passan Hall, 100 Lake St., Dallas, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m./weekends 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Broad Street Exchange Building, 100 W. Broad St., Hazleton, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Wright Manor, main lobby, 460 South Main Rd., Mountain Top, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m./weekends, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Registration deadline

Today is the deadline for residents interested in registering to vote in the primary.

Instructions are available on the county’s election bureau page at luzernecounty.org.

Election Board

The county’s five-citizen election board will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre, with instructions for remote attendance posted under council’s authorities/boards/commissions online meeting link at luzernecounty.org.

Audit

Council’s Budget, Finance and Audit Committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the courthouse, with online attendance instructions available under council’s online public meeting section.

The committee is set to discuss progress completing the county’s 2022 audit, which is due June 30 under the county’s home rule charter.

Manager search

Council will publicly interview the three top manager finalists at 5 p.m. Thursday at the courthouse.

The finalists are prior county acting manager and chief solicitor Romilda Crocamo, county 911 Executive Director Fred Rosencrans and county Engineer William McIntosh, who oversees county buildings and grounds.

Seven of 11 council votes are required to hire the manager, and council may vote on the hiring at its next regularly scheduled meeting May 9.

Weight limit

Council unanimously voted last week to approve an ordinance allowing weight limits on county-owned roads, starting with Honey Hole Road in Butler Township. If the plan is approved by the state, companies that want to regularly use the road for repeated heavy truck traffic would have to obtain a permit and put up money to help compensate the county for damage, officials said.

Sheriff funding

A council majority agreed to amend the county’s capital budget to earmark $357,111 for the sheriff’s department to purchase Tasers, soft body armor and rifle plates and make upgrades involving magnetic door locking systems at county facilities. County council had cut county Sheriff Brian Szumski’s funding request to cover the expenses in the 2023 general fund operating budget in December, promising to find other funding sources.

County Acting Manager Brian Swetz has said the capital fund contains approximately $2 million not earmarked for projects.

American Rescue

Council tabled a vote last week on the administration’s request to keep the county’s American Rescue Plan consultant at a cost of up to $908,392 for three more years.

Council had unanimously voted last June to hire Columbia, Maryland-based Booth Management Consulting for up to $350,000 to provide guidance for one year on American Rescue eligibility screening and funding administration.

The county budget/finance division said Booth is nearing completion of its first year and recommended retaining the company for continuity in processing recently awarded grants to ensure all federal compliance requirements are met.

To date, council has approved 145 American Rescue allocations, including internal ones.