Romilda Crocamo has busy first day as Luzerne County’s top manager

Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo had a busy first day on the job Thursday.

“I’m very excited. There’s a lot to do, but we’re going to take it one step at a time. We’ll get there,” Crocamo said.

A West Hazleton resident, Crocamo was hired for the position May 9. She is already familiar with the inner workings of county government from more than a decade of prior employment as a court staffer, county division head and acting county manager.

Her first visit Thursday was with county Controller Walter Griffith.

“I had a very productive conversation with him and met his staff. I look forward to working with them,” she said.

Crocamo then met with three division heads — county Chief Solicitor Harry W. Skene, Budget/Finance Division Head Brian Swetz and Administrative Services Division Head Jennifer Pecora.

Swetz had stepped away from his division head position to serve as acting manager when prior county manager Randy Robertson ended work here in November.

“They gave me some updates and insights as to the state of the county,” Crocamo said of the three.

She then visited the human resources department to obtain a briefing on pending personnel issues from staff, including Jessica Beishline, who was promoted to the HR director position in April.

Overall, Crocamo said she is identifying and prioritizing matters that must be addressed immediately and those that will require further research and assessment.

Starting Friday, she will be meeting individually with division heads and reviewing reports she had requested from them before taking the position.

Her request included information on the top three challenges their departments are facing and what is currently being done to address them.

She also asked about staffing, upcoming deadlines, existing projects and measurements of success, among other items.

Crocamo also candidly indicated she wants to be informed of any “red flags” in their departments.

She expects her one-on-one sessions with division heads should be completed next week.

The new manager said she already has accumulated extensive information and will be reviewing all audits completed by the controller’s office last year.

“I have a lot of reading to do,” she said.

She isn’t daunted.

“I love jigsaw puzzles and fitting the right pieces together, and that is what it’s like. I have to fit the right pieces together.”