Luzerne County custodian honored

Instead of working outside Luzerne County Council’s meeting room with his cleaning supplies as usual last week, courthouse building and grounds worker Harry Green shyly sat in the front row to receive a proclamation congratulating him on his retirement in June.

He has been employed as a county custodial worker since June 1995.

The proclamation, read by council Chairwoman Kendra Vough, said Green can always be found “taking great care of our courthouse and greeting visitors, employees, staff, and council members with a smile.”

“Mr. Green’s service to the county is appreciated, and his warm, friendly demeanor will be greatly missed,” the proclamation said, wishing him “good health and happiness as he moves on to a new chapter of his life.”

Green and his wife, Gloria, have a son and three grandchildren. He received a round of applause from everyone in the room.

Prison contract

Council had unanimously voted earlier this month to extend its prison inmate medical provider contract from the original May 14 expiration until the end of June so the county had time to seek proposals in case other entities are interested in the work.

Larry Doll, a representative of the current provider, WellPath LLC, said his company welcomes a competitive search but cautioned council last week the process will take months because the county has to draft a fresh request for proposals incorporating changing needs, allow prospective vendors to tour the facility and submit questions and assess the responses.

Remaining on a month-to-month contract indefinitely creates challenges in recruiting and retaining staff, he said. Instead, Doll proposed council extend WellPath’s agreement through the end of the year and set a Jan. 1, 2024 start date for the chosen entity.

The provider must supply a range of medical and mental health services and personnel, including prescription and nonprescription drugs and emergency ambulance transport for an average daily 550 to 560 inmates at the Water Street prison and nearby minimum offenders building on Reichard Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Doll said his company had agreed to the extension through June to be a good partner and said he respects the county’s push to continue providing quality mental health and medical services to inmates.

“The mental health crisis in America has certainly affected every county detention facility. These facilities have become the de facto mental health hospitals in America. There’s a rising severity of medical conditions of detainees,” Doll said.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo, who started work Thursday, said she will be working with the county law office and correctional services division in crafting a comprehensive request for proposals and said completion of that document is a high priority.

Council is not set to meet again until June 13 to address how it will proceed with WellPath’s current contract.

Homestead

Several council members said they’d like to restore the county’s homestead tax break, but the challenge, as before, would be figuring out how to come up with approximately $5 million annually to fund it.

Councilman Stephen J. Urban had suggested the idea by email several days before last week’s primary election and promptly broadcast his email request on social media in his campaign for a Republican council primary election nomination.

Council had halted the county-funded homestead tax break for owner-occupied residences in 2015 to help avoid a tax hike.

During last week’s work session, Councilman Gregory S. Wolovich Jr., who had worked exhaustively to find cuts in this year’s budget, questioned where council would come up with $5 million each year.

“We barely made the budget work this time,” Vough said in agreement, noting it would be “counterintuitive” to raise taxes on all property owners to restore an exclusion for some.

Councilman Kevin Lescavage suggested council entertain the homestead idea after all debt is repaid.

Councilman Brian Thornton concurred, saying the county will have an additional $26 million annually freed up after the debt is repaid in 2030. Providing a nominal break now would put an “enormous strain on the budget” he said.