Luzerne County receives one proposal for prison inmate medical contract

WellPath LLC was the only company that submitted a proposal for Luzerne County prison inmate medical services, records show.

Council had voted in June to extend the medical provider contract with WellPath for six more months to allow time to publicly seek and vet all providers interested in the work.

Vendor responses were due Aug. 25, according to the request, which was 61 pages, not including addendums.

WellPath’s proposal is $4.5 million for 2024, $4.7 million for 2025 and $4.9 million for 2026, records show.

The administration is reviewing the company’s submission.

New hires

Twenty-three county government employees were hired in August, according to the newly released monthly personnel report.

Eight were hired at the county prison — Stephen Morrissey, lieutenant, at $30.29 per hour, and the following correctional officers at $17.27 per hour: Nicholas Biniek, Chad Creasing, Shannon Froncek, Joslin Licata, Hyland Muckle, Tony Place and Sabryna Ryan.

Seven are in human services departments. These employees, along with their positions and hourly pay: Erin Bennett, Aging Agency care manager, $20.56; Brielle Diaz and Ryder Milia, Children and Youth clerk typists, $14.57; Priscilla Hernandez, Mental Health/Developmental Services clerk typist, $16.92; Nicholas Kopko, Children and Youth caseworker, $20.30; Lisa O’Brien, Children and Youth caseworker 2, $22.64; and Lawrence Pierce, Aging Agency part-time clerk, $14.05.

The remaining new workers: Zachary Gera, Colby Harrison, Dennis McKeown and Mark Regan, deputy sheriffs, $15.81; Aleksa Malys, coroner field investigator/autopsy assistant, $16.90; Maria McCuskey, assistant district attorney, $35.80; Thomasyna Miskewicz, public defender clerk, $15.85; and Lucius Smith, building/grounds custodial worker, $13.24.

Departures

Five workers retired in August, the report said: Marie Baratta, drug/alcohol administrative assistant; Pamela Kolmansperger, district attorney’s office clerk; Douglas Rush and Michael M. Saracino III, correctional officers; and Dorraine Andes, Aging Agency administrative officer.

There were 12 resignations during the month: corrections officer Francis Chalker; 911 telecommunicators Brianna Corra and Anthony DeRosa; 911 part-time executive administrative assistant Megan Felsman; deputy sheriff Samantha Harris; prothonotary clerks John Jordan and Kimberly Taddei; prison captain Patrick Kane; 911 part-time call-taker Bradley Keen; Children and Youth caseworker supervisor Rebecca Payne; district attorney part-time airport police officer Kenneth Salvo; and budget/finance division head Brian Swetz.

One termination was listed — MH/DS program specialist Amanda Everit.

Transfers

Thirteen workers changed positions through internal merit hiring, the report said.

These employees, along with their new positions and hourly compensation: Enid Alonso, prothonotary clerk, $15.85; Philip Bonczewski III, prison desk sergeant, $33.57; David Capobianco, sheriff sergeant, $26.35; Emily Cook, election deputy director, $25.64; Jason Fierman and Todd Hrivnak, prison corporals, $33.23; Mary Jones, Aging Agency senior center operator, $17.49; James Leary, prison corrections officer, $32.02; Carly Levandoski and Daniel Mulhern, district attorney division chiefs, $36.92; Andrew Mesaris, information technology director, $44.87; Skyler Rohwedder, Children and Youth caseworker 2, $22.64; and Marc Welch, 911 telecommunicator, $18.15.

Statue restoration

The county received one bid to restore the Ellen Webster Palmer statue that once stood on the county courthouse lawn, county records show.

Palmer established the Boys’ Industrial Association in Wilkes-Barre in the 1890s to educate and provide social activities for working children, spending her nights teaching breaker boys after they labored at coal mines during the day.

The 1,200-pound marble statute, which depicts Palmer flanked by a breaker boy and young miner, has significant damage caused by weather, acid rain exposure, vandalism and other factors, officials said. It was moved off site around 2007.

The Baut Studios Inc. in Swoyersville submitted the lone bid to complete all requested work for $47,130, which would include cleaning/sealing, replacing damaged/missing facial features, resetting the heads, filling major fractures and returning the statue to the county.

The administration may request payment of the project with the county’s Act 13 natural-gas recreation funding.