Luzerne County Election Board meeting sees heated exchange

Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo did not hold back Wednesday night when county Election Board member Alyssa Fusaro asked the county’s election director and deputy director which worker was responsible for handling data that did not correctly synchronize.

Crocamo said an assessment is being performed to figure out why data did not match up in some Wilkes-Barre precincts, causing 1,557 voters to receive a mail ballot from the wrong ward.

“I will not allow anyone — anyone — to cross examine and abuse my staff. I want to be clear about that. That ends today,” Crocamo said.

“My staff gets death threats. Do you understand that? If anything happens to my staff, I will hold you personally responsible. You will not mistreat my staff. I am responsible from beginning to end of what happens in this county,” the manager added.

Fusaro told Crocamo the board gets blamed for election mistakes and yelled at during its public meetings, such as for last year’s election paper shortage, which did not occur while Crocamo was a manager.

“When I ask who is responsible, it’s not to hurt anybody or to cause problems,” Fusaro replied. “What it is, it’s to allow the public to know I care that a mistake was made and that I will try to get to the bottom of it because they don’t have trust in the bureau or board anymore. They don’t. They are done. They are tired of the mistakes, as are we.”

“Walk a day in my shoes,” Crocamo told Fusaro, and Fusaro said she knows Crocamo goes through hell.

Crocamo reiterated her staff receives death threats.

“Are you going to be held accountable for my death threats as well, because I’ve gotten plenty as well,” Fusaro said.

Board Chairwoman Denise Williams moved the discussion to another topic, but the exchange resumed when the board came to Fusaro’s requested discussion about transparency between the county administration and election board.

Fusaro said she believes the board should be informed about major issues before the media, saying she learned through the media that some secrecy envelopes were missed.

“We’re the Board of Elections. We’re oversight, supposedly. That’s what we’ve been told. I don’t know anymore,” Fusaro said.

Crocamo said she goes to great lengths to be transparent with the board — beyond efforts by any of her predecessors — with weekly election updates and other invitations to participate in the election preparation process.

She said she notifies the board, council and the media when there is an issue and how it will be addressed.

“I stand by how I handled the issues and how my staff handled these issues during this election, and you should be thanking them,” Crocamo said.

Williams said the “elephant in the room” is that bureau leadership and the county administration are always “under the microscope,” and elections are tense here and throughout the nation. The election board also receives its “fair share” of criticism, she said.

“I think it’s a bit of a frustration over what all of us go through in elections,” Williams said.

Board Vice Chairman James Mangan told Crocamo he appreciates the weekly updates and other explanation and her attendance at board meetings.

“You have your finger on the pulse of everything that’s going on,” Mangan said, noting he also has received threats.

Board member Audrey Serniak concurred with Mangan’s comments and said she prefers the bureau concentrate on resolving issues and then report both the problem and solution to the board. She noted she has never received a death threat.

Williams said she is often singled out with calls to resign when there is an election situation. She said she is fine with the bureau first addressing issues and following up with an email summary rather than engaging in multiple emails and discussions with the board while an issue is unfolding.

In closing, Fusaro said she appreciates Crocamo and did not intend to appear disrespectful or offend her.

“My concern is that I will go home at night and have messages with threats because we didn’t get to the bottom of certain things,” Fusaro said. “I try my best, and that’s what you’re watching, me trying my best.”