Luzerne County Council preparing for outside board appointments

New applicants for Luzerne County authorities, boards and commissions will be publicly interviewed Thursday, although it’s unclear if council will act on filling any seats in its final scheduled meeting of the year on Dec. 12.

Sometimes such decisions are deferred to the new year after council elections, and five newly elected council members are set to take office in 2024. However, council did proceed with board appointments in December 2013 and 2015, past agendas show.

Thursday’s interview session is scheduled at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for remote attendance will be posted under council’s online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.

Applicants must be publicly interviewed to be eligible for appointment.

Some seats will become vacant in the beginning of 2024 due to terms that expire the end of this year, including two on the five-member county election board and five on the 15-member board of trustees that oversees the Luzerne County Community College.

The election board seats must be filled by one Democrat and one Republican. Current board member Audrey Serniak, who serves in the Democratic seat that expires the end of this year, has said she is seeking reappointment. No Democrats are currently on the eligibility list.

Board Vice Chairman James Mangan’s term also expires the end of this year, but he had said he would not be interested in remaining on the board in 2024. Mangan is in a Republican seat. Republicans Roxanne Arreguin and Vivian Kreidler-Licina are on the eligibility list due to past public interviews.

Council appoints two Democrats and two Republicans, and those four select the fifth seat, with that person serving as chairperson.

The four community college trustee seats expiring the end of this year are currently filled by Joseph Lettiere, James Dennis, Bernard Graham and Attorney Catherine O’Donnell, the county’s website says.

Applications and the most recent eligibility list are posted on council’s Authorities/Boards/Commissions section at luzernecounty.org. Following past practice, this list will be updated when the latest applicants are interviewed and screened Thursday.

Tree lighting

The public is invited to the official courthouse holiday tree-lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. Monday evening (Dec. 4).

After opening remarks from county Manager Romilda Crocamo, there will be a musical performance by The County Controller Four and dancing by Tracey’s Academy of Dance.

Kali and Jade Dalessandro will light the tree.

The Wyoming Valley West Middle School Spartan Singers also will perform.

Council meeting

Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the courthouse.

The agenda includes a vote on a tax break request that would help complete a retail/entertainment project at the former county Valley Crest nursing home site in Plains Township.

No vote is scheduled on a proposed $3 million allocation for a hotel/convention center project at the former Hotel Sterling site on the corner of River and Market streets in Wilkes-Barre.

H&N Investment had requested the funding toward its $36.36 million project to construct a Gateway Hyatt Place Hotel and Conference Center. Project representatives Stephen Barrouk and Sam Syla had asked council to table a decision last week so H&N would have more time to establish a “set of conditions” requested by the county.

Blood drive

The county has collaborated with the Red Cross to host a blood drive in the county courthouse rotunda from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 6).

”A single donation of blood goes a long way — it can impact the lives of three different people — and Luzerne County is expected to experience critical shortage this holiday season,” Crocamo said in the announcement.

She challenged county employees to “roll up your sleeves and give generously.”

Grant award

The county planning/zoning department has received an $80,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Award.

County Planning/Zoning Executive Director Matthew Jones said the grant will cover the cost of a consultant the county must hire to complete a new county hazard mitigation plan and publish it by FEMA’s Sept. 7, 2025 deadline.

This plan is required for county municipalities to remain eligible for FEMA grants through 2030, Jones said.

”It will help us collaborate with local leaders to reassess the threats we face from flooding, winter storms, drought, disease, nuclear disasters and the declining structural integrity of dams,” Jones said in an email informing Crocamo of the award.

Planning/Zoning staff time managing the project the next two years will count as the 25% required match of $25,000, he said. FEMA and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency have agreed to reimburse the county $5,000 for additional staff hours, and the remaining $75,000 will reimburse the county for its consultant, Jones said.