Luzerne County Council approves tax sale registration fee, manager raise

In the final meeting of 2023, Luzerne County Council approved a new tax sale registration fee and a raise for county Manager Romilda Crocamo but deferred a requested federal American Rescue Plan funding increase for a West Hazleton bridge project.

The $50 tax sale fee is authorized by 2021 state legislation, and fees have been implemented in several other surrounding counties, officials said.

Councilwoman LeeAnn McDermott had said tax-claim operator Elite Revenue Solutions LLC informed her tax sales are “really getting crowded” due to bidders bringing other people not participating in the sales. A fee could discourage non-bidders from taking up seats on the auction floor at the King’s College Scandlon Physical Education Center in Wilkes-Barre, McDermott had said.

The county will keep revenue from the fee, and the $50 payment will be credited toward purchases if bidders buy properties, officials said.

Manager compensation

Council hired Crocamo in May at a compensation of $160,000, and her offer letter had said “any increase in salary shall be merit based and in the sole discretion of county council.”

Crocamo did not seek an increase. Council chose to raise her compensation to $175,000 starting Jan. 1 after conducting an evaluation of her performance to date, which “proved to be positive,” the agenda said, noting the increase was budgeted for 2024.

Prior county manager Randy Robertson had received an annual compensation of $181,500.

Eight of the nine council members in attendance Tuesday approved the increase: Carl Bienias III, Kevin Lescavage, John Lombardo, Tim McGinley, Matthew Mitchell, Brian Thornton, Kendra Vough and Gregory S. Wolovich Jr. Council members McDermott and Chris Perry were absent. Councilman Stephen J. Urban abstained, saying he did not believe a raise should be considered before a year of employment.

Wilkes-Barre resident Sam Troy criticized the raise during public comment, saying it may be deserved but cannot be justified when people in the county are facing financial hardships, particularly the elderly.

Vough said she does not normally rebut public comment but had to respond to Troy.

She said Crocamo “fixed the mess” left by a predecessor who was “not managing the county and was given a bloated salary still a lot higher than the rate given to Crocamo.”

Vough cited Crocamo’s proposed 2024 budget that covered cost increases without raising real estate taxes.

“She’s running this county. She’s the one that needs to be at the helm of this ship,” Vough said.

Lescavage said he echoed Vough’s response and believes people deserve a raise when they do a good job.

Thornton described Troy’s logic and reasoning as “deeply flawed” because it would mean no government workers anywhere would receive a raise due to the existence of impoverished people everywhere.

McGinley said the manager is a critical position to the success of home rule, and Crocamo is the right person because she has a solid plan and is implementing it.

West Hazleton bridge

Thornton proposed deleting a vote on the West Hazleton bridge allocation, saying there are too many outstanding questions and that it should be decided by the reorganized council in 2024.

Council had earmarked $850,000 in American Rescue funds toward rehabilitation of the Jaycee Drive Bridge over Black Creek.

West Hazleton has requested an additional $675,000 because it was determined during initial excavation that the south bridge abutment cannot be saved due to reinforcing bars that are “totally corroded,” the agenda said. The borough does not have additional funds to proceed with the project, it said.

Closure of the bridge due to deterioration has forced detours through a residential neighborhood and limited access to 50 businesses employing 2,500, creating concerns if there is a fire or chemical spill, borough officials have said.

The county has approximately $3.75 million in American Rescue funding not earmarked for projects, which includes $2.35 million in interest earnings, according to county Budget/Finance Division Head Mary Roselle.