Luzerne County Council confirms one new division head, tied on the other due to pay

Luzerne County Council confirmed the hiring of Joseph Yeager as the new chief public defender Tuesday but did not approve Jennifer Pecora’s appointment as operational services division head due to a tie over the compensation.

A 5-5 tie was possible because the eleventh council member — Gregory S. Wolovich Jr. — was absent.

Under the county’s home rule charter, council must confirm nominees for the eight division head positions for those hirings to take effect.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo recommended Pecora’s hiring at $110,000, saying Pecora has the organizational and management skills to streamline expenses and comply with Crocamo’s directive that real estate tax increases cannot be used “as a default.”

Crocamo predicted council would say Pecora is “worth every single penny” when they are briefed at the end of the year on the savings Pecora achieves through efficiencies.

But Councilman Harry Haas pointed out the operational division head’s salary had been budgeted at $98,800 for 2024. Factoring in a merit raise, he proposed an amendment to approve the confirmation at a salary of $101,250.

Crocamo said other funds are available within that division to cover the increase to $110,000.

Haas said he supports the selection of Pecora but believes it “sets a bad precedent” to deviate from the budget and change the compensation midstream.

Council Chairman John Lombardo said the division’s overall expenses would still remain within the budget set by council.

Council Vice Chairman Brian Thornton said the manager negotiated the compensation with Pecora, and a change by council could cause Pecora to decline the position. Thornton also criticized the efforts to “renegotiate the salary in public” and argued council would be “going down a slippery slope” in micromanaging the county manager. He noted the county was “off the rails” before council hired Crocamo.

County Chief Solicitor Harry W. Skene also cautioned the county’s home rule government eliminated a “salary board” in which elected officials made position-by-position decisions on compensation.

Haas said he believes he made a mistake by not discussing his compensation concerns in advance but maintained a vote to reduce the salary is the “right role” for council because the legislative body “holds the purse strings.”

Councilman Jimmy Sabatino suggested tabling a decision, but that proposal was stalled in a tie.

Voting yes to table were Haas, Sabatino, Joanna Bryn Smith, Brittany Stephenson and Patty Krushnowski.

The five voting against tabling: Thornton, Lombardo, Chris Perry, Kevin Lescavage and LeeAnn McDermott.

Haas then made a motion to amend Pecora’s compensation to $105,000, or the same amount paid to Yeager as chief public defender, but there was no second.

Council proceeded with a vote on the original $110,000, resulting in a tie. The five who had wanted to table a decision ended up rejecting Pecora’s confirmation at the requested compensation, while the other five supported it.

Sabatino said he was “forced to agree with Haas and vote no.”

Smith said she thinks Pecora is doing a great job but does not agree with the compensation.

Lombardo voiced a “resounding yes” to Pecora’s confirmation.

Thornton said he had voted against the confirmation of Pecora for administrative services division head last year and has changed his opinion of her performance “180 degrees,” voting yes.

Pecora said after the meeting she will “continue to do her best.”

“I know that it is not personal, and I respect council and its decision,” she said.

It’s possible council could vote again when all 11 members are in attendance.

“I have the utmost confidence in Jennifer Pecora, and she’s the right person for the job,” Crocamo said after the meeting. “She deserves every penny that was offered.”

Pecora started her county employment in August 2022, when she was hired as the administrative services division head. She previously worked as the Butler Township manager for four years. Pecora stepped away from her position as administrative services division head to serve as interim operational services head after Greg Kurtz resigned in December.

The operational services division includes engineering, roads/bridges, planning/zoning, 911/emergency management, building/grounds, the boiler plant and solid waste management.

During public comment before Tuesday’s vote, county Controller Walter Griffith strongly encouraged council to consider confirming Pecora, saying she is a “great choice.” He said she has demonstrated “fabulous work” overseeing administrative services and has the institutional knowledge to manage critical reorganization now underway in operational services.

“She is like the Energizer Bunny quite frankly,” Griffith said.

All 10 council members approved Yeager’s confirmation.

Yeager has worked as an assistant public defender for more than 40 years and has been serving as interim chief public defender since Steven Greenwald was terminated in October.

The office must defend low-income clients who request representation for misdemeanor or felony charges.