Republican citizen needed for Luzerne County ethics commission

Luzerne County Republicans are encouraged to apply for a vacant seat on the county ethics commission.

Thomas Mosca had resigned from the unpaid post in December, citing a significant increase in time commitments for several other volunteer posts that he holds.

Mosca’s term had been set to expire the end of 2025, and he held a seat that must be filled by a Republican citizen. Diane Dreier serves in the Democratic citizen seat. The county controller, manager and district attorney also are on the ethics commission under the county’s home rule charter.

Council fills the two citizen commission seats and must attempt to fill vacancies within 60 days under the charter, but that period has lapsed because no Republican applicants have surfaced.

Applications are available on council’s authorities/boards/commissions section at luzernecounty.org.

To be eligible, applicants for this seat must have held a Republican registration for at least five years, the charter says.

Other prohibitions applying to the period four years prior to appointment: service as an elective county official, county employee or member/employee of a county authority/board/commission; employment or compensation by a contractor of the county or a county authority/board/commission; work as a contractor or paid consultant for the county or a county authority/board/commission; or service as a political party officer. Other restrictions are imposed for a period of one year after leaving the board.

Election testing

The county election bureau and Dominion Voting Systems will start logic and accuracy testing of April 23 primary election voting equipment today (March 25).

As part of this process, a brief presentation will commence at 2 p.m. in the voting warehouse, 135 Water St. in Wilkes-Barre.

The testing is open to the public, and security measures are in place. Attendees should enter at the rear of the building.

County Acting Election Director Emily Cook reminded voters reminded to check their registration status on pavoterservices.pa.gov. April 8 is the last day to register to vote in the primary. Any voter with questions about their registration may contact the bureau at 570-825-1715 or by emailing to elections@luzernecounty.org.

Election Board

The county’s five-citizen, volunteer election board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday (March 27) at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre to certify the April 23 primary election ballot.

The final draft of sample ballots has been posted on the main section of the election page at luzernecounty.org.

Instructions to attend Wednesday’s meeting remotely are posted under council’s authorities/boards/commissions online meeting link at luzernecounty.org.

Courthouse closed

Non-emergency county government offices will be closed Friday for Good Friday, one of 12 paid holidays provided to workers.

Council meeting

Council has scheduled two public hearings on budget amendments before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. voting meeting at the county courthouse.

The first, at 5:45 p.m., will log receipts and expenses related to a $336,364 federal COVID-19 grant that came through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and originated from the Centers for Disease Control. This grant will fund the purchase and installation of county prison system units to control and neutralize contaminants and monitors that track the vital signs of inmates under medical observation so staff can be alerted to changes in inmate temperature and heart rate.

The second hearing at 5:50 p.m. focuses on the administration’s decision to switch to in-house management of the county-owned Broad Street Exchange Building at 100 W. Broad St. in downtown Hazleton instead of paying an outside entity.

A work session will follow the voting meeting and includes required annual presentations from county District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce and county Controller Walter Griffith.

Remote attendance instructions are under council’s online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.