Luzerne County government releases latest personnel report

Luzerne County government added 20 workers in August, including prison correctional officers, according to the latest monthly personnel report.

Eight prison correctional officers were hired at $17.27 per hour, it said: Evander Budvan, Derick Crawford, Michael Johnson, Ryan Judge, Amanda Kratz, Brian Minzola, Eric Smith and Lori Walski. Jay Berlinski also was rehired as a correctional officer at $17.27.

The other new hires, their positions and hourly compensation: Lorna Bragg, Children, Youth and Families (CYF) caseworker 1, $20.60; Chanel Buckner, election bureau administrative assistant, $16.64; Matthew Maurer, road/bridge equipment operator, $19.23; John May, building/grounds custodial worker, $13.24; Tasha Piccarreta and Melissa Stepansky, district court clerks, $17.33; Daniel Plock, CYF program specialist, $24.27; Robert Peter Sheils III, parttime assistant public defender, $42.13; Carlos Torres, human resources coordinator, $18.46; and Michael Warnitsky, prothonotary clerk, $15.98.

In addition, Roberth Andrade was rehired as a building/grounds custodial worker at $13.24 per hour.

Departures

Three workers retired in August — CYF caseworker 2s Denise Dessoye and Jennifer Hudock and prison Minimal Offenders Unit correctional officer David Nareski.

Eighteen workers resigned: prison nurses Megan Elias and Aubrey Kennedy; CYF caseworker 1s Sydney Emershaw and Suzanna McClary; assistant district attorney Benjamin Green; controller internal auditor Melissa Jones; DA’s office clerk typist Paula Magali Ferrer; planning/zoning transportation planner William McLain; DA’s office clerk Kiaura Ruskey; 911 telecommunicators Ashley Sedelnick and Michael Steele; deputy sheriffs Zachary Gera and Miguel Alonso-Romero; prothonotary clerk Elizabeth Becker; CYF program specialist Jacquelyn Bonitatis; CYF caseworker 2s Jennifer Ambosie and Aliyah Habeeb; and CYF clerical supervisor Margaret Vergaretti.

Transfers

Two workers changed positions through internal merit hiring, the report said.

The employees and their new positions: John Galabinski, human services maintenance/facilities coordinator, $18.27, and Megan Stone, office of human services operations manager, $35.90.

Study commission

The county’s Government Study Commission will hold two 6 p.m. meetings this week — one Monday and one Thursday — at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Monday’s meeting will include discussion with the new solicitor — Doylestown-based Curtin and Heefner LLP — and consultant — the Pennsylvania Economy League, the agenda said. The seven-citizen commission also will discuss next steps in assessing the county’s home rule charter, it said.

Authorized by county April 23 primary election voters, the commission has nine months to report findings and recommendations and another nine months if it is opting to prepare and submit government changes. An extra two months is allowable if the commission is recommending electing council by district instead of at large.

Information on commission meetings, including how to attend them remotely, is posted under its section on the main page of the county website at luzernecounty.org.

Infrastructure

Council’s Infrastructure Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the courthouse.

Agenda topics include a review of the county operational services division’s latest projects report.

Remote attendance instructions are posted under council’s online public meetings link at luzernecounty.org.

Wednesday schedule

County Manager Romilda Crocamo will hold her latest town hall meeting from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the county Operations Building, 1199 Wyoming Ave. in Wyoming. County officials unveiled the building in June, showcasing its environmentally-conscious remodeling. Housed in a former Air Reserve Center, the operations building project was funded through accumulated landfill fees and grants, not the county’s general fund operating budget, officials have said.

The county’s five-citizen Election Board also will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the county courthouse. Remote attendance instructions are posted under council’s authorities/boards/commissions online meeting link at luzernecounty.org.

Aerial imagery

New aerial imagery has been loaded to the county GIS/Mapping Department’s free online property database, said county GIS/Mapping Director Daniel Reese.

County council had earmarked federal American Rescue Plan funding for the aerial imagery project, which will benefit multiple county departments, including the assessor’s office and 911. The last high-resolution aerial imagery project had been completed in 2016.

“The resolution is a lot crisper,” Reese said.

The database is accessible under the GIS/Mapping Department at luzernecounty.org.

Financial advisor

The county is publicly seeking proposals from outside entities interested in serving as a financial advisor.

Proposals are due by 4 p.m. Sept. 24, according to the purchasing department solicitation. The advisor must assist with debt management and provide other financial services. The county is seeking a 2025 contract, with the option of two additional one-year extensions, for a cumulative maximum of three years.

Public Financial Management has worked as the county’s finanial advisor for many years and was first hired to act as a county budget consultant in 2004, according to prior published reports.