Luzerne County ends up with 75% general election voter turnout

Luzerne County ended up with 75% voter turnout in the Nov. 5 general election, according to the final tally posted last week following the election board’s full certification.

In total, 156,995 of the county’s 209,718 registered voters cast ballots.

This surpasses both the total and percentage in the 2020 presidential election, when 154,134 ballots were cast. With 220,963 registered voters at that time, the turnout percentage was 70%.

Some other presidential turnouts based on total registrations at those times: 2016, 67% (137,549 votes cast); 2012, 65% (126,326 votes cast); and 2008, 73.5% (138,076 votes cast).

New workers

Nine workers were hired in county government in November, according to the monthly personnel report posted Friday.

The new employees, their positions and hourly compensation: Jenny Bazile and Andrew Garcia, Children, Youth and Families (CYF) caseworker 1s, $20.60; Janet Dorothy Davis, Aging Agency alternate food service worker, $14.42; Josephine Martinez, Drug and Alcohol case management specialist, $20.66; Deborah McGuinness, Mental Health/Developmental Services clerk, $14.26; Katrina Sanders Frost and Danielle Stair, prothonotary clerk 3s, $15.98; Alexandra Soto, CYF caseworker 2, $22.98; and Robert Walker, assistant district attorney, $36.09.

Two prior workers also were rehired: Christopher O’Donnell, courts hearing officer, $40.15; and Douglas Mazonkey, deputy sheriff, $15.93.

Departures

Twelve workers resigned in November: Joshua Beck, prison corrections officer; Coty Knapp, building/grounds custodian; Crystal Besecker and Nancy Brandes, CYF clerk typists; Alexis Nadolny, Zachary Morgan and Auria Pineda, CYF caseworker 1s; Samantha Curcio, probation officer; Kaitlyn Mudlock, CYF caseworker 2; Patricia Warkevicz-Guiliano, elections operations specialist; Benjamin Polomchak, 911 telecommunicator; and Brian Wolfe Jr., part-time 911 call taker;

CYF clerk typist Sherry Smith retired in November, it said.

One termination was listed of deputy sheriff Tobias Faulks.

Position changes

Seven employees changed positions through the internal merit hiring process.

The workers, their new positions and hourly compensation: Michael Flynn, sheriff corporal, $20.25; Charles Krommes, emergency management operations and training officer, $21.54; Matthew Maurer, road/bridge mechanic, $19.23; Marie McCarroll, CYF clerical supervisor, $20.37; Sharon Sankus, recorder of deeds administrative assistant, $17.77; Edward Zinga, prison desk sergeant, $33.57; and Danielle Harris, courts PFA administrative assistant, $18.68.

Council meeting

Council will hold a voting meeting and work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday (Dec. 10) in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Instructions to attend remotely are posted under council’s online public meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

Among the voting items are earmarks from opioid litigation settlement funds and alterations of past American Rescue Plan Act allocations that will result in returned funding that can be reprogrammed for other uses.

The American Rescue returns includes $1.5 million that won’t be needed for a heating and utility assistance program based on eligibility and applications. Council had earmarked $2.5 million, but only $1 million is projected to be spent, the agenda said.

Council also is set to adopt a no-tax-hike 2025 budget and vote on a new four-year collective bargaining agreement with county detectives running through the end of 2028.

Board interviews

Council’s Authorities, Boards and Commissions Committee has scheduled a public interview session of applicants for board seats at 6 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 11).

The application to serve on county boards is posted under the authorities/boards/commissions council section at luzernecounty.org.