Study commission OKs Luzerne County Council cut to nine instead of seven

Luzerne County’s 11-member council would be cut to nine instead of seven if a proposed new home rule charter is adopted by voters in November, according to a Tuesday decision.

Mark Shaffer, a member of the Government Study Commission drafting the revised charter, provided the majority vote Tuesday necessary to change the council reduction to nine. Also supporting nine members were commission Treasurer Cindy Malkemes, Vice Chairman Vito Malacari and Tim McGinley.

The three remaining commission members — Chairman Ted Ritsick, Secretary Matt Mitchell and Stephen J. Urban — stuck with their original support for seven council members.

Malacari sought a fresh vote on the matter Tuesday, citing concerns raised by several citizens about the cut to seven during a June 17 public hearing about the draft charter.

Plains Township resident Gerald Cross, who was extensively involved in the current charter design as a consultant, has repeatedly emphasized a council reduction would give fewer people greater authority and power to make decisions impacting the entire county. With a cut to seven, those seeking council approval would have to convince a majority of four people instead of the current six.

Shaffer said after Tuesday’s meeting there was a “resounding cry from public comment at the hearing and meetings in general” expressing worries about the impact of a cut to seven. He said citizens also contacted him personally to share their opposition to only seven council members.

“I’m trying on the commission to listen to what the public wants, and I thought this was a loud one,” Shaffer said. “It’s really about the amount of public feedback.”

Malacari said Tuesday council size was the only “structural change” proposed by the commission in the new charter, and he did not want a cut so sizeable that it would negatively impact checks and balances and reduce “eyes on things” like county finances. A council of nine also is warranted to keep the legislative body diverse and provide more representation, he said.

Majority-plus-one council passage also would be required for more significant alterations to change the composition of the election board and ethics commission in the revised charter, which would equate to five votes with seven council members and six with the council of nine approved Tuesday, he noted.

A few commission members advocated keeping council at 11 members, but there did not appear to be enough commission support for that measure to pass.

Mitchell said he stands by his initial promise to support seven. He maintained public accountability would increase with fewer members because it would be easier for citizens to track their decisions. Smaller councils also have been a “proven model elsewhere,” he said.

Urban said sometimes “11 personalities in the room is excessive,” and he believes seven is the correct number.

The commission tabled a decision Tuesday on options to transition to nine members in future council elections.