A little over two weeks on the job, Luzerne County Manager Randy Robertson held his first media briefing Wednesday to meet with newspaper and television reporters in his office at the county’s Penn Place building in downtown Wilkes-Barre.
Asked about the greatest challenge he’s encountered so far, Robertson said he has identified many but believes the most pressing immediate concern is filling empty positions and retaining workers.
Comparing the situation to a bus that holds approximately 1,500, he said he is trying to get the right people in all the empty seats and keep ones committed to public service on board.
Robertson said he tried to convey this message and the importance of dedication to public service through 13 sessions for workers at the county’s Emergency Management Agency building in recent days.
“We want to be the employer of choice,” he said.
While he emphasized workers will never “get rich” in a county position, he is working to make compensation competitive, in part through five new union contracts adopted by council Tuesday.
Intervention was necessary, he said, citing a 50% staffing level at Children and Youth. He credited the administration for working to improve morale and said he is planning new outreach and messaging to make the public more aware of job openings.
Although compensation has been a factor, Robertson said he also is trying to change public perception of county government and overcome past “reputation issues” that may be preventing some from considering county employment.
He also has asked the county human resources department to expand to a nationwide search in professional journals for top division head openings.
Three vacant division head positions — chief solicitor and the heads of administrative and operational services — have been re-advertised at a higher $99,500 annual salary cap in an attempt to maximize the applicant pool.
Robertson has stressed the actual pay offered to chosen applicants would be based on their qualifications.
The compensation that had been paid to the last employees holding these three positions: chief solicitor, $96,444; administrative services division head, $90,874; and operational services division head, $91,087.
Applications for all three positions are due July 11. Information on the division head positions and other county openings is posted under the human resources department “career opportunities” section at luzernecounty.org.
“We’re passionate about trying to get the right people on our bus from the top on down,” Robertson said.