Luzerne County chief solicitor applications under review

Luzerne County Manager Randy Robertson said he is hopeful he will present a chief solicitor nominee to county council for its confirmation on July 26.

The timeline for filling the two remaining vacant division head positions overseeing operational and administrative services is less clear.

Due to his expansion to a nationwide search for those two positions, the application deadline was extended to midnight on July 18.

The county ended up receiving five applications for the chief solicitor position, which also is the law division head.

Robertson said three chief solicitor applicants met minimum qualifications and are under review.

He has asked some independent leaders in the legal community to review the redacted applications to provide input and feedback. He also may seek an assessment from county judicial representatives.

Robertson said he wants multiple opinions because he is not a lawyer.

He said he cannot discuss specifics about the applicants under consideration but noted he was pleased to see one applicant is from outside the area.

“I hope it is the same for the administrative and operational services chiefs because those positions received national exposure,” he said.

Robertson said he wants to ensure he attracts as many applicants as possible.

He also said he had encouraged Harry Skene, the most recent interim chief solicitor, to apply for the position, saying he believes Skene is “doing a good job.”

Robertson said he won’t rule out the possibility of keeping the administrative and operational positions open longer if he is not satisfied with the applicant pool.

He has been regularly meeting with managers of departments within both divisions to determine if they have issues that warrant input that would typically be provided by a division head.

All three vacant division head positions have been advertised at a maximum compensation of $99,500 annually.

The head of administrative services oversees eight departments: elections, human resources, purchasing/acquisition, information technology, GIS/mapping, licensing/permits, community development and tourism.

The operational services division head oversees engineering, roads and bridges, planning and zoning, 911, emergency management, buildings and grounds, the boiler plant and solid waste management.

Information on the division head positions and other county openings is posted under the human resources department “career opportunities” section at luzernecounty.org.