Luzerne County Councilman questions no-interference ban

Luzerne County Councilman Matthew Mitchell said it deeply concerned him that a no-interference ban prohibited council from intervening and assisting during widespread Nov. 8 general election problems.

The county’s home rule charter says no council member shall publicly or privately give directions or orders to employees. The prohibition was intended to keep elected council members out of day-to-day business performed by the executive branch, including employee hirings and terminations and the selection of most vendors that provide services and supplies.

Mitchell said he agrees improper meddling should be banned but believes a charter change is warranted for major situations impacting many county residents, such as the election paper shortage problem that caused an unknown number of voters to be turned away from the polls and the need to extend voting from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. As election problems unfolded, council members essentially had to sit back and defer to the administration to decide how to respond, he said.

Legal input would be necessary to determine if council can place a question on the 2023 primary election ballot seeking voter approval to alter the no-interference ban, Mitchell said. The main legal issue may be if a proposed alteration rises to the level of a major charter change. County attorneys have advised in the past that significant charter changes would require formation of an elected government study commission, which would then research the current government form and decide if a new system should be proposed to voters.

“Since management has been unable to function effectively and voters were disenfranchised, I feel that it falls on us to clean up the mess,” Mitchell said in an email to colleagues. “We aren’t allowed to interfere in day-to-day operations but due to the seriousness of this week’s problems, it may be time to look at an amendment to the charter.”

Mitchell asked fellow council members for their feedback on the matter.

Council members LeeAnn McDermott, Carl Bienias III and John Lombardo promptly replied that they agree his proposal is worth discussion.

Lombardo, council vice chairman, has said he will be seeking formation of a council committee to explore possible charter changes.

Personnel actions

A dozen county government employees were hired in October, according to the latest monthly personnel report.

Six caseworkers were added at Children and Youth. Four are more experienced “caseworker 2s” at $22.31 per hour — Lissette Garcia, Linda Jones-Klepar, Kyleen M. Thomas and Angela Wright. Two new caseworker 1s are receiving $20 per hour: Terrence Kringe and Meghan Mietlicki.

The remaining new workers and their hourly compensation: Priscilla Cuevas, planning/zoning analyst, $23.08; Amy Haydu, court administrative trial specialist, $19.23; Gregory Kurtz, operational services division head, $48.46; Jillian Matthews, coroner, $32.31; and Lee Meyers and Donald Swainbank, domestic relations support officer, $19.78.

Departures

One worker retired in October — 911 PSAP supervisor John Engleman, the report said.

Ten workers resigned during the month: prison corrections officers Robert Dziadosz, Zachary King and Daniel Turak; election bureau administrative assistant Middy Echevarria; part-time 911 call taker Andrew Elmy; 911 telecommunicators Hannah Halliday and Judah Springer; 911 telcommunicator specialists Emma Horn and Jillian Jones; and Mental Health/Developmental Services caseworker 2 Phaedra Joseph.

Four workers were terminated in October, it said: Children and Youth social service aide Geoffrey Naugle, Children and Youth caseworker 1 Evan Orr, deputy sheriff Latoya Robinsin and Children and Youth clerk/typist Madeline Rodriguez.

Transfers

Thirteen employees changed positions through the internal merit hiring process.

These workers, along with their new positions and hourly pay: Courtney Bittenbender and Alicia Gioia-Lucke, Children and Youth caseworker 2s, $22.31; Ali Bonomo, court administration, $19.78; Megan Felsman, 911 part-time executive administrative assistant, $25; Eugene Gurnari, chief deputy sheriff, $29.23; Edward E. James III, information technology service manager, $30.77; Patrick Kane, interim prison deputy warden, $34.62; Andrew Mesaris, information technology operations manager, $30.77; Leslie Middaugh, sheriff corporal, $25.04; Priscilla Petrole, public defender lead caseworker, $27.22; Kai Riddick, part-time 911 call taker, $15; Barbara Wesley, 911 training and protocol supervisor, $26.67; and Bunyamin Fuat Yildiz, Children and Youth clerk typist, $16.67.

Morgan Bell also changed positions and is now a court executive secretary at $29.71 per hour.

Election board

The county Election Board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre to seek an explanation on why the county did not have sufficient proper-stock paper loaded into all ballot marking devices and in reserve to replenish polling places out of paper in the Nov. 8 general election.

Instructions to attend remotely are posted under council’s authorities/boards/commissions online meeting link at luzernecounty.org.

The board is set to resume its adjudication of Nov. 8 general election provisional ballots at 9 a.m. Monday on the third floor of the county’s Penn Place building, 20 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Wilkes-Barre.

County council

County council is set to meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the county courthouse, with remote attendance instructions posted under council’s online meeting link at luzernecounty.org.

First up is a 5 p.m. public hearing on the proposed 2023 budget.

A budget work session will follow, tentatively scheduled at 5:30 p.m., to discuss proposed budgets for the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office and Human Services Division.