Luzerne County Council sells West Pittston residence for $380,000

Convinced a better offer won’t surface, a Luzerne County Council majority voted Tuesday to sell a West Pittston residential property for $380,000.

Council also publicly interviewed nine citizens interested in three seats on the manager search committee.

The West Pittston property was acquired by the county last year in its settlement of 2018 litigation filed by Richard and Kimberly Hazzouri, which argued the couple was wrongly prevented from participating in a flood buyout program. The settlement awarded $650,000 for the property at 1200 Susquehanna Ave. based on a pre-flood value appraisal.

Nine of the 10 county council members present Tuesday approved the sale. Councilman Tim McGinley said it pained him to be the only vote against the sale, but he thought the property had a “little higher value.”

The property was most recently listed at $474,900, according to an online real estate posting.

Before Tuesday’s vote, Councilman Brian Thornton said the property was originally listed at a higher amount months ago, and the county reduced the price several times.

The situation boils down to supply and demand, he said.

“We’re not just giving this property away. We tried for months for a higher price, and there were no bites,” Thornton said.

Council Vice Chairman John Lombardo and other colleagues have said they support the sale so the county is not forced to invest more money and resources maintaining the residence for an indefinite period.

The buyers are Jonah and Alexis Fanucci.

Councilman Stephen J. Urban also verified the $380,000 will be returned to the community development office, which paid for the lion’s share of the settlement.

Manager search

Ten interviews were initially scheduled for the manager search committee, but applicant Robert Lemoncelli withdrew, council members said. Required by the county’s home rule charter, this committee must seek, screen and recommend manager applicants to council, which makes the final hiring selection.

Council plans to appoint three citizens to the committee Jan. 10.

The citizens interviewed Tuesday, along with some background:

• Danielle Ader, of Kingston, is a senior executive recruiter for a private consulting business that performs national searches to identify candidates for management positions.

Ader told council she has nearly seven years of recruitment experience and believes her skill set could be helpful in the search. For example, Ader said she has the ability to detect traits in applicants and dig deeper with tough questions that can be “very telling.”

• John Bonita, of Plains Township, has worked as administrator and chief executive officer for Pittston Township government since 2007. Bonita said he also operated a certified public accounting business.

Bonita told council his broad experience in both the public and private sectors can bring a different perspective to the manager selection process.

• John Dean, of Fairview Township, served as managing partner of law firm Elliott Greenleaf & Dean’s Wilkes-Barre and Scranton offices from 2004 until last year, when he accepted a position as general counsel in charge of human resources and labor relations for the Crestwood School District. Dean remains at the firm of Elliott Greenleaf in an “of counsel” role but said he stopped being a firm shareholder July 1.

Dean told council he has been actively involved in numerous hirings and screenings, including judicial selection panels, and is offering his expertise because he wants the county to succeed. He would look for manager applicants who are “difference makers” committed to this community, as opposed to those viewing the position as a “stepping stone” or pre-retirement “capstone.”

• Robert Fisher, of Salem Township, is retired and has 45 years of experience in hospitals and other complex organizations, mostly as a chief financial officer.

Fisher said he is very interested in the county’s success and understands “what makes a good executive.” He said he would not have recommended prior manager Randy Robertson based on the “jumps he had made” in changing positions.

• David Fusco, of Pittston, has been the president and owner of Mechanical Service Co. since 2005.

Fusco said he had started working for the company he now owns in 1985 and has experience in interviewing and selecting employees at the business. He said he has time available to assist and wants to lend a hand.

• Margaret Gushka, of Kingston, has worked in social services for decades and is county president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.

Gushka told council she decided after the last manager appointment she wanted to assist to find “someone who would fit the mold” of an administrator needed in this community.

• Harry Haas, of Kingston, served on county council from 2012 through 2021 and is a Dallas School District teacher.

Haas said he fully understands the duties of the manager and volunteered to serve because he, like other citizens, “wants the best manager to lead us forward.” He added the committee must properly vet applicants while realizing its role is not to choose a manager because that responsibility falls on council.

• Linda McClosky Houck, of Kingston, was a county council member from 2012 through 2021, is a retired Wyoming Valley West School District teacher, is an adjunct instructor and music director for theater productions at Wilkes University and is an organist and choir director at the Holy Family Parish in Luzerne.

McClosky Houck said she is well-versed in the charter and roles of council and the manager and wants to serve because a proficient, professional manager is critical to the success of home rule. She noted she had unsuccessfully pushed for a search committee of three citizens in 2021, believing it would be more efficient and focused, but a council majority wanted seven.

• Charles Sciandra, of Duryea, operates a consulting company that helps family-run companies with succession planning and strategic development and serves as chairman of the county Transportation Authority.

Using his business acumen, Sciandra told council he would “go deeper” to determine if applicants should advance rather than relying primarily on resumes and interviews. He said he has never reviewed a bad resume and that anyone with sale skills can do well in an interview.