News

November 18, 2009

Urban wants to know who picked company

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Luzerne County minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said Tuesday the county official or employee who chose Continental Consultants Group Inc. should come forward and accept responsibility.

“Who is behind this company? Who directed the county to use them? I want answers,” Urban said.

County Workforce Investment Development Agency Director Richard Ammon, who signed the April 2007 contract to hire the company, said he had no involvement in the selection and received the directive from the county Human Resources Department.

County Human Resources Director Doug Richards denied selecting the company but would not say who did.

Urban also wonders whether the hiring of Continental is connected to trips to New York City made by various county officials in 2006 and 2007. The trips were funded mainly by county debit cards and never publicly approved by the county Board of Commissioners in advance.

Urban had unsuccessfully called for the resignation of Richards and other county debit card holders in 2007.

Commissioner Greg Skrepenak has said the New York City trips were all worthwhile ventures to study crime-fighting plans and criminal records systems that he wanted to implement here.

Richards attended one of the seven trips to the city.

Former county deputy chief clerk Bill Brace, who went on five of the New York City trips, recently agreed to plead guilty to one count of corrupt receipt of a reward for official action for receiving a tailored suit worth $1,500 in exchange for supporting a contract in 2007 or 2008.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Brace traveled to New York City, where the contractor had Brace fitted for the suit. Brace then helped the contractor in obtaining a contract with the county valued at more than $5,000. The charges did not identify the contractor.

Skrepenak and former county chief clerk/manager Sam Guesto also went on the New York City trips.

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