Luzerne County Government

January 15, 2010

A potential conflict of interest for new commissioner?

Authority board questions new commissioner’s job, agency project.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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Luzerne County Commissioner Thomas Cooney’s position in an architectural and engineering firm has led county housing officials to question whether a conflict of interest might exist on a development project.

The authority is negotiating with Ecumenical Enterprises to buy about 300 acres in Wright Township with the intent of building either town houses or an apartment building for senior citizens.

Several months before Cooney’s Dec. 23 appointment as commissioner, the authority board chose A&E Group Inc. to be the architect/engineer for the housing project.

Cooney is development director at A&E Group. He formed the company, formerly the Architecture & Engineering Group, in 1987, with Dean L. Butler and the late Martin Dougherty.

He has said A&E is working on several government projects, including a bridge design for Luzerne County and a construction project at Luzerne County Community College.

Cooney has also said there would be no conflict of interest because A&E will finish these projects but will not seek any new work in county government while he fills the remainder of former Commissioner Greg Skrepenak’s term through 2011.

And he vowed to stay out of any decisions involving the company’s existing county work, and he also told the judges who appointed him that he is “winding down” at A&E and will be a full-time commissioner.

Housing Authority Executive Director Dave Fagula said he was worried a potential conflict of interest might exist because, although the authority is an agency that is not controlled by county commissioners, the commissioners appoint authority board members and a vacancy exists on the board.

Fagula said authority solicitor Bruce Andres did a few hours of research on a potential conflict, but he couldn’t find “anything definitive.” He said Andres would likely also consult with an attorney from A&E and with county solicitor Vito DeLuca.

In other business, the authority board:

• Reorganized, voting in Bob Pippich as the new chairman, Lou Goeringer as vice chairman and Frank Hoedl as secretary/treasurer. Also on the board is Mike Rozitski, whom commissioners appointed in October to fill the seat of William Maguire after Maguire was charged with accepting a bribe.

• Awarded contracts totaling $2.6 million for modernization work at Swoyersville Elderly Housing and Frank Crossin Towers to the eight general, plumbing, heating/ventilation/air conditioning and plumbing contractors with the lowest bids.

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