Bi-county board delays outsourcing

After emotional back and forth, a Luzerne County board decided Thursday morning to table a vote on outsourcing that could lead to the loss of 41 jobs in the Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre employment offices.

The Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board has received proposals from four entities interested in handling the work, including the county agency that employs the 41 workers who want to keep their jobs. These workers fall under the county’s Workforce Investment Development Agency, known as WIDA.

Several WIDA employees blasted the board during Thursday’s meeting, questioning why nobody met with them to discuss concerns before deciding to outsource.

The board decided to seek proposals after accounting problems turned up in programs handled by WIDA and The ReDCo Group, which handles programs for the unemployed in Schuylkill County.

Richard Ammon, WIDA executive director, said the board never publicly voted to seek outside proposals, to pay a Michigan agency $25,000 to draft the proposal specifications or to hire lawyer Robert Saidis.

“I think you should explain to board members how you’re even here,” Ammon said to Saidis.

Ammon asked the 23 board members if they were aware that his agency “served notice” to the board and county commissioners that they will be sued for violating a county union contract if they proceed with the outsourcing.

“This is a public meeting. We’re all brought together here by transparency, yet I can’t get an answer on anything,” Ammon said.

Hazleton City Councilman Jack Mundie criticized the potential job loss and reiterated Ammon’s questions on the lack of public votes. The board members did not say anything.

“Is any board member going to stand up? Do you guys have any guts?” he asked.

Board member Phil Semenza said someone should answer the questions, but the board moved on to a vote to hire Educational Data Systems Inc. to handle one of the three programs being outsourced, this one for a $2 million program involving welfare recipients.

Board member Michael J. Kwashnik spoke up before the vote was cast, saying he was never informed as a board member that the union has threatened to file a lawsuit.

“I would ask maybe that we postpone decisions on this until we fully review all legal matters on this in the spirit of transparency. We’ve been through enough in this county,” Kwashnik said.

Kwashnik, who is business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 163, said he realizes “a lot of work” was done reviewing the proposals.

“But a few questions did come up, and I have some questions on the matter,” he said.

Board member Stephen Barrouk also questioned whether all proposal respondents had an opportunity to make a presentation to a selection committee, and he was told no.

A unanimous vote was taken, but some board members appeared confused when they realized it was a vote to hire Educational Data Systems – not the tabling.

“Don’t you know Robert’s Rules of Order? This is ridiculous,” Mundie said.

The board then voted to table the hiring of Educational Data, with the only no vote coming from board member Robert Williams. The majority of the board also voted to table votes on entities to handle the other two programs, without discussing which agencies were recommended for selection.

Board member Kevin O’Donnell, who heads the economic development organization CAN DO, said the board needs more explanation, as long as it does not jeopardize the $10.9 million in state funding for programs to help youths and adults find jobs.

“I want to do this right. I want to do it one time and do it right,” O’Donnell said.

The board is scheduled to meet on May 17 to vote again. County commissioners will also vote on the selections.