Luzerne County Government

January 29, 2010

County limits media’s access to some chiefs

The goal is accuracy of information, not restriction, commissioner boss says.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
Jennifer Learn-Andes on Facebook   |   @TLJenLearnAndes on Twitter

Luzerne County’s current administration had been allowing department heads to freely speak to the media without clearing it first, but not anymore.

County Chief Clerk/Administrator Doug Pape recently sent managers an e-mail instructing them to contact him before responding to any media requests, according to a copy of the Jan. 22 e-mail obtained by The Times Leader.

Pape also advised managers to contact him if they believe their office was misrepresented in a story.

“We can then formulate a plan as to a response and who should deliver the message, the department head or county manager,” Pape wrote.

Managers were asked to tell their employees to report any media requests. If so, managers should report the matter to Pape “so that we can develop the proper response,” he wrote.

Pape indicated that he was sending the e-mail in light of intense media coverage, including the federal corruption probe.

“Obviously, we’ve been in the spotlight lately with regard to the investigation and other matters, and it’s important that we don’t misrepresent the county or put ourselves in unnecessary litigation circumstances,” he wrote.

The e-mail was not sent to row officers and judges because they are elected officials.

County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla said the e-mail “wasn’t meant to be a gag order.”

Petrilla said department heads may answer questions and unintentionally leave out relevant information that they did not know.

“We want to make sure all the information going out is correct and accurate,” she said.

Petrilla said she welcomes media coverage and has made herself accessible to reporters.

Pape said the county has had instances of department heads unintentionally making inaccurate statements to the media. Some department heads are also uncomfortable dealing with the media and would prefer someone else in the administration to answer questions, he said.

Pape also said he wanted a heads-up to prepare because he sometimes learns about matters through a media report, rather than the department head.

“It’s not a gag order by any means,” Pape said.

County minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said he was not aware of Pape’s e-mail but does not agree with the forwarding of e-mail requests to one person.

“We got rid of the media person because we thought individual department heads were competent enough to provide the press with the truth about what went on in offices about an issue, and I believe that still holds true,” he said.

County officials officially eliminated the vacant communications director position at a meeting earlier this month.

Urban said use of a middle man creates the potential for spin and the loss of important details through translation.

Though it hasn’t been strictly enforced lately, a media contact procedure was already part of the county’s personnel policy, which was approved by commissioners in 2005.

The policy says the commissioners, chief clerk, public information officer or designated department heads shall be responsible for all official contacts with the news media. These officials may “designate specific employees to give out procedural, factual or historical information on particular subjects,” the policy says.

All other employees should defer any comments concerning county business to their department head or public information officer, the policy says.

The county has not had a spokesperson since communications director Jason Jarecki was furloughed at the end of 2008.

Jarecki had replaced Kathy Bozinski, who had been fired as public information officer after Maryanne Petrilla took office as commissioner in January 2008.

Former county commissioners Todd Vonderheid and Greg Skrepenak had attempted to filter comment through Bozinski but ended up relaxing the requirement.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.

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