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Auto repair shop owner beats 4 others to get nod. Morgan, a Democrat, was unopposed.
Edd Brominski, right, and Sam Barobose watch election results at the courthouse Tuesday night. Brominski did not win in the Republican race for county controller, according to unofficial results.
AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER
Democratic Luzerne County controller candidate Bob Morgan watches election results at the courthouse with his family Tuesday night. Morgan had no opposition in the primary and will face Republican Walter Griffith in November.
AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER
Walter Griffith Jr. is congratulated by supporters Tuesday night for winning the Republican Luzerne County controller nomination.
CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
Citizen watchdog Walter Griffith now has a shot to become the official watchdog of Luzerne County government.
The 54-year-old auto repair shop owner from Wilkes-Barre won the Republican county controller nomination, according to unofficial results. He will face Democrat Bob Morgan, a financial consultant from Fairview Township, in the Nov. 3 general election.
“I’m just ecstatic. I’m absolutely humbled that Republicans put their faith in me,” Griffith said Tuesday night while celebrating at the county Republican headquarters.
Griffith received 5,327 votes in a tight challenge against four contenders, based on unofficial results. The vote tally for the others: former county commissioner Edward Brominski, Swoyersville, 3,992; certified public accountant Alice Coffman, Sugarloaf Township, 3,490; attorney Nanda Palissery, Dallas, 2,989; and self-employed mortgage consultant Robert Sypniewski, Dallas, 2,526.
Morgan, 46, received 21,960 votes.
Griffith stressed in his campaign that he was the only candidate who has been actively engaged in county government meetings in recent years, demonstrating his willingness to ask “the tough questions.”
Griffith has said he often shut down his business – Rutter Auto Service in Nanticoke – to attend county government meetings. He has made arrangements for someone else to operate the business if he’s elected because he has pledged to be in the controller’s office full time during business hours.
He promised to be outspoken if elected, saying he’s frustrated when controllers sit silently at public meetings.
“I think people saw my heart and desire to represent the people,” he said Tuesday.
Morgan said he wants to run an “issue-oriented, high-level campaign” for the general election.
“We want to focus on who brings the most experience to the table. I have 20 years of financial service experience that will help the county in this time of need,” Morgan said.
Currently assistant vice president/senior financial consultant with PNC Investments in Wilkes-Barre, Morgan has also managed large corporate 401(k) plans for Prudential Investments and worked at Smith Barney.
That experience is “extremely important,” he said, because the controller helps to oversee the $150 million employee pension fund, which has required increasing taxpayer subsidy to stay afloat.
Morgan said he wants the controller’s office to audit all county agencies, not just the row offices.
Morgan and Griffith promise to hold quarterly public informational meetings and pack the county Web site with county fiscal information.
“Too often we’ve seen office holders who are insulated and isolated,” Morgan said Tuesday. “I want to improve the relationship with the public.”
Griffith praised his opponents for running a clean campaign and said he looks forward to debating issues with Morgan in coming months.
The county has been without an elected controller since Maryanne Petrilla became a county commissioner in January 2008.
The controller serves for four years and received $36,562 annually. The controller is supposed to refuse payment if transactions aren’t legal or properly approved. The controller has a powerful vote on the Salary Board, which creates all county jobs and sets salaries for non-union positions.
The controller even has some authority to investigate, issue subpoenas and withhold payments on suspicion of fraud, flagrant abuse of public office or criminal acts, according to state law.