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By MICHAEL McNARNEY mmcnarney@leader.net
Wednesday, March 12, 2003 Page: 1A
WILKES-BARRE – It’s T minus 90 minutes and counting and Tom McGroarty, who
has a penchant for missed deadlines, is in jeopardy of missing the biggest
deadline of his mayoral career: The 4:30 p.m. deadline to file election
petitions.
3 p.m. or so: McGroarty meets with Voter Services Director Kevin Jordan
across the street at Penn Place, “checking on the law, checking on the
procedure,” the mayor says.
What of the buzz coming out of the Voter Services office that McGroarty
wouldn’t file Tuesday after all? Or planned to file as an independent
candidate?”
“Every good battle has a deception operation,” McGroarty said. “Military
tactics.”
3:35 p.m.: McGroarty is holed up in his first-floor corner office at City
Hall, conferring with top aides. Spread before them are a handful of
gold-colored petition forms.
It seems tense in the office. City Administrator Jim Hayward Jr., mayoral
assistant Marie McCormick, and special events coordinator Fran Bartlomowicz
and others file in and out. CNN plays on a TV.
4 p.m.: McGroarty rides the elevator upstairs to give City Clerk Jim Ryan a
financial-disclosure form. He just misses Tom Torbik, the Ramada Inn hotelier
who has sued the mayor and accused him of defamation. Torbik is attending a
meeting of a committee investigating city projects.
4:09 p.m.: The mayor comes back downstairs, gets his coat, and grabs a
yellow envelope.
4:12 p.m.: McGroarty walks next door to Penn Place. Security waves the
mayor through the checkpoint. Accompanied by four news reporters and
photographers, the mayor gets on the elevator and heads to the second floor.
4:17 p.m.: More reporters and photographers are waiting when the elevator
doors open. Still others are stationed in Voter Services.
“Your honor, I’ll take you,” Jordan says, directing the mayor behind the
counter. McGroarty passes a man named Teddy Biggs, who has long hair beard and
is wearing a frayed coat.
McGroarty asks Biggs what he’s running for. Pittston City Council, the man
replies.
“As long as it’s not mayor of Wilkes-Barre, we’ll wish you good luck,”
McGroarty replies.
The mayor files his paperwork – which includes 353 signatures, 253 more
than he needs – right on deadline.
McGroarty owns the distinction of being the last of all 595 candidates to
file for the May primary election.
Michael McNarney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7305.