Crocamo

Crocamo

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Luzerne County Chief Solicitor Romilda Crocamo will oversee the county until a permanent manager is selected, a county council majority decided Tuesday.

An acting manager appointee was necessary because county Manager C. David Pedri is resigning July 6.

Six council members supported Crocamo’s appointment: Tim McGinley, Chris Perry, Kendra Radle, Sheila Saidman, Robert Schnee and Matthew Vough.

The remaining five voting against the appointment: Walter Griffith, Harry Haas, Linda McClosky Houck, LeeAnn McDermott and Stephen J. Urban.

Griffith said he would have preferred Conflict Counsel Attorney Administrator John Hakim, who also interviewed. McClosky Houck and McDermott said they believe appointing Crocamo would create a void in the law division, which also is critically important.

Crocamo thanked council, saying the appointment was an “unexpected honor.”

She said she always considered the county “home” and promised to be steadfast in making it a better place to work, play and live.

“I’m grateful for this honor,” she said.

Crocamo also thanked Pedri, saying she and the solicitors in her office were with him in both trying times and celebrating his achievements. She argued his greatest mark was restoring the historic courthouse “to its magnificent and deserved glory” for future generations.

Pedri also gave a parting speech. It was his last council meeting before he departs for a position overseeing the Luzerne Foundation. Previously county chief solicitor and then acting manager, he had been appointed permanent manager five years ago.

Crocamo was hired to oversee the county’s law division in July 2016. She holds two master’s degrees in addition to a law degree and had previously worked at two New York City law firms, as managing attorney at the Barbara J. Hart Justice Center in Scranton, as a master of county juvenile delinquency and dependency court and as a law clerk for county Court of Common Pleas Judge Tina Polachek Gartley at the time Crocamo was promoted to division head.

Seven county employees had applied for the acting manager position.

Crocamo’s assignment as temporary overseer likely will stretch through the end of the year because council isn’t projected to complete the permanent manager selection process until late November or December.

Pedri’s 2021 compensation as county manager is $137,333.

Council agreed to Griffith’s amendment to provide Crocamo with the minimum manager compensation under the home rule charter: 55% of the district attorney’s salary.

The DA compensation is $185,665 this year, according to the county’s position listing, which means Crocamo will receive $102,116. She is paid $96,444 as law division head, the listing says.

In the search for Pedri’s successor, council must rely on an outside committee of at least three citizens to seek, screen and conduct initial interviews of county manager applicants. The committee then recommends finalists to council for its consideration.

More than 10 county residents have applied to voluntarily serve on this search committee. Council tentatively plans to publicly interview applicants June 29 and hold a special meeting July 1 to appoint committee members.

Tax break

A council majority approved a real estate tax break for a project on mine-scarred Hazleton land, but it was less generous than the company requested.

At the urging of Haas, council changed the county break to mirror the one Hazleton had provided to Hillwood Properties for city taxes: 90% off new construction (not the land) the first five years, 80% in the sixth year, 60% in the seventh, 40% in the eighth, 20% in the ninth and no forgiveness in the tenth year.

Now called Hazleton Logistics Park, the 100-acre site near the intersection of Route 309 and the Arthur Gardner Highway has been idle for decades. The company plans to construct two buildings measuring approximately 1.2 million and 500,000 square feet.

DA election

A council majority voted to hire Peter J. Adonizio Jr. and Thomas I. Vanaskie from Stevens & Lee in Scranton to file a legal action over the timing of the county district attorney’s election.

The lawyers submitted an anticipated budget of $16,425 and maximum estimate of $21,505.

All six Republican county council members had voted to seek outside legal counsel and a court ruling on whether the DA race must wait until the next municipal election in 2023 so nominees could be selected in a primary. This court action would challenge the county Election Board’s decision that the race must be on the upcoming ballot under new state legislation governing DA vacancies.

Previously first assistant DA, Sam Sanguedolce was automatically appointed DA under the new state legislation when Stefanie Salavantis resigned March 25 to run for county judge.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.