Luzerne County Council chairwoman says manager applicant travel decision must wait until Feb. 22

Luzerne County Council Chairwoman Kendra Radle informed the county manager search committee Wednesday it should not make travel arrangements for applicants to come here for interviews until council publicly votes on the committee’s request for travel funding Feb. 22.

The search committee had suggested bringing in four out-of-town candidates on Feb. 20, interviewing them Feb. 21 and then deciding on its final recommendations to council that evening, according to committee communications. It also proposed council then immediately interview the non-local applicants on Feb. 22 while they are still here.

Radle told Committee Chairman Chris Hackett she does not believe that timeline is doable because council won’t be voting on the travel request until its voting meeting the night of Feb. 22. Council typically discusses matters at a work session and then votes at a subsequent meeting.

Hackett can publicly explain the committee’s idea to hold back-to-back interviews during council’s work session this Tuesday when he presents the request for applicant travel funding, Radle said.

“I understand that this matter is of the utmost importance, but until that funding is voted on at a public meeting, no travel arrangements should be made as we won’t know the outcome of the vote,” Radle said.

Council also has not yet publicly discussed how it plans to proceed with its own interviews and evaluation after the search committee wraps up its home rule charter requirement to recommend applicants for council’s consideration.

Once the citizen committee furnishes its list, the selection process is fully in the hands of council members to perform their own independent review of the recommended applicants.

It took nearly a month for council to complete its due diligence during the last search in 2016 because it had to agree on its rating and evaluation system and interview questions, conduct the interviews and perform other due diligence.

This is the top management position in county government, and the person selected must oversee day-to-day operations, personnel, the budget and a myriad of other administrative matters.

Hackett has said he will appear before council at its work session Tuesday to request an additional $10,000 allocation, including $6,000 to cover expenses for applicants to travel here for interviews.

Committee members have said they are not comfortable recommending the highest-ranked applicants without meeting them face-to-face.

Committee member Rick Morelli was the lone dissenter, saying he believes the committee can obtain enough information on whether applicants are qualified in a second remote interview, if necessary, and leave it up to council to conduct in-person interviews.

Morelli took his position to another level Wednesday, saying he already has confidence all five highest-ranked applicants are worthy of recommendation to council, pending the results of background checks. He said all five have significant municipal management experience.

“Each of them have different pros and cons. Let council decide that. I think the key is us not eliminating more applicants or persuading the council which way to go. At the end of the day, it’s council’s job, and they’re going to be accountable for the decision — not us,” Morelli said.

Morelli said he also sent an email cautioning the committee against any scheduling of out-of-town interviews before council votes on Feb. 22.

“I have talked to some council members about the process of spending money on us flying applicants in, and I know some council members have concerns,” Morelli said. “It has to be aired out.”

The county charter, which required the citizen search committee, says the committee “shall recommend the candidates it believes are the most qualified to county council for its consideration.”

On council’s end, the charter said the manager must be appointed “on the basis of executive abilities and administrative qualifications as evidenced by professional preparation, training, and experience in public administration, finance, and/or other fields that demonstrate substantial ability to perform the functions of county manager.” A bachelor’s degree and at least five years of relevant work experience also are required.

Council’s Feb. 22 meeting also is noteworthy because council is expected to appoint a Republican to fill the council seat vacated by Walter Griffith now that he is controller. Until that seat is filled, council is down to 10 members.

Seven of 11 council votes — a majority plus one — are required for the manager hiring.