Luzerne County election staffing change implemented

Luzerne County Manager Randy Robertson said he has temporarily advanced two election department workers because the administration won’t be making a decision on a permanent election director until after the Nov. 8 general election.

Deputy Election Director Beth McBride is now serving as acting election director, and Operations Manager Emily Cook is now acting deputy director, Robertson said.

Prior director Michael Susek resigned effective Aug. 11, and Robertson said he was informed the only viable applicant withdrew from consideration.

After consulting with Administrative Services Division Head Jennifer Pecora, a decision was made to reconsider the director position after the general election, Robertson said. McBride and Cook were placed in the temporary roles because they are performing additional oversight while there is no permanent director, he said.

Robertson said he has been impressed with the performance of McBride and Cook.

“They’re a great team, and every indication is that they have added a level of calm and professionalism,” Robertson said, noting they have remained focused amid intense public scrutiny and questioning about election-related matters.

“They’ve handled it with dignity, style and professionalism,” he said.

Cook was hired as operations manager for $40,000 in March and is receiving $42,000 as acting deputy, the administration said. McBride started work as deputy election director in July and is receiving $64,000 as acting director.

Office move

The Luzerne County Treasurer’s Office is moving from its longtime location on the first floor of the county courthouse in Wilkes-Barre, according to a posting on the county website.

Effective Oct. 24, the office will be located on the third floor of the county’s Penn Place building, 20 N. Pennsylvania Ave., in Wilkes-Barre.

The administration said the courthouse room now housing the Treasurer’s Office will be converted to a courtroom as part of a plan that had been developed late last year. This plan also relocated the county manager’s office and budget/finance and law divisions from the courthouse basement to the third floor of Penn Place.

Prior acting county manager Romilda Crocamo had said the shuffling would ensure all county judges are located in the courthouse or nearby Bernard Brominski Building.

The moves will not impact courthouse space occupied by county council, including council’s meeting room, she had said.

Budget hearing

County council will hold its first public hearing on the proposed 2023 county budget at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the courthouse.

Instructions for remote attendance are posted under council’s online meetings link at luzernecounty.org.

The proposed budget would increase real estate taxes 6.75%, which equates to $55 more annually for the average property assessed at $132,776, the administration said. Council is free to make changes before the Dec. 15 budget adoption deadline.

The 274-page proposed budget is posted under the budget/finance department section at luzernecounty.org.

Budget session

Council will start focusing on budget proposals from specific departments during a work session set to start at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

This session will cover the law division, budget/finance division, judicial services and records division and intergovernmental transfers to outside entities, such as public libraries and the Luzerne County Community College.

Act 13

Council’s Act 13 Committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the courthouse, with instructions for remote attendance posted under council’s online meeting link at luzernecounty.org.

This committee will be seeking and screening outside applicantions seeking funding for recreation projects. Approximately $100,000 to $110,000 in county funding from the natural gas industry is available for council earmarks.

Committee Chairman Brian Thornton said public announcements will be made on the application process after details are finalized.