Possible Luzerne County home rule charter referendums discussed

A Luzerne County Council committee discussed several home rule charter changes that may be put before voters, although it’s unclear if all approvals will be completed in time to get them on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Jimmy Sabatino, who chairs both council and its Code Review Committee that met Monday, said proposed referendums would have to be formally recommended by the committee and then discussed and approved by a council majority before the Aug. 4 deadline to submit general election ballot questions to the county Election Board.

One referendum proposed by Councilwoman Denise Williams, who also serves on the committee, would eliminate charter language that prohibits per diem Election Day workers from serving on county boards because they receive a county payment.

Williams said many have expressed disagreement with this provision because citizens who work in polling places or the election bureau solely on Election Day should not be treated as employees or contractors barred from board appointments.

The other committee members in attendance on Monday — Sabatino and Councilwoman Dawn Simmons — concurred.

Another possible referendum proposed by Sabatino would require three council members on the Joint Airport Board with Lackawanna County that oversees the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, instead of two council members and the county manager or his/her designee.

Sabatino said the change would put the county on “equal footing” with Lackawanna, which has its three elected commissioners serving on the board. It also “insulates the county manager from the politics of the airport board,” he said.

Simmons agreed, saying it would “protect the county manager from any potential hostilities” and stagger council appointments to ensure that at least one experienced council member is always serving, providing institutional knowledge.

The airport board restructuring was included in a proposed new county charter that voters rejected last year.

The county paid approximately $162,000 for the study commission’s completion of a proposed new charter, and council members said they still want to pursue some of its recommendations as individual referendums in upcoming elections.

During Monday’s meeting, Williams also sought another referendum from the defeated charter that would give council the option to create a county jail oversight board.

Before home rule, decisions about prison staffing and operations were made by a prison board comprising the three county commissioners, the district attorney, the county controller, the sheriff, and a judge or judicial representative.

Under the structure, the county manager oversees prison operations and selects a correctional services division head, with council confirmation required for that hiring.

Williams wants to empower council to determine if the creation of a board would improve prison operations and, if so, approve its structure and powers.

Earlier this year, council created a Correctional Services Committee to discuss prison issues without interfering in daily operations.

Sabatino said he is unsure if he will vote to recommend the jail oversight board referendum to the full council for its consideration.

In addition to these suggested referendums, the committee discussed a potential fourth one that would limit the appointed county manager’s budget transfer authority.

The charter allows the manager to transfer part or all of any unencumbered balance within divisions and departments, with written notification required to council and the controller within five days after the transfer is made.

According to Monday’s agenda, the proposed referendum would prohibit the manager from making transfers to create a new position or increase the salary for any position above the amount budgeted for that year.

Williams said this change was in the proposed new charter last year. She previously sought changes in council’s administrative code to cap salary increases, but she said an amendment to the charter itself would ensure restrictions are allowable.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo told committee members that they never discussed the matter with her as requested, and that she wants to present her concerns so they “get it right.” Crocamo said a new compensation study is needed, and many salaries are still not at the level recommended in the last study conducted a decade ago, including those of workers handling increased responsibilities. She is also exploring a structured plan that could provide compensation incentives to workers based on their length of service and success in implementing efficiency improvements without compromising services.

If compensation issues are addressed, there would be no need for unplanned and significant increases outside the budget cycle, Crocamo said.

Williams said she supports a salary study and incentivizing staff, but believes such changes must be discussed and incorporated in the annual budget.

Sabatino said he sees both sides of the argument and will seek Crocamo’s input because a solution is needed to end disagreements over the issue that have festered since home rule’s 2012 implementation.

Williams said one possibility to provide “leeway” would be a charter referendum similar to one proposed for the administrative code, with council approval required for raises exceeding 5% and for the creation of new management-level positions not expressly contemplated in the adopted budget.

Crocamo emphasized she has never exceeded budgeted amounts for position changes or raises.

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