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Six new Luzerne County government positions were created in July, according to county Manager C. David Pedri’s new monthly personnel transactions report.
At the urging of council Chairman Tim McGinley, the administration started including a list of new and eliminated positions in January to allow public tracking of personnel changes after passage of the annual budget.
Under the home rule structure, the manager does not have to seek council approval for new positions if funding is available in the budget.
The six new positions, according to the report: three 911 telecommunicators and an election services associate, assistant public defender and IT network administrator.
Pedri said the 911 positions will be covered by that department’s outside funding, and the assistant public defender salary will be paid by a grant. General fund operating budget savings from unfilled positions will pay for the remaining two positions, he said.
Hirings, departures
Nine employees were hired in July, while 14 left employment, the report says.
The new hires: Stacy Golightly, budget/finance auditor, $24,500; Victoria Martin, probation fiscal technician, $26,346; Kathryn Choman, court reporter, $45,000; John Hopkins, human resources analyst, $40,284; Jennifer Donahue, Children and Youth clerk, $23,133; Anne Kelly, aging senior center director, $13,347; Joie Strong, Children and Youth caseworker, $29,958; Britney Benkoski, district attorney adult victims witness coordinator, $23,650; and Joseph Taylor, district attorney clerk typist, $23,650.
Eleven workers resigned, the report said: planning/zoning executive director James Ferry, planning/zoning analyst Daniel Butch, public defender clerk/stenographer Karen Dalrymple, human resources coordinator Morgan Santayana, drug and alcohol case manager Amy Wolf, Children and Youth social service aide Kassandra Schott, assistant district attorney Thomas Marsilio, prison corrections officer Tanner Johnson and Children and Youth caseworkers Marie Boyd, Eric Jones and Erin Smith.
Two employees retired — probation intake specialist Bernard Montigney and human services fiscal administrator Albert Petrole — and one was terminated, aging senior center operator Susan Sanders.
Bids sought
The county is seeking bids to repair and install cut stone at the county-owned River Common fishing pier, which was damaged by this year’s ice jam on the Susquehanna River.
Officials have estimated the work will cost $50,000 to $60,000. Bids are due Aug. 23.
Meetings
Council’s legislative committee will meet 5 p.m. Tuesday in the courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
A public hearing will follow at 5:45 p.m. to regarding Councilwoman Linda McClosky Houck’s proposed administrative code amendment requiring more detailed monthly budget reports.
Council’s voting meeting will begin 6 p.m., followed by a work session.
At the voting session, council is set to declare a vacancy on the Luzerne County Community College Board of Trustees due to the resignation of Michael J. Dubinski and fill open board seats on the county Industrial Development Authority and Convention Center Authority, which oversees the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township.
Council twice failed to come up with the required six votes to fill a citizen vacancy on arena authority. With an 11th council member absent both times, the vote was tied 5-5 for nominees James Reino and Neal DeAngelo.
