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Luzerne County government staffing levels were debated during last week’s 2019 budget presentation.
County Manager C. David Pedri said his proposed budget covers 1,560 positions, including part-time ones.
Councilman Harry Haas pointed out staffing was cut from 1,620 to around 1,430 due to “painful” layoffs in the first two years of the home rule government, which took effect in January 2012.
Councilman Stephen A. Urban was critical of the increases.
”So the reality is, after it went down, it went back up, like a yo-yo,” he said.
Haas also took issue with Pedri’s statement that he is not seeking any new positions in the 2019 budget because an election services associate and five other new positions were created in July. Haas said council had opted against funding the election position in the 2018 budget.
Pedri has said the election position and a new IT network administrator position will be covered by general fund operating budget savings from unfilled positions, while the remaining four are funded by outside sources and a grant. Under the home rule structure, the manager does not have to seek council approval for new positions if funding is available in the budget.
Budget updates
Haas and Councilwoman Linda McClosky Houck asked Pedri to prepare an updated position budget.
This budget lists all positions, with compensation, that are funded in the proposed budget. Both council members want the manager to add columns showing which positions were funded in 2017 and 2018.
Council will hold a work session at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre to discuss the proposed budgets for the public defender and administrative services division.
In an attempt to streamline the budget sessions, Council Chairman Tim McGinley said he has asked presenting departments to prepare reports explaining all expense and revenue items that changed 10 percent compared to this year.
These reports also list the number of employees budgeted for both years.
The reports for Tuesday’s meeting are posted on the council agenda page at www.luzernecounty.org.
Penn Place work
The county is seeking bids to reinforce the ground-floor columns supporting the Penn Place building at the corner of Market Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre.
Bids are due Oct. 16.
County Operational Services Division Head Edmund O’Neill said the support columns are structurally sound but require proactive maintenance.
Community College
Council last week appointed Holly Evanoski to a seat on the Luzerne County Community College Board of Trustees that was vacated by Francis Curry.
Nine citizens had interviewed for the volunteer seat, and three of 11 council members initially supported applicant Cecilia Chmiola.
Council Vice Chairman Eugene Kelleher said he voted for Evanoski because she is a community college graduate and very active in the institution’s alumni association.
Council must fill another vacancy on the board because Christopher Slusser recently resigned due to his relocation outside the county, the council agenda shows.
Investment policy
County officials are reviewing a plan to invest real estate tax payments and other revenue that arrives before the money is needed for specific bills.
Pedri recently told council some tax revenue received in April sits in non-interest checking accounts until it is withdrawn for bills at the end of the year.
The administration will seek proposals for short-term investments from financial institutions after a policy is developed, Pedri said, stressing the county will proceed cautiously.
Chosen investments must guarantee the county money is safe and can be extracted without penalties if an emergency arises, he said. Other counties are enacting similar policies to generate additional revenue, he said.