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WILKES-BARRE — Finally it was Mike Belusko’s turn to bang the gavel.

On Monday, Wilkes-Barre city council named Belusko the new chairman of the five-member elected panel during the annual reorganization meeting. Councilman Bill Barrett also was named vice chairman during the 10-minute public session at City Hall.

“To my fellow council members thank you and thank you for your vote of confidence in me to lead us in 2019,” said Belusko, a Democrat from District A.

“You all have been here. You sat in this seat. I am the last of this council to sit here,” Belusko said during his brief comments. “I ask you with your leadership and knowledge of the duties that I have to perform, the issues that I may come across, to help me lead us in 2019.”

His triplet grandsons, Brody, Logan and Conor Richardson, all 8, joined him in the swearing-in ceremony performed by Luzerne County Judge William Amesbury.

Belusko had served as vice chairman and replaced Tony Brooks, a Republican from District B, in the leadership post.

The chairman’s post pays $14,699 a year. The other council members are paid a yearly salary of $13,199. All five council members are in their final year of their four-year term.

‘An interesting year’

Barrett, a Democrat from District D and a former city police chief, had previously served in both chairman and vice chairman roles. His wife Betty Jane joined him as Amesbury administered the oath of office. The new vice chairman thanked council, the administration of Mayor Tony George and city employees for their efforts.

“It’s been an interesting year. We’ve had a couple of challenges. But, all in all we’ve had some significant accomplishments,” Barrett said of 2018. He pointed out that council passed the mayor’s $50.4 million balanced budget that did not contain a property tax hike. The city avoided financially distressed status under the state’s Act 47, he added. “I think we are in much better shape than I thought we were going to be at this point, at this time,” Barrett said.

Barrett listed the change in command at police headquarters as one of the noteworthy accomplishments. Marcella Lendacky, appointed chief by George in 2016, retired in June 2018 after the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association in Harrisburg conducted an independent review at the request of council to resolve the departmental discord between the leadership and rank and file officers.

The review found that Lendacky, a veteran officer, lacked the professional qualifications to serve as chief. The mayor named Joseph Coffay, a former commander, detective and captain, as her replacement in November.

”I think that the new leadership in the police was an accomplishment. I believe we all feel better about that,” Barrett said.

Council went to work after the oaths and passed two resolutions, setting the 12 paid holidays for city workers and council’s meeting schedule for this year. The first work session of the new year will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday followed by the public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Barrett
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_wbcitycouncil01.jpg.optimal.jpgBarrett

Belusko
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_belusko.jpg.optimal.jpgBelusko

By Jerry Lynott

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Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.