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WILKES-BARRE — Nine of 12 Luzerne County Democrats interested in a vacant county council seat publicly answered questions about what they could contribute to the office during a Monday night session at the courthouse in Wilkes-Barre.
Council will interview the three remaining contenders — Martin Dartoe, Elaine Maddon Curry and Michael McGlynn — at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with plans to fill the seat vacated by Edward Brominski on Feb. 12. The new appointee will serve until Jan. 6.
Some background on the nine applicants interviewed Monday, along with some of their comments:
• Patrick Bilbow, of Avoca, who has 25 years of experience in public education, including 13 administrative, and currently serves as Pittston Area Middle School principal.
Bilbow said he wants to work with the 10 council members to come up with the best solutions for citizens. As a principal, he said he is accustomed to making decisions and resolving problems.
He ran largely because he saw it as an opportunity to get involved instead of sitting back and complaining about and critiquing the council’s decisions.
• Dominic Butchko, of Forty Fort, who is a borough councilman, a college student, county Democratic Party Fifth District chairman and secretary of the county party organization.
Butchko said he was raised by a single mother and understands economic struggles. He also said he worked with multiple municipalities and the SPCA on a regional effort to help animals.
As a councilman, Butchko said he already has government experience and can provide a municipal perspective on the impact of county decisions. He would have to resign from borough council if appointed to the county post.
• Gene Camoni, of Swoyersville, who is now retired after 40 years in various public school and higher education positions. He also served on the county’s citizen manager search committee in 2016 and currently is on the county Children and Youth Advisory Board — a post he would give up if he is appointed to council.
Due to his past work as a superintendent at the Old Forge School District, Camoni said he is familiar with the dynamics overseeing a district while reporting to a school board, which would allow him to “see both sides” of issues facing county council and the manager, he said.
Camoni also cited experience working on school policies and budgets and said he became interested in the council seat through his work on the Children and Youth board, saying he believes the council seat would be an opportunity to serve the county on a “broader scale.”
• Hal Gabriel, of Wilkes-Barre, who works as principal at Wilkes-Barre Area School District’s James M. Coughlin High School and has held various education and administrative positions in the district for more than 21 years.
Gabriel said he applied for the seat because he is a lifelong county resident and wants to be part of a team continuing to move the county in the right direction.
While never serving in public office, Gabriel said he has relevant experience working with the public — students, parents, faculty and the community — and school boards in his education positions.
• Michael Giamber, of Fairmount Township, who is retired after working 23 years with the U.S. Navy managing operations at several naval facilities in Washington, D.C., and working seven years as deputy chief of facilities and operations at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
He also served on the county’s citizen manager search committee in 2016, ran unsuccessfully for county council and was actively involved in supporting and helping to implement the county’s home rule government, which took effect in January 2012.
Giamber said his 30 years in senior management would be an asset to council and that he is hoping to “give back.” He wants to help focus on finishing county policies and procedures, saying there is “a lot of meat that needs to be put on the bones.”
• James Kennedy, of Sugarloaf Township, who has 40 years of experience as general and sales manager at a Hazleton area auto dealership and also experience as a logistics and plant superintendent at a chemical company.
He said he loves the county and wants to make a difference, applying his management and budgetary experience to county government.
Kennedy said he never had an opportunity to pursue his interest in public service before due to travel and long hours in his work. Serving in the temporary position would provide an opportunity to seek efficiencies and try to “give the citizens of the county the most bang for their buck,” he said.
• Lois Komensky, of Duryea, who is semi-retired from a position as business manager at Friedman Properties Management.
Komensky said she has extensive work experience in budgets, accounting and finances and would apply her skills to “get the most for our buck as a taxpayer.”
An active volunteer, Komensky said she has no political or governmental experience but believes that could be a strength because she would be viewing matters with “fresh eyes.”
• Bonnie Markowski, of Plains Township, who is a faculty specialist at the University of Scranton.
Markowski has served on the county election board and had been appointed to fill a county jury commissioner post in 2010.
She told council her integrity was demonstrated when she voluntarily resigned as jury commissioner shortly before home rule so taxpayers would not be forced to pay her $10,000 annually until the term expired the end of 2013. The post was eliminated by home rule.
Markowski said she has served on many university committees, is open-minded, a strong negotiator and has experience as both a leader and team member.
• Eileen Sorokas, of Wilkes-Barre, who served on county council from 2014 through 2017 and is a retired factory worker.
Sorokas said she would be an “excellent short-term replacement” due to her understanding of county government, noting she believes it is her “civic duty to help in a time of need.”
Citing communication as a top skill, Sorokas said she learned how to listen to both the public and council colleagues when she previously served.