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Five Republicans applied for the vacant Luzerne County Council seat by Friday’s deadline — Reed J. Dunn Jr., Rick Morelli, Anthony Ryba Jr., Michael G. Vacendak and Frank Wojtash.
When releasing the final list of names, the council clerk said it’s possible additional applications postmarked before Aug. 2 may still arrive.
Council did not release resumes, but applicants will be publicly interviewed and asked about their backgrounds next week.
However, Ryba and Morelli have both issued public announcements about their qualifications.
Ryba, 48, of Conyngham, is assistant superintendent in the Hazleton Area School District.
A county resident for more than 35 years, Ryba said he is a 25-year district employee and worked as district business manager for 18 years before his promotion to assistant superintendent two years ago.
Ryba received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Scranton and a master’s degree in business administration from Bloomsburg University.
County Chief Solicitor Romilda Crocamo sent McGinley an email Friday morning saying she was recusing herself from any involvement in matters concerning the appointment process because Ryba is her brother-in-law. All questions and concerns should be directed to assistant solicitors Shannon Crake-Lapsansky and Mark Makowski, she said.
Councilman Robert Schnee also may have a conflict in voting on the vacancy because his wife, Jamesina, works as assistant/confidential secretary to the assistant superintendent at Hazleton Area, the district’s website says. If so, only nine council members would vote on selecting someone to serve the rest of former councilman Eugene Kelleher’s term through Jan. 6.
Ryba got involved in county government in January 2018, when a council majority appointed him to an unpaid seat on the 11-member member county Convention Center Authority, which oversees the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township. He would have to give up the authority seat if he is appointed to council.
According to Ryba’s release:
He believes his strong accounting, financial and leadership background will help council continue “sensible and responsible” budgeting and “navigate serious issues while keeping a balanced budget.”
“As a public servant, Tony Ryba understands the responsibility of governments to provide essential services while maintaining fiscal responsibility,” he wrote. “As a successful business owner, Ryba understands government works for the people, not the other way around.”
As assistant to the superintendent, Ryba’s responsibilities include developing and overseeing the district’s $162 million budget, payroll, accounts receivable and payable, tax collection, investments, debt service, fixed assets and student activity funds.
In addition, he manages support services that include transportation, food service, information systems, plant operations and student registration/child accounting.
Ryba also supervises career and technical programs at the Hazleton Area Career Center and acts as a liaison between the administration and district solicitor. He works closely with the superintendent to organize support services educational needs.
Since 1999, Ryba also secured financing and acted as a liaison with contractors involved in all district building improvement projects. He has served as the district’s chief negotiator with five unions for several years.
“All of the union negotiations have been dealt with through mutual respect, appreciation of the work place, challenges and true professionalism,” he wrote.
Ryba lives in Conyngham with his wife, Rose, and has three children — Monique, Natalie and Tony III.
“There is a bright future ahead for Luzerne County, and I want to do my part in its achievement,” Ryba said. “I pledge to work for the families both young and old who call Luzerne County home.”
Morelli, 48, of Sugarloaf Township, works in software sales and has said he applied because he wants to help the county’s home rule government succeed. He said he is already up to speed because he served on the commission that drafted the home rule charter and served on council from 2012 through 2015.
He has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Villanova University and an MBA in finance from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.
According to prior published reports, Dunn has a master’s degree in geography and had worked as director of the York County Planning Commission from 1965 through 2000.
Pittston resident Arthur Bobbouine, a prior 12-year county employee, had expressed an interest in applying but appears to be ineligible. Under the charter, applicants must have been continuously registered as Republicans since Nov. 3, 2015, or the date voters selected Kelleher. Voting records indicate Bobbouine switched his registration from Democrat to Republican on March 24, 2016.
Council plans to publicly interview applicants next week, with the possibility of making an appointment Aug. 13.