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Walter Griffith said he wants to do more than organize in his first meeting as a Luzerne County councilman Monday and will ask his colleagues to reopen the budget and introduce a proposed home rule charter amendment ordinance.
Monday’s session is known as a reorganization meeting because it is the first time newly elected and existing council members are seated together. The meeting starts after the six newly elected council members take the oath of office at 6 p.m. in the courthouse rotunda on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Under the charter, council must meet the first Monday in January following council election years to organize by choosing a chair and vice chair.
County Chief Solicitor Romilda Crocamo said the charter only specified the chair/vice chair vote, prompting her office to recommend that votes on other matters wait until the first regular voting meeting set up by the chosen chair.
Following the current meeting schedule on the second and fourth Tuesdays each month, the first meeting may be Jan. 14.
But Griffith said Thursday waiting until then would not be in council’s best interest because both matters he wants to decide have pressing deadlines.
He also pointed out there is precedence for voting on other matters because council had appointed then-chief solicitor C. David Pedri interim county manager during the January 2016 reorganization meeting.
“I understand that this is different than other swearing-in ceremonies, but time is critical and, therefore, I appreciate everyone’s indulgence in this matter,” Griffith wrote in an email Thursday to current and incoming council members.
If the 2020 budget is reopened, amendments would have to be made by Feb. 15. It’s unclear if a majority would support reexamination of the budget, which contains a 3.25% tax hike.
Griffith’s proposed charter amendment would provide council with its own legal counsel instead of relying on the county law office. To place the question on the April 28 primary election for county voters to decide, council must introduce and approve an ordinance at separate meetings and present the ballot request to the county election office as early as Jan. 28 based on Griffith’s reading of deadline requirements, he said.
The charter change is needed, Griffith asserted, because he believes the law office is put in a conflicting position providing legal advise to council — the legislative branch — when the office falls under the supervision of the county manager, or executive branch.
“I’m not casting aspersions on the solicitor’s office. It’s just that it puts everyone in a bad position,” Griffith said.
Crocamo said Griffith had mentioned the proposed amendment when her office recently met with incoming council members, and she and her staff agreed he has the right to make the proposal.
She stressed she and her staff represent the county as a whole as dictated by the charter, issuing opinions based on their interpretation of the law — opinions that can be accepted or rejected. She and the other office attorneys must follow rules of professional conduct if they are faced with a conflict in any matter, she added.
Council members Tim McGinley and Robert Schnee will remain on council four more years, joined by new members LeeAnn McDermott, Stephen J. Urban, Kendra Radle and Griffith.
The remaining council members: Harry Haas, Linda McClosky Houck, Chris Perry, Sheila Saidman and Matthew Vough.
Griffith said Thursday he does not support keeping McGinley as chair and hopes a majority will choose McClosky Houck for the post.
In response, McClosky Houck said she is willing to serve as chairwoman if a majority wants her to fill the role.
“In the past eight years, whether I was chair or not, I’ve done the work of being a responsible council member. I’ve always done the work,” she said.
McGinley has served as chairman since the last reorganization in January 2018. McClosky Houck had been chair before him, appointed in January 2015.
The chair has the same voting power as the others but plays a key role setting the tone of council meetings. The chair also prepares meeting agendas and often serves as county spokesperson.
Other looming decisions await the reorganized council early this year.
Numerous vacancies on outside boards must be filled, and a proposed new collective bargaining agreement for unionized prison employees will require council approval or rejection.
The administration also must present to council its recommended contractor to handle delinquent real estate tax collection and back-tax auctions.
Also pending is a decision on a proposed real estate tax break for a new Pennsylvania State Police Northeast Regional Headquarters in Hanover Township. A proposed tax diversion for the former Valley Crest Nursing Home property in Plains Township also may be presented to council.