Council split over reprimands for Griffith, Pedri

Luzerne County Councilman Walter Griffith was reprimanded by a majority of his colleagues Tuesday over his Facebook activity, but a motion to declare a “lack of confidence” in county Manager C. David Pedri’s leadership did not pass.

Councilman Stephen J. Urban made the motion against Pedri after listing several complaints about his performance, including multiple prison deaths under his “watch,” inaccurate information supplied to council, inadequate back-up of assessment data during last year’s cyber attack and his observation that Pedri “gets agitated” and sometimes interrupts when Urban speaks.

Urban made the motion after a dozen email submissions were read expressing outrage over the prison’s handling of inmate Shaheen Mackey as seen in a 23-minute video released on social media last week. Many of the authors called for the termination of Pedri and Correctional Services Division Head Mark Rockovich and an independent outside investigation.

A 41-year-old Berwick resident, Mackey died in June 2018 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, two days after he was transported from the county prison in Wilkes-Barre. His estate argued in litigation he was suffering a seizure.

Speaking during public comment at the virtual meeting, Mackey’s daughter, Tatiyanne, called for Pedri’s removal, an outside investigation and prison reform, asserting the video revealed the staff present “had no sympathy for what he was going through.”

Some commenting on the video during the meeting questioned why CPR was administered while he was upright in a restraint chair and why the restraint process dragged out.

While the county’s home rule charter contains a manager termination process, county Chief Solicitor Romilda Crocamo said it does not permit such disciplinary action.

Pedri stood by his performance the last four years, saying he generated surpluses and corrected many past failures. He maintained some of Urban’s allegations were lies and described the motion as a “blatant political attack.”

Only two of the 11 council members — Urban and Griffith — supported the lack of confidence vote. Councilwoman Linda McClosky Houck did not vote and later cited internet connection issues as the reason.

Voting against Urban’s motion were: Matthew Vough, Harry Haas, LeeAnn McDermott, Chris Perry, Kendra Radle, Sheila Saidman, Robert Schnee and Tim McGinley.

The motion to reprimand Griffith passed 7-4, with no votes from Urban, Haas, McClosky Houck and Griffith.

The matter was scheduled for discussion — only during the work session — but Griffith asked for it to be placed on the voting agenda.

The resolution said Griffith did not “conduct himself with courtesy and respect for fellow council members” as required in council bylaws when he commented on and shared a post about Radle and McDermott.

Griffith has said the action would have “no teeth” and is not permissible in his opinion because he is an elected official.

Radle told her colleagues Griffith should be held responsible because he regularly points out instances where he believes others have not followed policies.

McDermott said she is “asking for respect” and said Griffith turned on her and Radle when the three Republicans took office in January because the two women would not support his choice for council chair, even though both nominees were Democrats.

“Grow up, because our childish actions are making us all look foolish,” McDermott told Griffith.

Griffith said he has the right to free speech and answers to voters who will decide if they approve of his performance after four years.

Urban said it was “merely sandbox publicity.”

In other business, council voted to:

• Pay $9,115 to settle pending litigation filed by William J. Martin against the county over alleged damage to his property caused by the county’s 2001 construction of an underground storm drainage and piping system on an adjacent parcel, the agenda said.

• Table a vote on a proposed 2021 capital plan.