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PITTSTON TWP. — For the second time, the Bi-County Airport board at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport has tabled the appointment of a new public safety director.
The board met virtually in special session Tuesday, only to approve the hiring of a custodian before tabling the appointment of the public safety director.
Airport Executive Director Carl Beardsley said the board decided to table the appointment until the next regular meeting to allow for more discussion of the candidates.
The board did accept the resignation of Jordan Rose, Dupont, a custodian, effective immediately. The board then approved the appointment of Robert Murray of Taylor to the position, pending clearance confirmation.
The public safety director appointment was the only other item on the agenda, but it was tabled.
The Bi-County Airport Board was expected to appoint a new Director of Public Safety at its virtual meeting two weeks ago, but the matter never came up for discussion.
Tim McGinley, chairman of Luzerne County Council and vice chair of the Airport Board, said at an executive session held prior to the public meeting, it was decided to conduct a second round of interviews with three top candidates.
McGinley said nine candidates were interviewed for the position and the top three would be called back for a second interview.
Until a decision can be reached, George Bieber has continued in his role as part-time interim public safety director, which he held full-time for years before retiring earlier this year.
In July, the Bi-County Airport quietly accepted the resignation of the recently appointed safety director Gary Vogue and brought back his predecessor, Bieber, on an interim basis.
Bieber, of Moosic, had retired in January following a lengthy career at the airport.
The board unanimously accepted Vogue’s resignation and announced that the Pennsylvania State Police had opened an internal investigation into the status of Vogue, a PSP captain who was hired in February as the director of public safety at the airport. Vogue never resigned his state police position, despite telling the airport he would, and returned to that position.
Vogue was hired on Feb. 11, and began working at the airport in April, at a salary of $70,000. His state police salary was reported as $146,883.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.