Luzerne County Council to vote on one-time bonuses for security officers

Luzerne County Council is set to vote Tuesday on one-time bonuses for five union security officers.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo said during last week’s work session that the security officers were unintentionally omitted from a December 2024 incentive provided to 32 union sheriff deputies, corporals, and sergeants.

That past package, unanimously approved by County Council, had provided payments ranging from $1,000 for less than a year of service to $10,000 for those with service ranging from five to 31 years.

All five security officers meet length-of-service requirements to receive the $10,000 incentive, which means it will cost $50,000, the agenda said.

The impacted workers, along with their service length in parenthesis, the agenda said: Philip Gianfarcaro (18.75); Mary Humanik (19.62); James Lavin (21.93); Scott McQueen (9.75); and Nicholas J. Telincho (19.44).

Annual compensation for the security officers ranges from $34,800 to $41,700, according to the county position list.

“They do very good work,” Crocamo said of the security officers, describing them as “polite” in their screenings of those entering county buildings.

“They deal with individuals who come into our buildings and sometimes are very hostile toward them,” Crocamo told council.

Council’s voting meeting is at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for the remote attendance option will be posted in council’s online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

Magisterial lease

A magisterial lease in Edwardsville also is on Tuesday’s voting agenda.

Magisterial District 11-1-05 had to temporarily relocate to the county’s West Side Annex in Forty Fort last May due to a fire at the court space on Russell Street in Edwardsville, a borough-owned property.

Court Administrator Paul Hindmarsh said Edwardsville has fully renovated the fire-damaged structure at 57 Russell St., allowing the magisterial district to return.

Joshua Moses is set to take the oath of office on Friday to serve as magisterial district judge in District 11-1-05.

Under the proposed five-year lease, the county will pay the borough $25,200 annually the first four years and $38,400 in the fifth year.

American Rescue

Council had tabled two project completion extension requests last week for federal American Rescue Plan Act funding recipients due to concerns they would impede the county’s requirement to close out the program at the end of 2026.

Both recipients subsequently proposed shorter windows that appear on Tuesday’s voting agenda.

Ashley, which was awarded $2 million, is requesting an extension until March 31 to close out the Solomon Creek Interceptor rehabilitation project, the agenda said.

Shickshinny also revised its extension request to March 31 to wrap up a roadway and drainage improvement project on Chestnut Street. The borough was awarded $358,000 for that project.