Five Luzerne County union contracts in negotiation

Union negotiations continue for five Luzerne County collective bargaining agreements that expired at the end of 2025, officials said.

These agreements cover hundreds of county workers.

Two are represented by AFSCME:

• Residual — covers 911 telecommunicators, security guards, and some employees in road and bridge, building and grounds, mapping, voter services, and several other offices.

• Court-related — covers sheriff deputies and clerical workers in various departments, including the civil and criminal court records, wills, deeds, and public defender’s and district attorney’s offices.

The remaining three agreements are for human services departments represented by Teamsters Local 401: Children, Youth and Families; Mental Health/Developmental Services; and the Area Agency on Aging.

Prison

County Council’s new Correctional Services Committee will hold its first meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Created through a bylaw change council approved last month, this committee will review correctional policies, monitor capital needs, and evaluate fiscal performance in the county prison system.

Councilman Steve Coslett, a retired county prison corrections officer, is chair of the committee, while Councilwoman LeeAnn McDermott will serve as committee vice chair. Council Chairman Jimmy Sabatino is also on the committee.

The agenda for the first meeting includes a general discussion of the committee’s objectives, goals, and long-term plans.

Instructions for the remote attendance option will be posted in council’s online meetings section at luzernecounty.org.

Council also created two other committees — Operational Services and Community Planning and Development — that have not yet scheduled meetings on the county’s online calendar.

All three committees will review policies, programs, services, and initiatives to ensure they are in line with council’s legislative intent and make recommendations to the full council, the bylaw change said. Operational authority and personnel supervision remain the responsibility of the county manager and appropriate administrative leadership, it said.

Town hall

County Manager Romilda Crocamo scheduled a public town hall at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Exeter Borough Building.

Crocamo holds periodic sessions at various locations to inform residents about county projects and future plans, and to seek citizen input on needs.

The municipal building is at 1101 Wyoming Ave.

Opioid funds

County Human Services Division Head Megan Stone said some municipalities have requested county assistance with their opioid litigation settlement funds, including assistance with handling the required reporting documents.

In addition to the approximately $30 million the county is expected to receive over 18 years from the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors, some municipalities are also receiving their own separate allocations from the settlement trust.

Stone, a member of the county’s Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement, brought up the subject during last week’s commission meeting.

Council created the commission in 2023 to review applications and recommend awards for council’s consideration and final determination. As a result, Stone already has experience assessing eligibility requirements and compiling a detailed report for the opioid settlement oversight trust every six months.

The county law division created a draft memorandum that would have to be approved by County Council before services could be offered to interested municipalities.