Luzerne County primary election set for certification Tuesday

Luzerne County’s Election Board scheduled a special meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday to certify the May 19 primary election results.

The election bureau posted several updated primary voting breakdown reports on its page at luzernecounty.org.

These posted results incorporate last week’s adjudication decisions on provisional ballots and flagged mail ballots. The reports also include write-in tallies.

Tuesday’s certification meeting is in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for the remote attendance option will be posted in council’s authorities, boards, and commissions online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.

Ethics

Also on Tuesday, the county’s Ethics Commission is scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. in the courthouse.

The commission had convened on May 19 but postponed the meeting because it was not posted on the county website to alert the public.

Two pending ethics complaints are before the commission. Complaint details remain confidential unless the matter results in a commission finding.

Instructions to attend Tuesday’s meeting remotely are posted in the authorities, boards, and commissions online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.

Thursday schedule

Three meetings are scheduled on Thursday in the courthouse.

Council’s Real Estate Committee will meet at 1 p.m.

The Act 13 Committee will meet at 4 p.m. to discuss the proposed application process for entities to seek an earmark from the county’s Marcellus Shale natural-gas recreation funding for recreation and conservation projects, including parks and trails.

Council will hold a special public hearing at 5:30 p.m. to receive comments on a proposed anti-discrimination ordinance, which may be adopted by council on June 9.

Links to remotely attend all three meetings will be posted in council’s online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.

Hirings

Seven new county government employees were hired in April, while two past workers were rehired, according to the newly posted monthly personnel report.

The new workers, their positions and hourly compensation, the report said: Sumayyah Chesson, probation services administrative aide, $15.67; Kristy Davis, election bureau administrative assistant, $16.77; James Geiger, boiler plant mechanical systems engineer, $20.43; Daniel Hunter, part-time assistant public defender, $42.45; Nicole Lazevnick, court PFA administrative assistant, $19.23; Rolanda Pearce, prison nurse, $30.70; and William L. Stephens Jr., part-time assistant public defender, $49.23.

The two prior rehired workers and their positions: Lori Paisley, magisterial district judge per diem clerk 5, $20; and Jazmyne Thomas, Children, Youth and Families (CYF) caseworker 2, $23.33.

Departures

Ten workers resigned in April, the report said: Jonathan Bates, human services fiscal officer 3; Kaylee Chyko and Michelle Yudichak, magisterial district judge clerk 5s; Taylor Guziejka, prothonotary clerk 3; Dennis McKeown, deputy sheriff 1; Madison Miller, coroner field investigator/autopsy assistant; Sara Pizzo, court reporter; Landon Smith, corrections officer 2; Sherrill Toney, Aging Agency care manager 3; and James Wilbur, correctional services division head.

Two terminations were listed on the report of District Attorney’s Office part-time airport police officer Stefanie Aversa and treasurer’s office accountant David Muroski.

Transfers

Three employees changed positions through the internal merit hiring process, the report said.

These workers, their new positions, and hourly compensation: Michael Schultz, sheriff sergeant, $21.26; Jason Volciak, election bureau voting system specialist, $26.37; and Nancy Smacchi, CYF attorney 2, $27.56.

Two employees transferred to new positions: Shara Brown, treatment court case manager, $20.33; and Harry Yanoshak, CYF caseworker 2, $23.33.