Luzerne County Council set to interview applicants Wednesday for open council seat

Luzerne County Council is set to publicly interview Republican applicants for a vacant county council seat at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Fourteen residents applied, although council must verify each meets eligibility requirements.

The applicants, according to a list furnished to council: Carl Bienias III, Dave Chaump, Martin Dartoe, Thomas Dombroski, Sean Donahue, Greg Griffin, David Kelly, Ron Knapp, Bill Levinson, Jess Morgan, Richard Nardone, John Newman, Jared O’Donnell and Brian Savokinas.

The council seat was vacated by Walter Griffith now that he is controller, and his replacement will serve through Jan. 2, 2024 and receive $8,000 annually.

Eligibility requirements include a continuous Republican registration from Nov. 5, 2019 to the present and no employment with or compensation from any contractor of the county or its boards, authorities and commissions.

Council is expected to vote on the appointment at its regularly scheduled public meeting on Feb. 22.

Wednesday’s interview session is at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre, with instructions for remote attendance posted through council’s online meetings link at luzernecounty.org.

Manager search

The county’s Manager Search Committee will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

According to the agenda, the seven-citizen committee plans to review and update matters related to its upcoming recommendation of qualified top manager applicants to council for its consideration.

The meeting is at the courthouse, with remote attendance instructions under council’s online meeting page.

Outside boards

Council’s Authorities, Boards and Commissions Committee will hold an online-only session at 6 p.m. Thursday to interview citizens interested in serving on outside county boards.

Attendance instructions are posted under council’s online meetings page.

In a related matter, council voted last week to reappoint Dominic Yannuzzi to the county Flood Protection Authority, which oversees the Wyoming Valley Levee system along the Susquehanna River.

County hirings

Eighteen county government workers were hired in January, according to the new personnel report.

The new employees, along with their positions and hourly compensation: David Arce, Yashnal Ladson, Bradley Potoeskie and Nicole Schwalm, deputy sheriffs, $15.69; John Blaski, part-time airport police officer, $18; John Carroll, assistant district attorney, $30.23; Robert Calvin Dudick, Laura Laubauskas and Kenneth Eugene Still, building/grounds custodial workers, $13.11; Alicia Gioia-Lucke, Children and Youth caseworker 2, $19.98; Steven Hahn, assessor’s field investigator, $13.99; Danette Hudak, treasurer’s clerk, $14.59; Michele Lauer, Mental Health/Developmental Services clerk typist, $13.52; Nicole Litostansky, court judicial assistant, $20.88; Stephen McGough, Children and Youth caseworker 1, $16.62; Joseph Musto, court law clerk, $39.46; Christopher Pavlick, court executive secretary, $28.29; and William Franklin Stone, planning/zoning analyst, $23.08.

Departures

An equal number of workers — 18 — left county employment in January, the report says.

Two retired — prison corrections officers Margaret Mihalchik and Brian Keith Morgis.

Thirteen resigned: Edward Burdulis, Aging Agency care management supervisor; Melissa Foley, court law clerk; John Hakim, conflict counsel administrator; Gerald W. Johnson III and Juan Rodriguez, deputy sheriffs; Kindra Kowalski, 911 telecommunicator; Justin Muscovitch, Laura Pinero, Sheila Tavarez Ramos and Amanda Werner, Children and Youth caseworker 1s; Edmund O’Neill, operational services division head; Lauren Pavlick, Mental Health/Developmental Services caseworker 2; and Jeanette Rosenau-Wurth, Children and Youth caseworker 2.

Three terminations also were listed on the report: prison lieutenant James Chernavage, road/bridge equipment operator Joseph Mazzola and controller internal auditor Susan Yozwiak.

Promotions

Ten workers transferred to new positions through internal merit hiring in January, the report said.

These employees, along with their new positions and hourly compensation: Rachel Ertz, Mental Health/Developmental Services caseworker supervisor, $20.15; Amanda Everitt, Mental Health/Developmental Services program specialist, $21.48; Amanda Nicole Gilmer, district attorney office administrator, $20.51; Jessica Miraglia, DA juvenile division chief, $30.77; Sean Mulhearn, prison classification specialist, $16.83; Samantha Nicholas, drug/alcohol case management specialist, $20.66; Joseph Romanoski, sheriff corporal, $24.53; Fred Rosencrans, interim operational services division head, $46.71; Jody Smith, Aging Agency administrative officer, $19.76; and Ellen Swithers, assessor’s clerk, $14.59.