Romilda Crocamo withdraws Luzerne County manager application

Luzerne County Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo has withdrawn her application for the permanent top manager position, according to an email she sent to council and employees Monday morning.

Council has been unable to hire a manager because no finalist received the required seven votes. Five council members had supported Crocamo, while six voted for finalist Randy Robertson.

Crocamo’s withdrawal opens the door for her five council supporters to reconsider Robertson or other applicants if council asks the outside search committee to seek new applicants.

Crocamo said she withdrew her name “after careful consideration.”

“While I am deeply disappointed by the council vote, I recognize that it’s in the best interest of Luzerne County that I step aside. I do not make this decision lightly,” Crocamo said.

Crocamo reiterated that she remains committed to seeing the county flourish because it is her home.

“I am heartened by all those who have reached out to me, from both sides of this divide, to request that I remain an integral part of the county,” she wrote.

Unless council disagrees, Crocamo said she is willing to remain acting manager until council selects the next permanent manager.

“At that time, I would return to my position as chief county solicitor, subject to the will of my replacement as county manager,” she said.

Crocamo said she believes her decision is “the best course of action” for council, employees and the county as a whole.

“Whether any individual council member believes I am not the right choice for the manager position, it is abundantly clear that I have the ability to manage operations while a suitable replacement is selected,” Crocamo wrote. “Equally important, I will be an irreplaceable asset to the incoming executive during the transition in leadership.”

In closing, Crocamo said it has been an honor to serve as acting manager — an assignment she took on when prior manager C. David Pedri’s resignation took effect July 6.

Council response

Four of the five council members who had supported Crocamo over Robertson — John Lombardo, Tim McGinley, Chris Perry and Chairwoman Kendra Radle — said Monday they won’t be voting for Robertson if there is a call for another vote at the next council meeting on April 12.

Robert Schnee, the remaining board member who had selected Crocamo, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday. Schnee is running for state representative in the 116th Legislative District in a special election Tuesday and would have to step down if he is chosen, leaving it up to a council majority to replace him.

Radle said she is not voting for Robertson at this time and believes it would be best to reopen the job advertisement to determine if additional applicants will respond.

“I thought Romilda was the most qualified of the three finalists, so that’s why I supported her. If later down the road we are given a new pool of applicants and Robertson is the best, then I would consider voting for him, but not now,” Radle said.

Lombardo said he fears Robertson won’t be committed to remain her for a lengthy period of time because he held numerous jobs in his career.

“I did not support him two weeks ago, and my favorability toward him has not changed just because Romilda is no longer a candidate,” Lombardo said. “I have too much of a concern about his level of dedication to the job.”

Perry said he believes Robertson is a “fine person” but supports reactivating a search with a concrete deadline.

“I just have questions about the number of jobs he’s had and not having any experience in county government,” Perry said of Robertson. “I don’t have confidence he’d stay here any length of time.”

McGinley said he doesn’t want to publicly air his concerns about Robertson but will not support his hiring. He also wants to expand the search.

Search proposal

Councilwoman LeeAnn McDermott proposed council approve the following plan on April 12 if none of the five council members are willing to change their vote to choose Robertson at this time:

• Reopen the application process until April 19.

• Ask the outside citizen manager search committee to screen the applicants, conduct interviews and make a recommendation on any new or previous applicants to council by May 9.

• Complete council interviews of new finalists, if there are any, between May 10 and May 23.

• Schedule a council vote on the manager hiring on May 24.

“The citizens of Luzerne County are relying on us to make an informed and timely decision, and this timeline allows us to move efficiently to make this important choice,” McDermott wrote.

Councilman Kevin Lescavage said his intention is to bring the hiring of Robertson to another vote moving forward, whether it is on April 12 or another date. He remains impressed with Roberton’s education and municipal management and military experience.

“We need a financial person first — someone sharp with a pencil,” he said of Robertson.

Contacted Monday, Robertson said he is still interested in the top management assignment here.

“We’ll wait and see,” he said.

Acting manager

Lescavage said he is fine with Crocamo staying as acting manager as council figures out how it is proceeding.

McDermott also said she is not in support of finding another acting manager and applauded Crocamo for “putting the needs of the county first during this time of transition.”

“While I did not vote for her the permanent position, I know she has always worked incredibly hard as county solicitor as well as acting county manager,” McDermott said in an email to council colleagues. “I look forward to continue working with her in this role until the next county manager could be named.”

In addition to McDermott and Lescavage, the council members supporting Robertson were Carl Bienias III, Brian Thornton, Stephen J. Urban and Gregory Wolovich Jr.