Latest news with #StudyCommission
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Several options presented to transition Luzerne County Council to nine members
Jul. 6—Now that a Luzerne County Government Study Commission majority has settled on a recommendation to reduce the 11-member county council to nine members instead of seven, it must decide how the downsizing will be implemented if the revised home rule charter is approved by voters in November. Voters currently elect council members on a rotating schedule of five or six every two years, and the next future election in 2027 would be a six-member selection. Three options have been proposed to transition to nine members: —Choose six in 2027 and three instead of five in 2029. This keeps council at 11 members until the start of 2030. —Elect six members in 2027, with four-year seats for the top five vote recipients and a two-year seat for the sixth highest vote-getter. Four members would be elected in 2029 instead of five. This option also keeps council at 11 until the start of 2030. —Pick four members instead of six in 2027, which means the reduction to nine would take effect at the start of 2028. Commission members debated the pros and cons of these options last week. A vote on the matter is expected at the next regular commission meeting July 17. Commission hearing Although only one study commission public hearing was required and held, the commission agreed to hold a second one on Wednesday in Hazle Township, particularly to accommodate southern county residents. The hearing will be at 6 p.m. in the Hazle Township Commons Building, 103 W. 27th St. in the township. Instructions for the remote attendance option are posted in council's online meetings section (scroll down) at Voting system demonstration Also on Wednesday, from 5 to 7 p.m., the county election bureau will hold a public demonstration of county voting system options at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Attendees may complete a brief feedback survey to assist the election bureau with its recommendation of a voting system to be used in the county starting in 2026. Reconsideration of the voting system is appropriate at this time because the five-year maintenance and support contract with the supplier, Dominion Voting System, expires at the end of this year, county Manager Romilda Crocamo has said. In consultation with the county election board, the administration will eventually present county council with options on systems and pricing in case it wants to change, Crocamo has said. Another option for council would be negotiating a new maintenance and support contract to continue using the Dominion system for a set number of years. Four vendors responded in February to the county's request for proposals to provide a new voting system, and all have been invited to participate in the public demonstration: Dominion, Clear Ballot Group Inc., Election Systems and Software (ES&S) and Hart InterCivic. Ethics commission The county ethics commission will meet at 3:30 p.m. Monday in the county courthouse. Chaired by county Controller Walter Griffith, the commission is set to vote on the appointment of Attorney William Lawrence as commission solicitor and discuss the topic of proposing ethics code revisions to council, among other matters, the agenda said. Council meeting Council will hold a voting meeting and work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the courthouse, with remote attendance instructions posted in the online meeting section at Position posting The county has publicly advertised a new consolidated GIS/Planning and Zoning Director position at $92,000, according to a posting in the human resources department career opportunities section at Council voted earlier this year to merge the county Mapping/GIS Department and Planning and Zoning, with the administration saying the change will enhance decisions related to planning and development. Staff for both departments will remain the same with the exception of reducing department heads from two to one, officials had said. County GIS/Mapping Director Dan Reese has been serving as acting planning/zoning executive director since Matthew Jones resigned last May. Applications are due July 15. Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Luzerne County Government Study Commission reaches agreement on ethics recommendation
Apr. 18—After several past debates, Luzerne County's Government Study Commission reached consensus Thursday on a recommendation that will require council to keep an ethics commission and code. The seven-citizen study commission is drafting a revised county home rule charter for voters to consider in November. It had been split on a prior suggestion allowing council to determine if a commission is needed and, if so, how it would be structured. If the proposed charter is adopted by voters in November, the wording approved Thursday would require council to vote within nine months to ratify or amend the existing ethics code. Council would also be required to maintain or establish an ethics commission to receive and investigate ethics complaints. The existing commission structure would remain in effect if council does not approve a new composition. The commission is currently composed of the county district attorney, manager, controller and two council-appointed citizens (one Democrat and one Republican). Council also would be required to revisit the ethics code and commission structure every two years. Study Commission Chairman Ted Ritsick and Vice Chairman Vito Malacari said this option ensures an ethics code and commission are in place but gives council legislative authority to determine how they are structured. While the recommendation was unanimously approved, Study Commission Treasurer Cindy Malkemes said she is concerned council will not act to make improvements. Many have complained the code is problematic and ineffective, but council has not exercised its current authority to revamp it. Malacari told Malkemes citizens are free to "put pressure" on council members to make the code workable. Study Commission member Mark Shaffer said he believes the membership composition of the ethics commission should be spelled out in advance so it is kept "out of council's hands," but he supported the proposal in a spirit of compromise. Shaffer had predicted voters would reject the proposed new charter if council had discretion to eliminate an ethics commission. Boards The study commission also approved recommendations Thursday related to several boards: —Assessment Appeals Board This three-citizen panel appointed by council rules on requests for real estate assessment reductions. The commission is adding wording to ensure the members complete training that was mandated by state law enacted after the current charter took effect. It also is allowing council to appoint alternate members to fill in as needed if permanent members are absent or have a conflict hearing any appeals. —Retirement Board The five-member board oversees the employee pension fund and currently consists of the county manager, budget/finance division head, council chair, a council member and member of the retirement system. The new recommendation would replace the budget/finance division head with an additional council member and allow the manager the option to select a designee to serve in his/her place. —Joint Airport Board The county has three members — the council chair, a council member and county manager or his/her designee — on the joint board with Lackawanna County that oversees the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Thursday's recommendation replaced the county manager with a third council member based on the argument that this board serves more of a legislative purpose. Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
