Luzerne County Engineer Lawrence Plesh will serve as the county’s interim operational services division head when current temporary overseer Fred Rosencrans’s appointment expires April 14, County Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo announced Friday.
“Let’s welcome him and wish him great success,” Crocamo said of Plesh.
The county’s home rule charter limits interim division head appointments to 90 days. Rosencrans, the county’s 911 executive director, has served since Edmund O’Neill resigned as the operational services division head in January.
This division covers engineering, roads and bridges, planning and zoning, 911, emergency management, buildings and grounds, the boiler plant and solid waste management.
Plesh has been working as a county engineer since July 2014, according to prior reports. Tanis Manseau, who was operational division head at that time, had said he was excited about adding Plesh to the staff because he has a lot of practical engineering experience.
While Plesh has handled numerous assignments in the engineering department, he has largely focused on county roads and bridges.
Plesh receives $78,274 annually in his engineer position and will be paid $91,000 while serving as interim division head, the administration said.
Crocamo has said she would leave division head appointments up to the next permanent manager. Council is poised to hire Randy Robertson as the next top manager next week.
Council must confirm the manager’s nominee for permanent division head appointments, the charter says.
The administrative services division head position also is open because David Parsnik resigned last September. County GIS/Mapping Director Daniel Reese is currently serving as interim administrative services division head.
An interim law office overseer also is needed because Crocamo temporarily stepped away from the chief solicitor position when council appointed her acting manager July 7, the day after prior manager C. David Pedri’s resignation took effect.
County Children and Youth attorney Harry Skene is currently serving as acting chief solicitor.