Exeter resident Harry W. Skene was hired as Luzerne County’s new chief solicitor/law division head Tuesday at $96,500 annually.
The 11-member county council unanimously confirmed county Manager Randy Robertson’s nomination of Skene, who has been serving as acting chief solicitor since April.
Skene, who was among five applicants for the position, said he is “happy to continue serving the county.”
“I appreciate that Mr. Robertson has faith in me to do the job and that council also has faith to keep me,” Skene said. “I will do my best to serve the county.”
He most recently worked as an an attorney for the county’s Children and Youth agency.
Skene has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Adelphi University, a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Toledo College of Law and a master’s degree in law from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
His past work experience included positions as president of Legal Research & Consulting in Pittston from 1994 to 2008, as economic justice coordinator at the United Neighborhood Centers in Scranton from 2005 to 2007 and as quality and regulatory compliance manager for Geisinger Health System in Danville from 2007 to 2009. He also had worked as solicitor under past county controller Steve Flood.
The county had relied on interim chief solicitors since prior chief solicitor Romilda Crocamo was appointed acting county manager last July. Crocamo subsequently left for employment outside county government.
Robertson is still reviewing applications for two other division head positions overseeing operational and administrative services. All three vacant positions, including chief solicitor, were advertised at a maximum compensation of $99,500 annually.
Drop boxes
Numerous residents provided public comment on Councilman Stephen J. Urban’s proposed ordinance prohibiting the transporting of mail ballot drop boxes to sites approved by the county’s election board, which is a separate body comprised of appointed citizens.
Election Board Chairwoman Denise Williams sought a legal opinion on the matter, questioning the legality of a government body — council — blocking a decision made by the election board.
Skene said he is still looking into the matter but acknowledged there is a strong chance the county would be sued.
Urban said the proposal would not prohibit the use of the mailbox-style drop boxes because they were already purchased and could be transported to outside sites by the citizen election board members themselves.
However, Skene said litigation would likely argue the ordinance “effectively” prevents the board from using the drop boxes by halting the transport.
Although he does not personally support drop boxes, Councilman Chris Perry said “there is no question in my mind” the county is opening itself up to litigation by “putting up barriers” to the board’s decision to use drop boxes.
Council Vice Chairman John Lombardo also is against drop boxes but questioned the point of the ordinance because it does not eliminate drop boxes outright.
Councilman Matthew Mitchell also verified with Skene that there would be a liability issue with election board members moving the boxes themselves.
To advance, Urban’s proposed ordinance would have to be introduced at a subsequent meeting by at least four of 11 council members and then adopted by a council majority during a separate future meeting following a public hearing.
Most of the citizens speaking and submitting email comments Tuesday supported keeping the drop boxes.
Citizen Kara Krueger, of Plains Township, said she relies on the flexibility of the drop box option due to her medical conditions and said eliminating the boxes would send a message that “voices do not need to be heard.”
Pittston resident Michael Sperazza said he is 71 and “sick and tired” of the campaign worker “vultures” swarming around him as he enters polling places and waiting in long lines inside. He appreciates the opportunity to study the mail ballot at his own pace and drop it off inside the Pittston Memorial Library after he has made his selections.
“To me it’s a no-brainer,” he said of keeping the drop boxes. “It’s very convenient for me.”
Kingston Township resident Christopher Gillis told Urban he was once actively involved monitoring county government when Urban’s father, Stephen A. Urban, was a commissioner. Gillis said he and the elder Urban respected each other’s opinions, even though they were from different political parties, because “that’s the way it used to be.”
“Stop with this foolishness. You have no reason to do this,” Gillis said of the proposed drop box elimination.
Kingston resident Danny Schramm said he “detests” getting mobbed by campaign workers outside the polls and said the no-excuse mail voting reduces crowds at polling places, noting the county continues struggling to round up enough poll workers.
Schramm is one of three Democrats on the election board who voted in March to keep drop boxes inside four buildings and add a fifth at Misericordia University in the Back Mountain for last May’s primary election and going forward. The other boxes are inside the county-owned Penn Place Building in downtown Wilkes-Barre, the Pittston Library, Hazleton City Hall and the Wright Township Volunteer Fire Department.
Speaking in opposition to drop boxes, Alyssa Fusaro said there are three pending investigations of voters allegedly not following requirements when they dropped off ballots. Fusaro was one of two Republican election board members who voted against the drop boxes in March.
Sugarloaf Township resident Deborah Jordan gave council members packets of research she has completed about issues with drop boxes.
Robyn Kochan, of Dallas Township, maintained there is no valid reason to provide drop boxes when absentee ballots had been “sufficient in the past.”
“As taxpayers, we expect Luzerne County Council members to act like true public servants and take necessary action to restore and ensure voting integrity, which includes eliminating drop boxes,” Kochan said.
Other business
Council also voted Tuesday to:
• Table a decision on the proposed reduction of the sale price for the county’s former juvenile detention center from $50,000 to $30,000 due to additional work that will be required to separate the center’s sewer line from one shared with the nearby county prison on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Wilkes-Barre businessman Roy Castillo, of Castillo Real Estate LLC, plans to renovate the three-story brick structure off North River Street for offices and loft apartments.
• Introduce an ordinance to transfer $2 million of the county’s $4.8 million 2021 budget surplus into the county capital projects fund, which has dwindled to $276,206.
• Appoint Paul DeFabo to a vacant seat on the Luzerne County Community College Board of Trustees.