Luzerne County Manager Randy Robertson is deviating from past practice by not publicly releasing the names and background information of his division head nominees in advance.
When pressed by a reporter Monday, Robertson said he has good reason for keeping the identity of the administrative services division head nominee confidential.
For starters, Robertson said he has no idea if council will confirm his nominee Tuesday as required by the county’s home rule charter.
He plans to discuss the personnel matter with council during a closed-door executive session before Tuesday’s voting meeting and said he would withdraw his nomination before the voting meeting if he has a sense several council members have concerns.
If such a withdrawal occurred, the advance release of the name would unnecessarily publicly identify an applicant who has no chance of obtaining the position, he said.
“I’m trying to protect people applying for county positions,” Robertson said.
Robertson said there was another administrative services finalist he also considered highly qualified, but he did not advance that person because he received feedback from several council members that they would not be willing to confirm the nominee.
Realizing council members must receive some advance information, Robertson said he provided a bio of the administrative nominee but asked council members to keep it confidential until a vote.
He said he received notice Monday afternoon that one of the council members had called the nominee’s boss for feedback on the nominee. Robertson said the applicant had not informed his/her employer about seeking the county position.
“I told the applicant I would keep it confidential, and now that person’s boss has been notified,” Robertson said.
Unlike Robertson’s first division head nominee, this person currently works outside county government.
Council last month approved Robertson’s nomination of county employee Harry W. Skene as chief solicitor/law division head. Robertson did not publicly disclose Skene as his nominee in advance, although Skene had confirmed he applied for the position.
The administrative division head oversees the election bureau and seven other departments: human resources, purchasing/acquisition, information technology, GIS/mapping, licensing/permits, community development and tourism. David Parsnik, the last permanent administrative services head, had resigned in September.
Council confirmation is only required for the eight division heads under the home rule charter.
Robertson is still reviewing options for the other vacant division head position overseeing operational services.
Robertson, who started as manager June 13, said he has never worked in a government structure that required the elected legislative body to approve the top manager’s executive management selections.
Council’s Tuesday voting meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre, with instructions for the remote attendance option posted under council’s online meetings link at luzernecounty.org.