Luzerne County Coroner Francis Hacken confirmed he submitted his resignation Thursday, a week after he had presented extensive data supporting his argument that more staffing and funding are warranted in the office.
The coroner said he must work every day to stay on top of demands and that his chief deputy and field investigator routinely put in extra hours without additional compensation.
Hacken said he is optimistic his decision to publicly outline concerns will lead to more resources for the office.
“I’m hopeful something positive will come out of this,” he said. “A lot of times conflict leads to constructive improvement.”
A retired Pennsylvania State Police captain, Hacken was appointed coroner in October 2019. His resignation takes effect Sept. 9.
Hacken stressed his departure is no reflection on county Manager Randy Robertson, who started overseeing county government June 13.
“This is an ongoing concern with not only our department but many departments in the county,” Hacken said.
Robertson had said he was fully aware of Hacken’s concerns and was exploring whether a portion of upcoming opioid litigation settlement funding can be allocated to the coroner’s office to help address resource needs. The county is expected to receive $25.4 million in compensation from litigation against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors, officials have said.
Budgetary issues countywide will be hashed out in the proposed 2023 budget the administration must submit to council in October, Robertson had said.
“We commend Mr. Hacken for his years of service and contributions to the county,” Robertson said Thursday. “By accounts I’ve received, he left the office in a better place, and we will continue to build on that foundation.”
Hacken said he has improved office performance by stepping up protocols for reviewing death cases and implementing a state-funded computerized system to track cases and comply with reporting standards.
During budget discussions last fall, Hacken had publicly pushed council to provide funding for two additional field investigators at $32,000 each plus benefits. Then-acting county manager Romilda Crocamo told council she had eliminated his additional staffing request from her proposed budget as part of her decision to avoid seeking a tax hike that a council majority appeared to be unwilling to pass.
With no action by council, Hacken again unsuccessfully made the plea for two more investigators in December.
Staff in some other county departments are able to receive and use compensatory time for extra hours, but that is not possible in the coroner’s office, Hacken had said.
The chief deputy and field investigator are supposed to work 37.5 hours per week and do not receive overtime, according to Hacken. He had presented a report on the total extra hours the two workers put in during the six pay periods from June 24 to July 29, ranging from 34 hours to 58 hours extra per period. The two put in a combined 81 extra hours the pay period involving the Aug. 5 fatal house fire in Nescopeck that left 10 dead, he said.
Robertson said the coroner position will be publicly advertised.
Hacken’s compensation is $64,260 annually.
While county coroners before Hacken were funeral directors and medical professionals, other counties have had coroners with law enforcement backgrounds.
The coroner was an elected post in the county before the 2012 switch to a home rule structure made it an appointed one.