Twenty-four new Luzerne County government employees were hired in February, according to the newly released monthly personnel report.
More than half —14 — are 911 telecommunicators at $19.23 per hour, the report said: Thomas Michael Belawicz, Brooklyn Blank, Nakimeea Braxton, Deborah DeJesus, Kaitlyn Elgin, Amber Goerner, Solangee Khoury, James O’Rourke III, Geoffry Robbins, Laura Schuckers, Ashley Sedelnick, Savannah Smyth, Destiny Spare and Michael Steele.
The other new employees, along with their positions and hourly compensation, are: Elssy DeJesus, district attorney’s office clerk, $15.39; Deborah Dragon and Mary Grenevich, prothonotary clerk 3s, $15.98; Sydney Emershaw and Quintela Gibson-Jones, Children and Youth caseworker 1s, $20.60; Linda Dominick, part-time human resources clerk, $15; Sera McManus, Children and Youth clerk/typist, $14.79; Petrell Brown, Children and Youth social services aide, $16.91; Robert Manzella, planning/zoning transportation planner, $24.87; and Nicholas Vough, director of project management, $37.32.
Rehires
Four prior employees were rehired for the following positions, with the hourly compensation listed, the report said: Samantha Durning, 911 telecommunicator, $19.23; Amy Groner, Aging Agency care manager, $20.87; Elizabeth Telencio, human resources generalist, $21.54; and Gerry Scott, assistant district attorney, $36.09.
Departures
Two workers retired last month: prison corrections officer Steven Coslett and part-time assistant public defender Richard Shiptoski.
Nine employees resigned in February, the report said: part-time assistant public defender James Barr; tax collector Joann Blaine; public defender clerk 3 Mara Epp; Children and Youth caseworker 2 Arielle Jones; Aging Agency senior center operator Mary Jones; Aging Agency care manager supervisor Kandie Keiner; prison minimal offenders unit lieutenant Kaitlyn Romiski; deputy sheriff Emekie Thomas; and human services program director Adam Wiernusz.
Three departures were listed as involuntary in the report: prison corrections officer Matthew Wrubel; prison desk sergeant Philip Bonczewski III; and Children and Youth caseworker supervisor Joanne Meshanski.
Election Board
The county election board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday (March 20) in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Instructions to attend remotely are posted under council’s authorities/boards/commissions online meeting link at luzernecounty.org.
Strategic Initiatives
County council’s Strategic Initiatives Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday (March 21) in the courthouse.
Remote attendance instructions are posted under council’s online meetings link at luzernecounty.org.
This committee was formed at the 2012 start of the home rule government to focus on broad, long-term changes and goals within county government’s jurisdiction.
This is the first committee meeting of 2024.
Councilman Harry Haas is the new chair of the committee, and Councilwoman Joanna Bryn Smith is vice chair. Council members Kevin Lescavage and Brittany Stephenson also serve on the committee.
Thursday’s agenda says the committee will evaluate and revise the March 2017 long-range goals adopted by council in March 2017 and the mission and goals statement on the county website.
Town hall
County Manager Romilda Crocamo will host her second town hall meeting at 5 p.m. May 6 in the Hazleton One Community Center, 225 E. Fourth St., Hazleton.
New employment
Prior county Engineer Lawrence Plesh, who left county government the end of 2023 due to an engineering department restructuring, said he has started work in a new position in his field.
He is now assistant bridge engineer for inspection at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 5-0, which covers the counties of Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill.