In her annual “state of the county” report this week, Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo said she was presenting many statistics and developments that prove staff is “taking care of the business.”
Beyond the data, she told County Council their work “transcends brick and mortar” and makes the county a home.
“Every single piece of information that will be presented to you this evening — every achievement, every initiative, and every service — is all dedicated to making Luzerne County a true home for all of us,” Crocamo said.
Crocamo, who will mark her third year as county manager in May, said she will always care about this county and that it is “forever a part of my heart and will always be my home.”
County workers share this dedication, she said, because they want to ensure that children grow up in safe and nurturing environments, that the elderly can “enjoy life in their golden years with dignity,” and that every resident “feels valued and heard.”
“Luzerne County is more than a geographical location. It is a tapestry of diverse cultures, rich histories, and shared dreams,” Crocamo told the council.
“Let us work together, side by side, to ensure that Luzerne County remains a welcoming home for all. A place where everyone can thrive, a community rich in kindness, and a county that truly feels like home,” Crocamo said.
The report is posted in the county manager section on the Luzerne County website. A recording of the presentation will also be added to the council’s public meeting archive on the website.
Crocamo began her presentation addressing the Administrative Services Division.
The county Election Bureau was a top focus when Crocamo became manager, she said. The bureau has markedly improved under the leadership of Director Emily Cook, she said.
Among the 2025 highlights, she said the bureau has started implementing new voting equipment, expanded online training for staff and 1,200 poll workers, and collaborated with the county Election Board to streamline post-election adjudication.
The Community Development office has been providing financial assistance to municipalities and residents for decades, but it is often “overlooked,” she said.
For example, the office gave a combined total $1.8 million to the following nonprofits for public service and emergency shelter projects in 2025, she said: Commission on Economic Opportunity, Domestic Violence Service Center, the Catherine McAuley House, Step-by-Step, Catholic Social Services, Volunteers of America, the Housing Development Corporation, and the Victims Resource Center.
More than $3.5 million was spent through the office’s federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program to improve county-owned bridges in Union Township and address a range of infrastructure projects in Conyngham, Dupont, Duryea, Exeter, Kingston, Laflin, Luzerne, Nescopeck, Pringle, Shickshinny, Warrior Run, and Wyoming boroughs and the townships of Black Creek, Hazle, Hanover, Hollenback, Newport, Pittston, and Wright, she said.
Because the county has nearly 1,500 employees, Human Resources is one of the busiest county departments, Crocamo said. She noted that it is instituting a regular training program for all staff and working with Luzerne County Community College to provide a tuition discount program for county employees.
The Information Technology department has been implementing cybersecurity measures while processing more than 4,200 requests for assistance in 2025.
She also discussed the volume of work performed by the Purchasing Department and events promoted by the county Visitors Bureau.
“Don’t ever tell me there’s nothing to do in Luzerne County,” Crocamo said.
Crocamo provided similar detailed narratives about the other divisions, including:
• Budget and Finance: obtained more than $4 million in interest earnings in 2025 by working with banking institutions.
• Correctional Services: partnered with Dress for Success Luzerne County and the Luzerne County Community College to offer ServSafe Managers Certifications to inmates so they are qualified to work at a management level in the food service industry upon release.
• Human Services: provided initiatives to assist the elderly, families, veterans, and those with substance use disorder and mental health needs.
• Judicial Services and Records: used technology to increase efficiencies in the Coroner’s and Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts offices and added a K-9, Labrador Retriever Hylee, already trained to detect explosives and in training to find missing people.
• Law: secured a new liability insurance policy agreement that will provide the county with greater flexibility and autonomy in managing the outcome of lawsuits.
• Operational Services: completed chiller unit projects at the county Penn Place Building and courthouse, an emergency hazard mitigation plan, emergency response exercises in multiple school districts, and drainage repairs along roadways neglected for many years.
• Public Defender’s Office: obtained additional grant funds from the Indigent Defense Program.
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