Plymouth Township to address Allen Street sewer lines

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Recent surge in number of ‘spice’ overdoses in Wilkes-Barre has police chief concerned

<p>The Luzerne County Election Board will hold a special meeting Thursday to decide if county council contender Eugene Kelleher and other write-in nominees who filed paperwork late will appear on the November ballot.</p><p>County Administrative Services Division Head David Parsnik said the county sent letters to the more than 125 write-in winners on June 2 &#8212; the day after primary election results were officially certified &#8212; informing them of their nomination and requirements to file paperwork.</p><p>That paperwork included a financial interest statement that must be filed within 30 days of &#8220;official certification of having been nominated,&#8221; according to the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission.</p><p>Parsnik said 93 winners filed all required paperwork by the deadline.</p><p>Kelleher and around 22 others submitted their paperwork late, and the rest never responded, Parsnik said.</p><p>Kelleher has said he did not receive the original letter.</p><p>A special meeting was called because candidates must have an opportunity to file a court challenge if the board opts to reject the late paperwork, Parsnik said. Aug. 10 is the deadline for court challenges over placement on the general election ballot, he said.</p><p>County assistant solicitor Mike Butera, who handles election matters, declined to preview his recommendation on the matter earlier this week, saying he will discuss it at the meeting.</p><p>The meeting is at 5 p.m. in the second floor purchasing office at the county&#8217;s Penn Place Building on the corner of Market Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre. The county election bureau is housed in this building.</p><p>Kelleher filed his financial interest statement and other paperwork on July 16 and 17, immediately after learning about the requirements.</p><p>Parsnik said his office had contacted 47 write-in winners by phone to inform them they had not filed paperwork by the deadline, and none indicated that they had failed to receive the initial letter.</p><p>The letters were not sent by certified mail because it is more costly and not a requirement, he said.</p><p>County Councilman Stephen J. Urban, who is seeking re-election, raised the issue of the 30-day financial interest deadline during a council work session last month, though he did not name any candidates suspected of not filing timely statements.</p><p>A Dallas Township Republican, Kelleher said he launched a write-in campaign for the seat at the urging of supporters. The retired math teacher and financial services industry worker served two years on the initial county council under home rule and sought re-election in 2013 but did not survive the final cut in the general election.</p><p>Six of 11 council seats are up for grabs in November.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_EugeneKelleher1-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kelleher </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_EugeneKelleher1-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0>Kelleher </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County Election Board to decide if Kelleher, others will appear on November ballot