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<p>Luzerne County Manager Robert Lawton is finalizing a proposal to create an assistant county manager position and increase the pay of an estimated 170 non-union employees who haven&#8217;t received raises in seven years, he told county council Tuesday.</p><p>Lawton said he has heard support for both actions in the past and also for a third proposal he plans to present to restructure three offices to increase their focus on economic development: planning/zoning, tourist promotion and community development.</p><p>The manager handles these personnel decisions but would need council&#8217;s approval for budget transfers so savings or additional revenue in some areas can be reprogrammed to fund the initiatives.</p><p>Lawton declined comment on the specifics Wednesday, including the potential costs and how they will be funded. He said he wants to wait until he submits his case to council members during the mid-year financial report on Aug. 25.</p><p>The idea of an assistant or deputy county manager surfaced earlier this year when Lawton had applied for several jobs in other states. Most recently, he was among four finalists for a county administrator job in Wisconsin in May but said he withdrew his name from consideration and was staying put to focus on several pending county projects.</p><p>Lawton&#8217;s job search and periodic calls for his resignation and firing by a council minority have prompted some to question what would happen if he suddenly left. The search for a new manager would take months, largely because an outside committee must be formed to handle the initial recruitment and screening of applicants.</p><p>The county&#8217;s home rule charter requires the manager to designate an acting county manager, and Lawton named county Chief Public Defender Steven Greenwald to fill that role in September.</p><p>However, Lawton said some have the mistaken belief the acting county manager performs as a deputy or second in command. Instead, the home rule charter requires the appointment in case the manager leaves employment until a successor is hired, he said, comparing the role to a vice president who is on &#8220;standby.&#8221;</p><p>The pitch to create another management position likely will be heavily scrutinized because the home rule charter already requires the employment of eight division heads. Some council members said these managers would be expected to keep the county operating if the manager leaves.</p><p>Lawton, who receives $110,000 annually, had cited pay raises for non-union workers as one of the pending matters he wanted to complete before he considers leaving or entertains discussion initiated by a few council members to negotiate a contract keeping him here for a set period. His hiring as the first permanent manager under home rule in February 2012 did not include a contract.</p><p>Non-union raises would be based on an outside compensation analysis that examined standard pay for comparable positions in other jurisdictions.</p><p>Lawton told citizens at his public forum last year he was trying to shape a vacant planning/zoning executive director job into a position that would provide a &#8220;strong economic development presence in county government.&#8221; He envisions someone who will work with chambers of commerce and other non-county economic development agencies to focus on attracting employers and &#8220;broadening the tax base.&#8221;</p><p>Instead of resorting to tax forgiveness programs, Lawton said he wants to find someone who is &#8220;really creative&#8221; and can find other ways to encourage employers to locate here.</p><p>Planning/Zoning worker Nancy Snee has been serving as interim director of her office, without additional compensation, since prior executive director Adrian Merolli retired in December 2013.</p><p>Some possible funding streams for the initiatives are off limits because Lawton has pledged to direct savings from a debt restructuring and other one-time windfalls to the county&#8217;s reserve to start erasing the estimated $16.2 million deficit.</p><p>Other potential revenue that may be tapped: savings from the rebidding of prison inmate health care, delays filling budgeted job openings and the avoidance of paying to house prison inmates in other counties due to overcrowding.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Lawton </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_lawtonnewuse.jpg</photo0><caption0>Lawton </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"><factboxMeta><p><strong>Councilman&#8217;s concerns</strong></p><p>Luzerne County Councilman Stephen J. Urban has publicly raised concerns about the county election board&#8217;s failure to compile and release required meeting minutes documenting votes and other actions.</p><p>County assistant solicitor Mike Butera, who oversees election matters, said board members are trying to track down notes to reconstruct missing minutes.</p><p>Some council members said all county boards and authorities should be notified of the requirement. If any boards fail to keep minutes after the warning, council may consider ramifications, such as the removal of board members, they said.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Lawton to propose Luzerne County create assistant manager post, give 170 non-union workers raises