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WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The proclamation the local NAACP issued nearly two years ago still stands over the city&#8217;s failure to observe the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday and so will its message urging members to stay away from the program at City Hall Monday honoring the slain civil rights leader.&#8220;We&#8217;re standing behind it,&#8221; Larry Singleton, president of the Wilkes-Barre National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Branch #2306, said Wednesday.He said he and other branch members will spend Monday doing public service with the American Red Cross instead of attending the city&#8217;s program at 3 p.m. in council chambers.&#8220;We&#8217;re going to do a day of service to help install smoke detectors in residents&#8217; homes,&#8221; Singleton said.This year will mark the second time the NAACP has stayed away. But it also could be the last if new Mayor Tony George follows through with his promise to close City Hall and give employees the day off next year as a paid holiday.George could not be reached for comment Wednesday.While still a councilman last month, George reiterated his support for it but could not add it this year so soon after taking office. He said he would work with city unions to make it happen in 2017.Former Mayor Tom Leighton had said the unions representing city workers would not exchange one of their 12 paid holidays for Martin Lutheran King Day and adding it as another day off would cost the city approximately $77,000. As a result, the NAACP, under its former president Ron Felton, a supporter of George and member of his transition team, adopted the proclamation on Feb. 26, 2014, while noting Luzerne County and the Wilkes-Barre Area School District close for business on the holiday observed nationwide since 1986.&#8220;Therefore, be it finally resolved that the Wilkes-Barre Branch of the NAACP will urge all of its officers, members, youth council and college chapter to not participate in any City of Wilkes-Barre events held on the official day observing Martin Luther King Jr.&#8217;s birthday as a national holiday,&#8221; the proclamation said.Singleton said the decision not to attend the city&#8217;s program is nothing personal. &#8220;He&#8217;s still my mayor. I will respect him,&#8221; Singleton said of George. The new mayor will speak at the NAACP&#8217;s program Friday night at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Hill Street.Singleton said he will hold George to his word to honoring his commitment.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Jerry Lynottjlynott@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott</shirttailMeta></div>

Local NAACP: No day off, no participation in Wilkes-Barre’s Martin Luther King program