web1_AP17025655700344.jpg

Earnhardt thrilled to be cleared for NASCAR return

web1_Wilkes-University.jpg

Pacific Island ambassador to talk about climate change at Wilkes

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; At least one of Mayor Tony George&#8217;s choices to fill a soon-to-be vacant spot on the body that operates the Wilkes-Barre Municipal Golf Club will have opposition from city council.</p><p>The mayor&#8217;s selection of Sam Troy to serve a five-year, unpaid term on the General Municipal Authority sparked a discussion at city council&#8217;s work session Tuesday night.</p><p>Troy was one of 11 people chosen by the mayor to serve on a number of the city&#8217;s 28 boards and authorities. They are on the agenda for Thursday&#8217;s public meeting and go before council, empowered by the city charter to give advice and consent, for individual approval.</p><p>Without naming Troy during the work session, Councilman Bill Barrett questioned his qualifications and why the mayor chose him to replace Gerard Meehan whose term expires Feb. 1.</p><p>Meehan is well versed in all aspects of the authority from refurbishing golf carts to approving contracts and his absence would be a loss, Barrett said.</p><p>&#8220;These are the things I look for, somebody who can make a contribution and that has demonstrated that they can do this and ask nothing in return and other than possibly being reappointed,&#8221; Barrett said during the work session.</p><p>He also supported a request by council Vice Chairman Tony Brooks to have the mayor&#8217;s choices submit a resume and appear before council to introduce themselves.</p><p>Troy, 67, who said he is semi-retired, teaches yoga and has a master&#8217;s degree in English, acknowledged he doesn&#8217;t golf and that&#8217;s why he was chosen by the mayor. He added that he frequently attends city council, Wilkes-Barre Area School Board and Luzerne County Council meetings, raising concerns about taxpayer issues. He&#8217;s also unsuccessfully run for elected office.</p><p>&#8220;He wants somebody who&#8217;s going to be a watchdog,&#8221; Troy said Wednesday.</p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;s not what we&#8217;re looking for,&#8221; responded Barrett. &#8220;We&#8217;re looking for people who are going to contribute to boards and authorities. We need people who are going to be constructive.&#8221;</p><p>Troy reacted by saying he could not recall any similar opposition to an appointment. &#8220;I think this is getting out of hand,&#8221; he said and promised to attend the city council meeting.</p><p>Meehan said he spoke to Barrett about receiving a letter last Friday thanking him for his three years of service and notifying him he wouldn&#8217;t be reappointed to the nine-member board that operates the golf club in Bear Creek Township.</p><p>&#8220;I told Mr. Barrett , yes, I would like to stay on the board. They need qualified people to keep it running. They don&#8217;t have a lot of money,&#8221; Meehan said.</p><p>They also need someone with golf experience, he said. A retired U.S. Postal Service worker, Meehan said he&#8217;s been golfing since he was a child, played at the Elmhurst County Club in Lackawanna County, was an assistant golf coach at Luzerne County Community College and has been playing at the municipal golf club for 11 years.</p><p>&#8220;There&#8217;s a lot that goes on. The people on the board are interested in the golf course,&#8221; Meehan said.</p><p>City Administrator Ted Wampole told council at the work session that it&#8217;s difficult to get people to apply for the positions and the mayor doesn&#8217;t take it lightly.</p><p>&#8220;But when he has an opportunity to make appointments or reappointments he looks at the people that are willing to serve,&#8221; Wampole said.</p><p>Just two people have asked to serve on the Human Relations Commission needed to address complaints filed as part of the city&#8217;s anti-discrimination ordinance last year.</p><p>Council Chairwoman Beth Gilbert, who worked on the ordinance, said between seven and 15 people will make up the commission.</p><p>&#8220;I think it&#8217;s mostly people don&#8217;t know about it,&#8221;Gilbert said. &#8220;And I think the issue also with a lot of the other boards and authorities is because the meeting times are during the day.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_WB-City-logo-11.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_WB-City-logo-11.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>To learn more about Wilkes-Barre&#8217;s 28 boards and authorities and apply for one visit the city&#8217;s website, wilkes-barre.city, and click on &#8220;Boards and Authorities&#8221; at the top of the home page. </p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre city council at odds with mayor’s choice to join golf club board