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Luzerne County opens central court near correctional facility

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New fee on Luzerne County deeds opposed

<p>Two proposed new Luzerne County government positions have been rejected by past administrations.</p><p>The first &#8212; a $96,000 chief operating officer &#8212; was shot down by council when prior county manager Robert Lawton requested the position in 2015 under the title of an assistant or deputy county manager.</p><p class="n_ 33 v2">Prior county councilman Rick Morelli had been among the critics of the proposed position, saying at the time the county doesn&#8217;t &#8220;need anymore chiefs.&#8221;</p><p>While he&#8217;s deferring his full briefing on the proposed position for council, county Manager C. David Pedri said the officer would not be added to serve as his backup or lighten his load. Instead, the officer would focus on big-picture analysis and other broad initiatives and efficiencies that he cannot squeeze in as he oversees day-to-day operations, he said.</p><p>Pedri said the position was recommended in the county&#8217;s five-year financial recovery plan, which was prepared by Harrisburg-based consultant Public Financial Management, or PFM, in 2015. The plan says a deputy focused on operations and performance management would allow the county to identify and implement efficiencies and evaluate and change strategies.</p><p>The position would be added to the roster of eight division heads, with the hiring subject to council confirmation, Pedri said.</p><p>Pedri is also requesting a communication coordinator at $51,000.</p><p>Prior commissioners introduced that position to county government in 2004, with the hiring of Kathy Bozinski as public information officer.</p><p>The position was eliminated at the end of 2008, with the furloughing of Bozinski&#8217;s successor, Jason Jarecki. Commissioners said they concluded managers and officials could handle the dissemination of public information without a middle man.</p><p>Pedri said he wants someone to handle community outreach and media relations &#8212; not to serve as his spokesperson or act as a buffer. The employee also would attend events and oversee a new employee newsletter, he said.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re trying to run this county like a professional corporation,&#8221; Pedri said.</p><p>These two positions and seven other new ones would be covered by a $500,000 allocation in the general fund. Another seven new positions would be covered by state funding and other outside sources, he said.</p><p>The other county-funded positions requested, along with the salaries: prison kitchen supervisor, $35,262; election services associate, $28,000; three assistant district attorneys &#8212; two at $43,000 and one at $30,000; a public defender clerk stenographer, $25,200; and a public defender investigator, $27,200.</p><p>Pedri said the new positions in the public defender and district attorney&#8217;s offices stem from increased work tied to the new central court.</p><p>County Election Director Marisa Crispell said the new associate in her office would focus on creating, managing and implementing outreach programs benefiting voters, candidates, local governments and other groups.</p><p>The administration&#8217;s proposed budget includes a 2 percent tax increase that would generate an additional $2.1 million. Council has scheduled several work sessions before its Dec. 12 budget adoption.</p><p>A new $47,655 prison system lock and camera specialist maintenance technician position is not included in the budget.</p><p>Pedri said he and prison officials reviewed bills and concluded it would be more cost efficient to continue relying on an outside locksmith and security camera vendor.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Pedri </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_Pedri.jpg</photo0><caption0>Pedri </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>

Second time around for two proposed new Luzerne County positions