web1_TTL102118Fundraiser1-1-.jpg

Community comes together for injured Kunkle firefighter

web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_1.jpg

30th Apple Festival draws crowds to Heller Orchards

<p>Someone else must handle the Luzerne County Courthouse rotunda holiday tree decorating this year because veteran employee Mark Krakowski has retired, according to the manager&#8217;s September personnel report.</p><p>A 44-year building and grounds employee, Krakowski had received a proclamation in May during a ceremony unveiling the interior courthouse restoration, with officials praising his knowledge of the historic structure and its grounds.</p><p>County Manager C. David Pedri said executive assistants Sandra Shaw and Jennifer Thomas will oversee this year&#8217;s decorating with help from building and grounds. Krakowski also has &#8220;graciously donated his time to help out,&#8221; Pedri said, noting no tax dollars are spent acquiring the tree because he has been buying it.</p><p><strong>More retirees</strong></p><p>Prothonotary&#8217;s office executive assistant Alfonso Pellegrini, known to many as &#8220;Al,&#8221; also was on the September retirement roster. Pellegrini was nearing his 44th anniversary with the office.</p><p>In a 2016 article, Pellegrini praised the use of technology to improve efficiency, saying most office work was done by pen when he started.</p><p>&#8220;My handwriting is going to live on in history because it&#8217;s all over those dockets,&#8221; Pellegrini had said.</p><p>At a recent county meeting, Pedri said Pellegrini had a reputation for being very &#8220;customer service oriented.&#8221;</p><p>The month&#8217;s other retirees, including several more veteran workers: James Davis, domestic relations director; Dorothy Evans, Aging agency alternate senior center operator; Lewis Morganti, prison correctional officer; Kyong Piatt, prothonotary bookkeeper; and Mari Jo Sullivan, Children and Youth program specialist.</p><p><strong>Departures</strong></p><p>Thirteen employees resigned in September, according to the personnel report posted on the manager&#8217;s page at <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/817" target="_blank">www.luzernecounty.org</a>: Sara Arias, district attorney adult victims witness coordinator; Thomas Borum and Chris Vincent Reese, prison correctional officers; Tanisha Edmunds-Jagoe, emergency management planner; Michelle Geigel, Zachary Morgis and Monica Strouse, Children and Youth caseworkers; Alex Golanoski, 911 PSAP supervisor; Mark Good, road/bridge equipment operator; Rachel Marie Nilsson, human resources generalist; Krystal Robinson, mental health caseworker; Renee Tessitore, Children and Youth aide; and Michael Wall, 911 telecommunicator.</p><p><strong>Hirings</strong></p><p>The report lists 14 new hires during the month.</p><p>The employees were listed at their hourly rates instead of annual compensation because the month&#8217;s report was generated a different way. Pedri said the administration may return to the original format of calculating annual pay for the October report. Because hours vary by department and, when applicable, union contracts, the hourly rates cannot be converted to annual pay with a single across-the-board multiplier.</p><p>The new employees, along with their hourly rates: Savannah Betterly and Orquidea Nathaly Sanchez, district judge clerk typists, $13.30; Jhasmily Castro, mental health caseworker, $17.31; Danielle Cunningham, budget/policy analyst, $20.64; Karen Drost and Angela Weghorst, prothonotary clerks, $15.18; Carly Hislop and Catharine Wong, assistant public defenders, $25.44; Shannon Lai, public defender clerk, $15.18; Matthew Landmesser, Children and Youth caseworker, $18.46; Drew McLaughlin, assistant district attorney, $25.44; Susan Minnick, sheriff clerk, $15.15; Sarah Schultz, district attorney adult victims witness coordinator, $13.99; and Joel Tiru, deputy sheriff, $15.19.</p><p><strong>Tax refund</strong></p><p>The county had to return $21,374 in county taxes paid by a Hazle Township business last year because the property owner obtained an assessment refund through a court settlement, according to the September tax refunds report.</p><p>Owned by STNL II (Hazleton) LLC, the industrial manufacturing property on 11.62 acres on Maplewood Drive in the Humboldt Industrial Park will be assessed at $6.75 million, a reduction of $3.65 million, county records show.</p><p><strong>Council meeting</strong></p><p>County council will meet on-the-road Tuesday night in the Hazle Township Municipal Building at 101 W. 27th St., starting with a public hearing on the proposed 2019 budget at 5:30 p.m. A voting meeting and budget work session are scheduled for 6 p.m.</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/2018/10/web1_luzernecountycourthouse.jpeg-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Courthouse </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_luzernecountycourthouse.jpeg-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County Courthouse </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>

Veteran Luzerne County employees retire