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<p>Luzerne County is seeking a contractor to complete the next phase of courthouse restoration, with bids due Nov. 20, according to an online posting.</p><p>Council had adopted a capital plan granting county Manager C. David Pedri&#8217;s request for $650,000 to restore, repair and conserve first-floor walls, ceilings, artwork and floors not addressed in the $2.13 million rotunda and south lobby restoration that wrapped up earlier this year.</p><p>A representative of Connecticut-based John Canning Co., which completed the rotunda/south lobby project, has said restoration was still warranted in other courthouse foyers and hallways on all three floors. The first floor contains the most artwork, including extensive mosaic sections that are largely intact but dirty and murals that were inaccurately touched up, covering the original intent, he has said.</p><p><strong>Office merger</strong></p><p>Four contractors have submitted base bids ranging from $179,600 to $229,000 to complete renovations in the prothonotary&#8217;s office at the courthouse, records show.</p><p>The work is needed because the administration wants to house the prothonotary and clerk of courts offices in the same room, while providing separate public counters for civil and criminal record filings, officials said. It&#8217;s an idea that has been discussed for years to increase employee cross training and other efficiencies.</p><p>The bid request said the work includes new carpeting and painting, counters, door repair and replacement and electrical work.</p><p>Under the plan, the adjacent PFA office will relocate, freeing up space for prothonotary and clerk of court records, officials said.</p><p>The funding sources for the project are still under review, but Pedri said he won&#8217;t be seeking money from the dwindling capital projects fund.</p><p><strong>New hires</strong></p><p>The administration hired 26 employees in October, according to the new monthly personnel report.</p><p>Eleven of the hires are prison correctional officers to fill vacancies. The new officers: Kimberly Byczek, Peter Fischer, Kathleen Fischer, Chris Gorki, Zachary King, Matthew Libus, Joshua Scott, John Titus, John Vanderlick, Antonio Vasquez and James Yamelski. All were hired at $15.09 per hour except Peter Fischer, who is listed at $28.87 per hour.</p><p>The other new employees, with their positions and hourly pay: Peter Ackourey, court IT specialist, $21.98; Jane Andrews and Jane Newman, aging agency care managers, $16.88; Skylar Banul, voter registration inspector, $14.05; Jessica Beishline, human resources generalist, $21.54; Joseph Chairge, prothonotary clerk, $15.18; Paul Galante, Children and Youth attorney, $27.56; Mary Lou Kocher, senior center operator, $13.51; Lorraine Kosik, mental health/developmental services accountant, $19.13; Justin Malarkey, budget/finance system coordinator, $20.12; Jessica Miraglia, special legal services counsel, $26.72; Michael Nocera, assessor field investigator, $13.46; Alisabeth Pickett, Children and Youth caseworker, $15.36; Karen Pietraccini, agency aging receptionist/clerk, $12.55; and Issac Anthony Troutman, deputy sheriff, $15.19.</p><p><strong>Departures</strong></p><p>Thirteen workers resigned in October, the report says: deputy sheriff Genesis Arias; assistant public defenders Jennifer Aulisio and Diane Palissery; Children and Youth attorney Jena Braunsberg; mental health caseworkers Michele Burton and Justin Wagner; prison correctional officer Jason Crispell; drug and alcohol case management specialist Ruth Parry; Children and Youth attorney supervisor Lauren Yeager-Pierce; and Children and Youth caseworkers Temeka Austin, Matthew Mennig, Deidre Otto and Tewana Walker.</p><p>Three employees retired &#8212; deputy sheriff Susan Tomulaitis, road/bridge maintenance repairman Paul Binker and road/bridge equipment operator Ronald Miller. Human services analyst John Hopkins was terminated, the report said.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_luzernecountycourthouse.jpeg.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Courthouse </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_luzernecountycourthouse.jpeg.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>

Luzerne County capital projects in the works