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Due to a coronavirus freeze on non-essential hiring, only two new Luzerne County government employees were added in April, according to the newly released monthly personnel report.
				The two new hires, both Children and Youth caseworkers at an hourly pay of $16.14, were Elayne Che and Bradley Palmatier.
				Six employees left county employment last month, the report said.
				Three retired &mdash; Mental Health/Developmental Services management tech Maureen Marascio and Aging agency care manager supervisor Annette Grella and care manager Michelle Mikelski.
				Three workers resigned: 911 telecommunicator specialist Brandie Colianni, deputy sheriff Courtney Staley and prison classification specialist Kathleen Elizabeth Washko.
				Finally, one employee switched positions. Kristine Shipp is now a prison corporal at $30.71 per hour.
				Prison population
				The average daily population at the county prison in April was 344, or a 27% decrease from March. At the nearby minimal offender building, also in Wilkes-Barre, the average inmate count was 93.5, or 36% less than the previous month.
				These statistics, which come from the latest county division head report, reflect an effort to release non-violent offenders with low-level charges, allowing room to segregate incoming inmates for coronavirus symptoms, officials have said.
				Also in the division head report, Chief Public Defender Steven Greenwald said his office presented numerous applications for bail or early release from the county prison system, with input and cooperation from the District Attorney&rsquo;s office and courts.
				&ldquo;As a result, the jail population has been reduced by over 250 persons, resulting in the ability of the Luzerne County Correctional Facility to create space for testing and isolation of any persons whom might test positive for the coronavirus,&rdquo; he wrote.
				Virtual meeting
				County council will hold two public hearings, a voting meeting and work session starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
				The public hearings focus on proposed ordinances entering into agreements with Butler Township and Conyngham for those municipalities to own and maintain several county-owned roads after they are repaired by the county.
				The intergovernmental agreements would remain in effect until the county finishes all repairs. County officials have been trying for years to convince municipalities to accept ownership of the county&rsquo;s approximately 125 miles of roads &mdash; many inherited from municipalities during the Great Depression.
				In Butler Township, the agreement would cover West Foothills Drive and these roads: North and South Beisels, East County, Police Grove, Hobby Mountain, Airport and Honey Hole. The Conyngham agreement is for Walnut Avenue.
				Council is set to vote on both ordinances at the meeting following the public hearings.
				Several proposed council bylaw changes also are on the voting agenda.
				Work session 
				Council will discuss Hazleton Public Transit&rsquo;s request for an annual county match needed to obtain state funding.
				The agency is seeking $180,036 from the county required to receive $2.17 million in state operating assistance funds, the agenda said.
				A county council majority approved the full match last year to meet a deadline and avoid a loss of busing services for riders relying on the transportation for medical appointments.
				However, council members put Carbon and Schuylkill counties on notice that they expect them to contribute toward the match in the future because portions of their jurisdictions receive service.
				The work session agenda also includes review of two other documents &mdash; a draft proposal seeking requests from prospective auditors for 2020 and a report from an outside consultant on corrective actions recommended in past county audits.
				Attending virtual meetings 
				Information on viewing and providing public comment are posted in the &ldquo;public meetings online&rdquo; link under the council page at <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/1279/Public-Meetings-Online" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.luzernecounty.org</a>.

Only two new Luzerne County government workers added in April due to coronavirus hiring freeze