126518015_web1_LB-03012021-WB-News-03021897

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Luzerne County has a new purchasing director: veteran department employee Mary Ann Amesbury.

A lifelong county resident, Amesbury has worked in the purchasing department for more than 35 years and “amassed a stellar reputation,” county Manager C. David Pedri said in an email announcing the promotion.

Amesbury will receive $53,500 annually, he said.

The position was vacant because prior director Mark Zulkoski resigned to accept a private-sector position in January.

County Councilman Walter Griffith praised the “outstanding choice” in an email reply, telling Pedri he has “had the great fortune” to work with Amesbury in the past and is certain she will “do a fantastic job” as purchasing director.

Committee meetings

Council’s Legislative Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 5 p.m. Monday to draft a proposed letter opposing a state proposal adding tolls on two Interstate 80 bridges in the county over Nescopeck Creek in Black Creek Township and the Lehigh River in the White Haven area.

Councilman Harry Haas chairs this committee, which also includes Griffith and Councilman Stephen J. Urban.

Council authorized preparation of a letter last week.

On Thursday, Council’s Code Review Committee will meet virtually at 4:30 p.m. to continue discussing proposed amendments to the county’s administrative code.

The committee is currently working on clarifying the election-related powers and duties of the county election board and administration. As preparation, the county law office has been reviewing state laws, working with those involved in the county home rule charter drafting and reaching out to state agencies.

Councilwoman Linda McClosky Houck chairs this committee, which also includes Griffith and Council Chairman Tim McGinley.

Links to attend both meetings are posted under council’s public meetings online section at <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/1279/Public-Meetings-Online" target="_blank" rel="noopener">luzernecounty.org</a>.

Primary election ballot 

The county has released a list of all seats up for grabs in the May 18 primary election, county Administrative Services Division Head David Parsnik said.

The list is posted on the “2021 primary election” link on the left side of the election bureau page at <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/1323/2021-Primary-Election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">luzernecounty.org</a>.

Parsnik advised all municipalities and school districts to check it to make sure the information they submitted to the county about eligible seats is correct. Any entities discovering issues with seats in their jurisdiction should immediately contact the election bureau, he said.

County interim Election Director Andrea Hill has urged residents to pay attention to the openings and file petitions to get on the ballot to reduce the number of write-in votes.

Petitions must be submitted to the election bureau on March 9.

Petition packets are available for all prospective candidates at the election bureau on the second floor of the county’s Penn Place Building, which is located at the corner of Market Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre.

Mail ballots 

Approximately 55,000 county registered voters recently automatically received mail ballot applications for 2021 elections because they had checked a box to be placed on a permanent mail ballot list when they initially signed up last year.

To date, more than 15,000 of these recipients have mailed back a response requesting continued mail voting or filling out a form to be removed from the permanent mailing list, Parsnik said.

A second shift of county workers has been added to process the influx of replies, Hill told the county election board last week.

Voters must fill out and send in the applications if they want to receive mail ballots for the 2021 primary and general elections.

If the voters do not return the completed applications, they will be permitted to vote in-person on the county’s ballot marking devices at their polling place, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Regardless of which option they choose, voters on the permanent mailing list will continue to automatically receive annual mail ballot applications at the start of each year unless they complete a special form to be removed from that status, the state department said.

Voters are still free to apply for mail ballots if they are not on the permanent list. Mail voting applications are due at 5 p.m. on May 11 for the upcoming primary.

Information on applying is posted under the election department.