Outsourcing

This is rich. The shady company that Luzerne County gave a no bid contract to do a basic function of government, paying it's employees, subcontracted the work to another outfit. Former HR Director and debit card abuser Doug Richards has been indicted for taking a bribe from an unnamed contractor. It's not hard to figure out the connection.

Outsourcing a basic government function like housing juvenile offenders blew the lid off this mess.

It's not hard to understand why many people oppose a 15% increase in county property taxes to pay for years mismanagement and corruption.

Untangling the web

"I just look at the little tab that has my name next to them and I sign them.- Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak


Mike Buffer has great rundown of the latest web of deceit that we call Luzerne County government in the Citizens Voice today.

The crime fighting research trips to New York City by a bunch of county officials who have nothing to do with law enforcement were never approved by the board of commissioners and in many cases were paid for by county debit cards that got them all into hot water. The crime fighting superheros are Skrep, former Chief Clerk Sam Guesto, former Human Resources Director Doug Richards, indicted multi job holder Bill Maguire, exotic dance critic prison Deputy Sam Hyder and the best dressed man in Luzerne County, Bill Brace. No changes in policy resulted from the research although Skrep wanted to buy a $2 million computer system that none of the local police departments could agree on.

Since then we have learned that Doug Richards invented a company to do payroll work for the county drawing up a contract that was never approved by the commissioners but invoices were still approved by the Controller's office. Nobody seems to know anything about Continental Consultants Group Inc. and B&M Investigations Inc. or William Grub and John Luango. Grub and Luango are retired NYC cops that have done well in the security consultant business. They are doing so well that Luzerne County paid B&M $35,000 for a background policy report that no one can find. Reputation is everything.

Some choice Skrep highlights and quotes:



Skrepenak also denies knowledge that two retired New York City police detectives involved with those trips had business ties to county contracts now being investigated by the FBI and the county solicitor....Skrepenak has acknowledged that several former top aides are talking to federal investigators and could implicate him in the ongoing corruption probe...Skrepenak said he didn't know this month Grub and Luongo had ties to contracts between Luzerne County and two companies - Continental Consultants Group Inc. and B&M Investigations Inc..."What we found is guys who have 20 years in the police department, they don't make great money with the NYPD," Skrepenak said...


Skrepenak said he didn't notice that Grub was listed as B&M president when he signed the $35,000 contract. He said he "didn't know specifically who B&M was" and doesn't "look at whose names are on" contracts he signs.

Petrilla rakes in the bucks

Luzerne County Democratic Commissioner Chair Maryanne Petrilla has raised $54,000 this year and has $78,000 cash on hand according to her latest campaign finance report. That is more money than all the row officer candidates running this year combined.

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Indicted Jury Commissioner Jerry Bonner gave her $500 but she sent it back. There are a few other names that are in the news listed in the report.

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Wilkes-Barre Area School Board President Frank Pizzella kicked in $125 for her golf tournament that is also listed on his CFR. Pizzella has been charged with conspiracy in a teacher job-selling scheme in 2004. I didn't know that she played golf.

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Michael Pasonick is the owner of an Architect/Engineering firm that does business with just about every government agency in Luzerne County made 2 donations totalling $1750 to Petrilla.

Pasonick was recently identified as the person who paid the bribe of $1400 to Housing Authority member Billy Maguire that was passed on by fellow board member Jerry Bonner. I wonder what the vig was in that deal? In one of the most creative excuses that I've ever heard Maguire said that he was reluctant to ask the housing authority for reimbursement of $1,400 he spent while attending a meeting of the National Leased Housing Association with Bonner in late January 2009 because of the debit card scandal and previous publicity that he was travelling the world on the taxpayer's dime when he was working in law enforcement. So he got Bonner to ask Pasonick to pick up the tab. At least he didn't try to double dip because records show he was not reimbursed by the authority. Bonner's attorney Mike Butera made the revelation about Pasonick. Butera has contributed $1000 to Petrilla.

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Sometimes this gets confusing. Patrilla's committee received contributions from Hazleton State Rep. Todd Eachus' and DA Jackie Mo Carroll then her committee sent money to Eachus and Jackie Mo's campaign committees. Scott Gartley kicked in $500 and Petrilla contributed $1000 to Tina Gartley's judicial campaign. I guess this is an example of 'you wash my back, I'll wash your's.' These people don't use their own money to go to all these events, the donor's pay for it. In addition to Gartley she contributed to 2 other Luzerne County judicial candidates. She sent $250 to Joe Musto and $125 to Bill Amesbury.

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In the row ofifce races she(her committee) gave $250 to Dem Prothonotary nominee Nancy Bellas who's husband has been indicted for taking a bribe and Democratic Controller hopeful Bob Morgan got $550.

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Some Luzerne County officials chipped in for the boss.

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Director of Assessments Anthony Alu $125

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County Solicitor Vito DeLucca $375

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Prison Warden Joe Piazza $500

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This one I find interesting. Former Commissioner Todd Vonderheid ( Bond Brother) who is now the head honcho of the local Chamber of Commerce chipped in $250. Vondy ran as a team with Greg Skrepenak for Luzerne County Commissioners telling people we didn't need home rule because we can trust them. That worked out well. Vondy quit before his term was up.

Luzerne County Controller debate

I'm going to tell everybody here a dirty little secret if you really want to know the inside of politics in Luzerne County. The salary of elected officials have been kept low to keep good people out of government-Wil Toole

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I thought that was the best line of the night at the LuLac Political Letter Controller's Forum . Moderator David Yonki did a great job of asking tough questions and allowing the candidates to mix it up. He read every question from the audience and they were good ones and no one asked about UFO's or other such nonsense.

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The three candidates websites are here:

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Walter Griffith (R)

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Bob Morgan (D)

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Wil Toole (I)

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I'm going to do a short recap but you can see the whole thing because it was filmed by PittstonPolitics.com.

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The 3 candidates opened by reviewing their resumes. Morgan mixed a few sports metaphors and Griffith took a shot a Morgan for saying he will work at PNC Bank if he is elected. Griffith promised to be a full time Controller and later Morgan and Toole also pledge to work full time.

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The questions started with the Times-Leader endorsement of Griffith. The TL says he is combative. When they asked about being combative and Gort is here, one of the local blog editors, has noted that I'm a pain in the ass. I'm always watching government and try to hold them accountable.

Morgan disagreed with the TL knock on his financial savvy and Toole addressed questions about his disability pension which was converted to regular retirement when he turned 60.

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All 3 answered some technical questions about the office and they all agreed that there should be better handling of cash payments with Morgan and Griffith wanting a central location to take all cash payments but Toole argued that would be unworkable.

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Griffith will work full time wants to eliminate comp time and ensure that all sick/vacation time should be tracked. Toole noted that he is retired so he nothing else to do and said the job can't be done part-time and said he will keep track of when employees sign in and out. Managers have to manage and that seems to be an alien thought in Luzerne County. He also doesn't favor buying a fingerprint/time clock machine and neither does Morgan. Morgan favors keeping flex time instead of paying overtime. He then pointed out that Griffith has run for 4 offices this year, Controller, Government Study Commission, Constable and Judge of Elections and asked what job he will he be doing on election day. Griffith responded that he will be a Judge of Elections because he hasn't been elected Constable or Controller yet.

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Toole said he couldn't give a schedule of audits because things are so far behind and Morgan agreed that the backlog has to be cleared. They both said that the top priority is to deal with the Sheriff's office. Griffith then took some shots at former Controller and County Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla, who is a Morgan supporter, saying she left the office in shambles, she didn't manage the office and defended the job Acting Controller AJ Martinelli is doing because he is doing double duty.

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They all agreed that the debit card scandal was a nightmare. Walter recounted that the Commissioners approved the debit card policy and it wasn't followed by the Chief Clerk, Sam Guesto. The people who didn't follow the policy, there was no reprimand...for those people who stole our money... They should have been fired. Toole offered some suggestions to control travel costs then blasted the Commissioners at the time. Skrepenak, Vonderheid, Urban...They made a major blunder and it's about time that they stood up and say we made a mistake and stop blaming their employees.

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At this point David joked that according to some of his readers all 3 have promised him a job.

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Morgan said that the pay structure has to be revamped. How can the Chief Clerk make $80K but his bosses are paid $40K. Griffith wants to stop management raises and playing games with eliminating and creating jobs. He said that the deputy's in the row offices are paid more than there bosses because they are expected to run the operation while the elected official often doesn't show up for work. Then Toole said elected officials salary's have been kept low on purpose to keep good people out of government. He recalled that years ago their was a salary increase for elected officials but the Commissioners at the time, Frank Trinisewski and Jim Phillips rolled it back. Why? Because they were terrified that good people were going to run for office and they would be out. He also decried the pay of entry level pay for qualified auditors. Walter took issue with the contention that good people won't run for the job because of the relatively low pay noting that many people live on a lot less. Morgan said he is Okay with the pay. Toole also said that Businesses want to come to Luzerne County because we have slave labor. He also gave the play by play of his pursuit of the endorsement of the AFSCME local that covers county employees saying he was a founder of the local union. They didn't endorse him. He said he wanted it then lobbed this bomb on why he didn't get it. Then I found out that Maryanne Petrilla had hired the President's daughter two months previous.

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Toole's pension controversy came up again and he said Judge Michael Conahan threw the case out despite the fact that he backed Joe Musto in the previous election. He blamed it on the administration that followed his tenure as Pittston City Clerk and was proud of the job he did. The administration that replaced me dragged me through a living hell. Morgan said that he doesn't have a conflict being an employee of PNC Bank that does a lot of business with the county and has an independent counsel opinion supporting that but would recuse himself from any pension board votes involving his employer.

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It ended with Toole and Morgan beating up Griffith saying he accused Controller office employees of falsifying an audit asking why he didn't ask for an investigation. He responded that he did contact the Auditor General and another agency. Morgan said You make accusations without facts. He then hit Griffith about running for 4 offices asking if he would serve 4 years if elected as Controller. Griffith said he would serve a full term.

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Post game: I was disappointed that the rest of Bentley's was closed as I was hoping to check out the place and catch some of the Eagle's game. Me and Forrest hit Mark's on the way home. Some elbows got thrown but then we all know that politics is a contact sport and afterward all 3 candidates were talking and joking with each other and the crowd. I can honestly say that this one of the best political debates I have ever attended. Things got tough but it remained civil.

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Michael Buffer has a write-up in the CV.

Juvie Brothers update

There are so many scandals going on it is hard to keep track.

Skrep's dad testifies before grand jury They might want to know about Debit Cards, no bid contracts at the prison and a 20 year lease with PA Child Care along with questions about who actually owns that bar.

Judge recommends $3.5 M defamation verdict be vacated Billy D'Elia's influence doesn't go as far as it used to.

Supreme court orders juvenile records preserved Common sense rules the day even when it involves Judges.

Defiance doomed Ciavarella, Conahan's plea deals Hopefully they are looking at more than 7 years in jail.

Moses sues LCCC, claims firing was retaliation DA Jackie Mo stands by the charges

Feds subpoena five PA teachers Many more teachers may have to put a hand on a bible.

Intellacom- Maybe Not So Intell-igent If school board directors are taking bribes someone is paying them.

I'm sure that I missed a few.

Skrep closes the debit card investigation

WILKES-BARRE -..."I have been informed by the proper authorities that the matter into the debit card situation has been closed," Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak wrote in a May 11 letter to Acting Controller AJ Martinelli. "There were no criminal findings."

Martinelli denies the US Attorney has informed him that the investigation is closed and US Attorney Martin Carlson won't confirm or deny anything about any investigation. Skrep turned in receipts for about $2000 less than he charged on his card. He blamed that on poor eyesight as did Sam Hyder when he used his card in a strip club in Las Vegas.

All those that have been caught abusing the debit cards have supposedly paid back the charges that are not allowed. I would like to see one of the papers publish an accounting if they can get the numbers.

Republican Commissioner Steve Urban once said "We have a jail full of people who wish they could just pay it back."

If you are disappointed by the outcome of this investigation so far you can look forward to other scandals being swept under the rug.

Debit Cards

Sam Hyder

Luzerne County Prison

Bonds

No Bid Contracts

The Latest Outrage in Luzerne County

This is the short list. A few other things have come up such as health insurance benefits for unpaid prison board members and MORE.

Debit card scandle fizzles

Via McGruff

Back in December Terry Moran-Besecker reported in the Times Leader that the Secret Service completed its initial investigation into the Luzerne County Debit Card probe. The I-Team is reporting it has information that no charges will be filed in that case. While the government acknowledges mismanagement on this issue it appears the actions do not give rise to criminal charges.

As far I know if you use the company's (County) money to pay your personal expenses and not declare it as income is tax evasion. Let's hope the Secret Service report is released to the public even if charges are not filed. Only in Luzerne County can the people involved in this not be fired, at the least. When called to account the abusers of this privilege paid back the county for their questionable expenses although I haven't read of an audit that has documented it.

As Steve Urban once said "We have a jail full of people who wish they could just pay it back."

Debit Cards

Skrep says Petrilla is being investigated by the Feds

TL reporter Jennifer Learn-Andes witnessed a blowup between Luzerne County Democratic Commissioners Greg Skrepnak and Maryanne Petrilla that confirms that they are not exchanging Christmas cards anymore. Petrilla stormed into Skrepenak’s because he was repeating a rumor he says he heard that Petrilla was being investigated by federal authorities. She said she checked with the Feds and is not under investigation and said he should be the one worried about a federal investigation. Hard to argue with that because the Secret Service investigation of the debit card abuse has been completed and sent to the US Attorney plus there is still the question of why Skrep and former Commissioner Todd Vonderheid approved that 20 year lease of the PA Child Care facility. Why Petrilla didn't continue the investigation of it started by Steve Flood when she was Controller is another question.


“See what I put up with?” Skrepenak told the reporter after Petrilla left his office. “How dare she come into my office? I didn’t defame her...I think there’s a lot of animosity on both sides, and I think it’s at the point that it becomes personality not principle,” Skrepenak said. “It is what it is at this point, and it’s unfortunate.” Skrepenak said he and Petrilla have reached the point that they can’t have a productive working relationship. Petrilla said Skrepenak will have to “show up for work” to have a working relationship.
“He works maybe – and I’m really stretching it here – five hours a month."

She threatened to sue him for defamation and Skrep told her to sue him.

Just another day under the dingdome.

Luzerne County scandals

SCRANTON – The U.S. Secret Service has concluded its initial investigation into the Luzerne County debit card scandal and has turned over the results to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for review, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

Forget the Secret Service and the US Attorney General the agency that matters in this is the IRS. I think it's pretty simple. If the people who had the debit cards in 2006 and charged personal expenses to it without declaring it as income on that year's 1040 should have to answer to charges of tax evasion.

Also, there has to be a Pennsylvania law about then County Manager/Chief Clerk Sam Guesto having a slush fund to pay the bills for Sam Hyder's trips to strip bars, etc. that then Controller Maryanne Petrilla claims she was not aware of. I don't know if any federal laws were broken but the PA Auditor General and Attorney General should be all over this.


Some of my previous posts on this and other related subjects:

Debit Cards

Sam Hyder

Luzerne County Prison

Bonds

No Bid Contracts

The Latest Outrage in Luzerne County

Luzerne County scandals

No indictments yet but the buzz says it's just a matter of days. I've lost track of how many investigations are going on in the county.


The latest one is about the theft of funds from the treasurer’s office that DA Jackie Mo handed off to the FBI. I'm sure if someone gets caught with their fingers in the till they will get house arrest just like Robert Pritchard and Carl Salitis.


The more serious probe centers on the tangled web involving Judges Mike Conahan and Mark Ciavarella with PA Child Care owners Robert Powell and would be Hazleton Airport builder Greg Zapalla. Prothonotary Jill Moran also has ties to a company, W-Cat Inc., that they all have money invested in.


Then there is the Debit Card scandal that the Secret Service is investigating and the no bid contracts at the prison that some secret police outfit is supposed to be looking into.


I need a scorecard to keep track of all of this. Will someone help me out?


Luzerne County's greatest hits, so far:

Debit Cards

Sam Hyder

Luzerne County Prison

Bonds

No Bid Contracts

The Latest Outrage in Luzerne County



Did I miss something?


HOME RULE

Sam Guesto's feelings are hurt

“Have you seen the man? He’s probably lost 80 pounds since everything started. He’s suffering greatly.”

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Luzerne County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla has been saying some mean things about Guesto according to his lawyer and he sent her a cease and desist letter.

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According to Attorney William Shehwen of the Philadelphia area Petrilla called him a "thief,” “gangster” and a “thug'" and alleges that she is trying to get him fired from the court administrator position that she voted to create when everybody knew the job was invented for him.

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Guesto resigned as County Manager/Chief Clerk after it was revealed that he was in charge of the debit cards that were abused by everyone that got one and changed the purchasing policy at the Luzerne County prison to favor some well connected people that appears to be both a violation of the county's purchasing policy and state law telling the kitchen supervisor “do it or it’s your ass.” The last straw seems to be when he decided to redesign the proposed new prison on his own adding millions to the cost.

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The debit card abuse is being investigated by the Secret Service and the piecemeal contracting at the prison is supposedly being looked into by some secret police outfit according to District Attorney Jackie MO. Maybe if you go to her golf outing you can team up with the Yonk and ask her what is going on.

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GUESTO’S DEBIT-CARD PURCHASES

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In another federal investigation

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Ciavarella’s alleged bias subject of Friday hearing

Petrilla: Fire Guesto

I never thought I would see this. Good for Petrilla.

WILKES-BARRE — “In my opinion, he was unauthorized to change policy and was reckless,” Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla said. “His actions violated state law and cost taxpayers money. He has damaged the credibility of Luzerne County government. I have asked President Judge Mark Ciavarella to terminate him immediately. … Sam Guesto should be terminated for many reasons, mainly he overstepped his boundaries.”...Ciavarella said he wouldn’t fire Guesto unless some legal authority concluded Guesto violated the law. District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll has asked an outside agency to investigate.

So what Secret Police organization is investigating? If any. The county did it's own investigation of the prison purchasing practices and it alleges that Guesto instructed the prison kitchen manager to ignore bidding rules.

TL: Former Luzerne County chief clerk/manager Sam Guesto told county prison officials not to bid out items that were previously bid, telling the kitchen manager during a March 2006 meeting, “…do it or it’s your ass,” according to an internal report on illegal prison piecemealing released Monday. Guesto also directed that no-bid purchases be made from Commonwealth Foods Inc., kitchen manager Jack Rentko said in the report.

Guesto also directed the company designing the new prison to plan a bigger facility without getting the Commissioners to authorize the increased cost.

My opinion is that he should have been fired after the debit card scandal broke. We all await the results of the Secret Service investigation into that violation of the public trust.

Another State of Emergency

The Luzerne County prison board plans to declare a state of emergency to buy food. It has come to light that the prison has bought more than $856,000 worth of groceries through a no-bid contract since 2006. I was shocked to read that Commonwealth Foods, the company that sold the supplies to the jail, is owned by a friend of Commissioner Greg Skrepenak.

And Perugino’s Market of Kingston also sold the prison more than $535,000 of produce since 2004.

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A county policy calls for sealed bidding of purchases expected to exceed $7,500 annually, and state law requires sealed bidding for purchases that exceed $10,000. The prison board say they need time to implement a system for bidding the items and the inmates still have to eat.

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A few months ago there was another flap over commissary goods being bought from another friend of Skep's. Anybody see a pattern?

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Commissioners Maryanne Petrilla and Stephen Urban have questioned whether that contract was piecemealed – the illegal practice of breaking large contracts into smaller ones to avoid bidding regulations.

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On top of this a company has double billed the county for the 2nd time in 3 years for work done at the prison

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I listened to Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla yesterday on WILK say she wasn't aware of the situation because she's only been in office for 3 months but all the bills had to be approved by the county controller when she held that position.

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In October the prison board declared a "state of emergency" to build a fence and we all know about the Adventures of the well travelled Deputy Warden Sam Hyder.

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In more good news the Secret Service investigation of the debit card abuse has been delayed and authorities are investigating the possible theft of several thousands of dollars from the Luzerne County Treasurer’s office.

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Unbelievable.

Sam Diaz moves on

TL: Luzerne County Budget/Finance Chief Sam Diaz submitted his resignation Friday because he has accepted a job at the proposed medical school in Scranton.

The hard nosed number crunching guy has had a flair for fiction the last few years writing what is supposed to be the Luzerne County budget. He also is responsible for the generically written bond issues that are in contention now. I know he was limited by his political masters when he put together the last budget that was supposed to be balanced by more aggressive tax collection and revenue from land sales that didn't happen and I'm sure that he knew that wouldn't work out. The debit card mess that he was in the middle of has to be another incentive to get out of the public eye.

Let's hope the Commissioners hire a non-political CPA type to replace him.

On the road again

“I think (Hyder) abused his privileges on other trips.” - Luzerne County Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla


WILKES-BARRE – The Luzerne County Prison Board voted 3-2 Monday to approve sending Deputy Warden Sam Hyder and two other employees to a three-day seminar on gang investigations.

The trip is the first to be approved by the board since controversy erupted over the use of Hyder’s county debit card at various training functions in 2006 and 2007.

Board members Wister Yuhas, Robert Payne and Commissioner Greg Skrepenak approved the trip. Commissioners Stephen Urban and Maryanne Petrilla voted against it.


Hyder has to be the most travelled and best trained county employee we have ever had.

Sam Hyder’s debit-card purchases

Bonds, Luzerne County bonds

The Luzerne County Commissioners voted the other day to spend some left over bond money on things it wasn't originally borrowed for. I've been complaining about this sort of shell game as long as I have been blogging.


The bond money came from $32.5 million borrowed in November 2003 to fund Susquehanna River recreation improvements. The bond document did not earmark funding for particular projects, which means commissioners are free to spend the money as they see fit.

Tim (take your hat off) Grier has made the same objection and points out that that bonds are supposed to be used for long term capitol improvements not everyday operating expenses. County Budget/Finance Chief Sam Diaz, and noted debit card abuser, said there is no legal requirement to use the money on projects that will last as long as repayment. I think he is wrong on that point. Even if he isn't the county government shouldn't be borrowing money for one thing and spend it on another. A few years ago they borrowed $9 million to build a new juvi prison then gave a sweetheart lease to a Pittston facility that the state objected to and had to terminate the lease. Then last December they used that money as Christmas presents for all sorts of projects that had nothing to do with the reason for borrowing the money in the first place.

Diaz also detailed the shortfalls of the last piece of fiction that was passed off as the county budget.

In other business Thursday, Diaz released a report explaining how the county ended 2007 with a $13 million deficit.
The report blames the deficit on a $16.8 million revenue shortfall, predominantly due to the county’s failure to meet projections in the following areas: current-year tax collections, $5.3 million; prior-year tax collection, $4 million; sale of county-owned land, $4.5 million; securing of state probation grants, $637,700; and federal transportation grants, $503,000.

Now they want to use $2.5 million of the proposed new bond issue to buy some land from Louis DeNaples when they can't sell the land they were counting on the help balance this year's budget. WTF?

Grier has offered to drop his challenge to the latest $93.5 million Bond issue if the Commissioners would just explain in detail what the money will be spent on. To me that's a reasonable request but they won't do it. And even if they did spell out how the money will be spent the way the thing is worded lets them spend the money on other things. Am I just becoming an old cynical bastard that doesn't trust the government?

Wilkes-Barre attorney Pete Moses, who is handling the county’s bond borrowing legal matters, on Friday declined to say if the county will accept Grier’s offer. Moses said he finds it "curious" that Grier wants to settle at this stage and is surprised Grier went public with his interest in settling.

It should be noted that Peter Moses looks to make a pretty penny on the bond issue and is billing the county for his work on this challenge. He has the best of both worlds. It makes you wonder why the county would bring in a hired gun who has a financial interest in seeing the bond succeed when they have so many other solicitors on the payroll.

And Commissioner Greg Skrepenak said the debit card abuse is "not criminal." It may not be but if I used a company card to buy drinks at a strip club or a $800 dinner tab with a $300 booze bill or pay for my kids hotel bill I'm sure I would be on the business end of a bread line

Guesto lands on his feet

I know I have been ignoring all the fun under the dome because I'm concentrating on the various elections approaching. This is a political blog so I concentrate on elections, so shoot me.


Only in Luzerne County can a guy who was chased out his last job get a a similar one. He is at the center of the debit card controversy because he was the official that was supposed to approve any charges to the cards

in his position as county chief clerk/manager.

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So when his position as chief clerk became untenable they invented a new position for him. Same old shit.

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Guesto given new court job

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Sam Guesto has been hired for a newly created court director job, which means he will remain a Luzerne County employee when he officially ends his job as county chief clerk/manager today. Many county workers had predicted the court job was created for Guesto. Court of Common Pleas President Judge Mark Ciavarella has denied that, saying the position is warranted and that he would choose the most qualified applicant.
Guesto’s hiring takes effect today, and he will be paid $78,159.80 annually, according to the court order issued by Ciavarella Thursday afternoon.

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GUESTO’S DEBIT-CARD PURCHASES

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I'm very disappointed with President Judge Mark Ciavarella but I can't say I'm surprised.

Hyder is still looking for receipts

WILKES-BARRE – Luzerne County Prison Deputy Warden Sam Hyder Thursday turned in receipts for $1,385.35 in expenses charged to his county debit card and paid another $1,377.73 to cover charges that were deemed unallowable by the controller’s office...He previously paid back $1,390.20, bringing his total reimbursement to the county to $2,767.93.

Hyder said he is still trying to obtain receipts for the $2,767.93 in expenses he cannot account for.

I can understand his dilemma because I'm having trouble finding copies of some tax documents from 2006. When you were never asked to produce a receipt for a few years to justify your expenses it's easy to get lazy about paperwork. When Hyder was issued the debit card he had to sign an agreement that stated he had to produce a receipt within 3 days whenever he charged something, it must of been in the fine print and he missed it. Controller Maryanne Petrilla was suppossed to review the charges and approve them but she claims she didn't know anything about the cards. So now Mr. Hyder has been reappointed to his job with a raise with the help of his sponsor Greg Skrepnak and the votes of 2 prison board members who had a nice meal and other fun while on a junket to Las Vegas with Hyder.

Regular commenter Zen who writes Political Rants asks what is the difference between the Luzerne County debit card abusers and the PSU-W-B maintenance director that was charged with theft for abusing his debit card. Good question.

What is the difference between this guy and Hyder?

Hyder keeps his job

Split saves Hyder's job

A divided prison board on Monday reappointed Sam Hyder as deputy warden, with the key swing votes coming from the two lay members of the board.
Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla, a Democrat, again allied herself with Republican minority Commissioner Stephen Urban in calling for Hyder’s ouster. But they were outvoted by Democratic Commissioner Greg Skrepenak, who garnered the support of board members Wister Yuhas and Robert Payne in reappointing Hyder.

Yuhas and Payne were also on that now infamous trip to Las Vegas when Hyder used his county debit card to buy a round of drinks at a strip club. So you have to ask who was he buying drinks for? Where these guys with him that night? And who was at that famous dinner at Paris Las Vegas La Rotisserie that cost $896.88 that the county solicitor James Blaum coughed up $300 to cover the booze bill?

The CV has a list of all of Sam Hyder's debit card purchases. If my math is right he had 81 charges to the card with 61 lacking receipts. On December 17th the Prison Board gave him 60 days to produce receipts or pay back the money but today they rehired him before the deadline expired. Only in Luzerne County.

His 3 day trip to check out a prison in the finger lakes region of NewYork also stinks to high heaven. The warden of the jail said the tour he does usually takes a couple of hours not 3 days. And I picked up on this tidbit, on his way there he spent $42.52 at Wellington’s Pub, Clarks Summit, for a meal. He couldn't make it past Scranton before he had to eat? Reading the list I was taken aback on how much he spent on food. He certainly likes Subway (no receipts). He's a big guy and I'm shure he needs 3 squares a day but some of these charges are nuts.


Oct. 1, 2006: MacGregors Grill & Tap Room, Canandaigua, N.Y., $86.18, meal, no receipt

Oct. 3, 2006: Dinosaur Bar B Que, Rochester, N.Y., $93.78, meal, no receipt.

Oct. 3, 2006: The Lodge, Canandaigua, N.Y., $102.85, meal, no receipt.

And so on. I wish I could eat this well.

Greg Skepnak and the other board members are willing to forgive him because he does such a great job at the prison. Steve Urban has been calling for his head since this all broke and Maryanne Petrilla seems to get it.

I believe that as a leader in the county, I have an obligation to the residents to chose leaders that will bring confidence in our government," she said. "We need leaders that will bring confidence that their hard earned tax dollars are not being frittered away. I don't need the Secret Service to tell me that a policy was grossly abused. I have not heard one legitimate excuse for actions that I consider inexcusable. Our taxpayers and residents have high standards for their elected and appointed public officials, and as a result I cannot support this action."

A friend comments:

By that logic, she should be asking for the resignations of Mr. Brace, Mr. Piazza, and the rest of the debit-card holders who abused the system. Commissioner Urban called for those folks to be fired in December. Can we expect that all of those involved, because of Petrilla's statements today, will be out of a job after the next commissioner's meeting?

Urban voted to oust them when he knew that he was going to be out-voted 2-1 at the December meeting, but he failed to make the motion to fire those involved at the January Commissioner's meeting. If Commissioner Petrilla is so adamant about making changes and HOLDING EVERYONE WHO HAD A DEBIT CARD ACCOUNTABLE, I guess we can expect that she and Mr. Urban will send the rest of them packing, FINALLY, next month when one of them makes the motion to fire the debit card holders and the other seconds that motion.

Or, maybe Commissioner Urban and Commissioner Petrilla will provide us with another excuse?
I guess we shall see.

Guesto out

WILKES-BARRE — After enduring months of criticism and scrutiny stemming from the Luzerne County debit-card controversy, County Manager/Chief Clerk Sam Guesto announced Wednesday he was resigning as the county’s top administrator.

He has applied for the new Court administrator job and I will be disappointed but not surprised if he gets it.

From the CV:

GUESTO’S DEBIT-CARD PURCHASES

March 2, 2006 — Edwardsville Price Chopper, $24.73, bought soda for Emergency Management Agency workers, cost reimbursed.

March 6, 2006 — Daily Grill, Washington, D.C., $451.65, dinner while attending National Association of Counties meeting.

March 7, 2006 — Marriott, Washington, D.C., $466.42, two-night stay at hotel for National Association of Counties meeting, $54.22 reimbursed, portion of receipt covering $43.59 not provided.

March 15, 2006 — Patte’s Sports Bar, Wilkes-Barre, $60.62, meeting with assessor’s office employees, cost reimbursed.

March 23, 2006 — Perugino’s, Luzerne, $60.80, meeting with prison officials, cost reimbursed.

March 30, 2006 — Manhattan Time Share, New York City, $208.44, overnight stay for crime suppression meeting.


April 13, 2006 — Manhattan Time Share, New York City, $208.44, overnight stay for crime suppression meeting.

April 25, 2006 — Pasquale’s, Hanover Township, $34.24, meeting with Wilkes-Barre Township officials, cost reimbursed

Nov. 30, 2006 — Conference Trade Show, Illinois, $440, registration cost for National Association of Counties meeting.

March 4, 2007 — Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C., $217.55, lodging for National Association of Counties.

March 8, 2007 — Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C., $622.37, lodging, National Association of Counties, $53.51 unallowable.

June 6, 2007 — Conference Trade Show, Illinois, $390 refund, cancellation of registration for National Association of Counties meeting, $50 cost reimbursed.

June 25, 2007 — Exxon Mobile, Bear Creek, $42, fuel, no receipt submitted.

Aug. 9, 2007 — Tom’s 22, New Freedom, Pa., $51, fuel, no receipt submitted.


Aug. 10, 2007 — Sheraton Hotel, Baltimore, $692, lodging for 911 meeting, $12.99 unallowable purchase on a movie, video game or Internet service.

Total charges: $3,630.26


Allowable charges validated by receipts: $3,493.67

Unaccounted charges/no receipts: $136.59

Unallowable charges: $66.50


Should reimburse: $203.09Paid back: $1,268.03;

Refund due: $1,064