Carolee will not go quietly into the night

To the surprise of no one former Prothonotary Carolee Medico Olenginski is threatening to sue Luzerne County because she was fired by county manager Bob Lawton for obstructing the transition of her office to the new records division mandated by the home rule charter. She got into a turf war with deputy Art Bobbouine and called Lawton a "dictator." That wasn't the only insult she hurled at Lawton.

Now she is threatening to sue claiming age discrimination and her lawyer claimed that Bobbouine stabbed her in the back. She opposed the charter and sued to try to keep her job. In the past she a problem with the carpeting in her office and took legal action about filing cabinets in her first stint as Prothonotary. I actually voted for Carolee in 2009 after Jill Moran proved to be such a disaster and the Dems nominated the wife of a corrupt WVW School Board member.

Betty has the play by play at Pure Bunkum

He Said. She Said

 The papers have the story

 Ex-official fighting dismissal

Axed prothonotary says ageism behind ouster

 

There is a legal question about whether or not the County Manager can dismiss an elected official even if she continues to be paid. Does the the new charter trump the 3rd class county code? Carolee will probably take this to the Supreme Court. 

Carolee is fired

Luzerne County Manager has finally had enough of (former) Prothonotary Carolee Medico-Olenginski. Carolee opposed the Home Rule Charter and filed a lawsuit arguing separation of powers that was rejected by the court. Everyone knows that she doesn't play well in the sandbox just ask Bob Sypniewski.

County manager fires Carolee Medico Olenginski after conflict comes to a head

Long lost blogger Zen Rants had this post about some of her previous complaints about her relationship with the local GOP.

Carolee Medico-Olenginski's Comments

 

 

Luzerne County finances

I started off blogging about Luzerne County government and politics but haven't written much about it lately. The Yonk  reminded me that I was a unrelenting critic of the games that the Bond Brothers played with numbers that put our county into the hole that it is in. Thankfully convicted criminal Greg Skrepnak and Todd Vonderheid are no longer Commissioners.

As a result of the Juvie Brothers and other scandals the people decided it was time to change the form of government and passed Home Rule. The new county council hired a professional manager after a nationwide search. This new form of government is not perfect but it is a big improvement over the old system of 3 Commissioners and a myriad of elected row officers.

Luzerne County Manager Bob Lawton is getting high marks from the people I have spoke to in county government. He is trying to clean up the mess. I don't agree with all his decisions on some non budget issues such as firing Leonard Piazza as Director of the Election Bureau.

Some of the dead enders will still try to hang on.

Deputy runs office, prothonotary gripes

 

4 seats on the new county council will be up in 2013. I urge all interested candidates to attend Blogfest on September 21st to give your pitch.  The Controller's spot is also up and the only name I've heard on the Dem side is Bob Morgan. Incumbent Walter Griffith is definitely running for reelection.

Luzerne County Council to hire a manager

The papers are reporting that a guy from California will be offered the job as the first Luzerne County manager under home rule later today. The CV and the TL say the pick is Robert Lawton. I don't know much about him other than what I read in papers but certainly wish him the best. He is walking into a mess of a budget situation left over by former Commissioners Maryanne Petrilla, Steve Urban and the other guy that interim manager Tom Pribula has been trying to address. He keeps proposing a mix of tax increases and budget cuts that the new council keeps shooting down. Sounds a lot like what is going on in Washington.

I have been getting beat up in the comments and other blogs for my backing of the new form of government. It's a school board, it won't work, etc. The new charter is not perfect but then what is? I preferred the previous charter with an elected county executive and a mix of distict and at-large elections for the council. That plan was shot down when Skrep and Vondy said "trust us." That worked out well.

This new form of government was passed as a reaction to the Juvie Brothers scandal for sure. The thing I like about it was elimination of most of the row offices that were power centers with no oversight. How many of them went to jail? There is no Democratic or Republican way to perform an autopsy (Coronor) or to register a will. And What the hell is a Prothonotary?

If they hire Lawton and he doesn't back out before February 21st the Yonk has some advice. A couple of my favs

Don’t take it personally if people don’t like you because you’re an outsider. People from Scranton have the same problem.

If someone says you’re a cousin….don’t believe them

Abe’s Hot Dogs, South Main, the original. Don’t settle.

There are two Steve Urbans on the County Council, one has hair, the other doesn’t. Both may seem like the same person so you’ll need to tell them apart.

Out with old, in with the new

I'm not going to do a top 10 list of 2011 stories but highlight some of the things that happened this past year that will carry over into 2012 that interest me. LuLac and Capitol Ideas have great recaps of the year's top stories in numerical order.


In no particular order with omissions that I'm sure you correct me on dear readers they are Luzerne County Government, Redistricting, the latest flood and the local blogosphere.



I usually don't do multi-subject posts but may start doing it the future like the quick hits of Pennsylvania Progressive and NEPartisan.


Luzerne County Government


The 3 Commissioner 3rd class county code form of government with 127 row officers has come to an end. It is being replaced by a system that is used by many county governments across the country. There will be growing pains and squabbles but I hope the news system works better than the old one.

Redistricting

Wilkes-Barre has been the anchor of the 11th Congressional District since Pennsylvania became a state but will now be part of the 17th CD. It looks like incumbent Democrat Tim Holden will face a primary challenge from Matt Cartwight. No Republican has announced a run yet. In the 11th CD the salons in Harrisburg have taken care of Lou Barletta but Bill Vinsko vows to take him on even though they drew the lines right around his house to keep him out of the district. Tom Marino looks safe in the 10th CD. Former Congressman Chris Carney teased that he would run again but that has fizzled out.

Floods

Expect more as the polar ice caps continue to melt putting more moisture in the atmosphere. I roll my eyes at the people who say climate change can't be real because it still snows.

Local Blogosphere

DB Echo has a nice summary of the resurgence of NEPA Blogs. He and Michelle have done a great job of identifying local bloggers and most of them don't have anything to do with politics. Even when I come across a new political blog one of them has it listed before I get the chance. NEPA Blogs has turned into a multimedia operation with a Facebook page, Twitter account and radio and TV appearances. A few local political blogs popped up and withered shortly thereafter although 2 sites devoted to Wilkes-Barre politics have been updated regularly with claims of corruption by city officials.

The local media is starting to notice that political bloggers are not some kids banging away in their mother's basement wearing pajama's eating Cheetos as the early stereotype depicted but are people who have experience in campaigns, government and media. Certainly as well (many times better) informed as the Captains Obvious college professors they so often run to analysis.

Joe Valenti of Pittston Politics punishes himself by going to school board meetings and constantly breaks news in the Wyoming Area and Pittston Area school districts. The CV picked up on his reporting about the solicitor controversy in WA. LuLac Political Letter editor David Yonki was spot on in his prediction in the recent Luzerne County Council race and is a regular on the radio and WYLN's public affairs broadcasts. Even I got in on the electric media recently when Tiffany Cloud invited me to be a guest on her show Storm Politics to talk about the impact of political blogging. And we all owe a debt of gratitude to the Blogfather for his work at Wilkes-Barre Online that broke one story after another that was latter picked up the newspapers often without attribution.

Blogfest was a hit again this year and I expect the spring edition will be the political event of the season like it has been the last 4 times we did it. I was flabbergasted by the turnout for the first one and many people tell me that it is their favorite political gathering. This year the primary is April 24th because of the Presidential election so it presents a scheduling dilemma. We always do it on a Friday but Good Friday is April 6th so that leaves either April 13th only 10 days before the primary election or March 30th. I think March 30th would work but we need to nail down the date. I usually invite all sorts of big shots to Blogfest and some of them even show up. We need to set a date to give a heads up to the statewide candidates for US Senator, PA Attorney General and Auditor General plus the local hopefuls for Congress, State Senate and House.

Another contract not approved

How many times have we seen headlines similar to these over the last few years

Controller won't pay bill without contract

Pact signed by official disputed

The 3rd class county code is clear that only the county commissioners have the authority to approve a contract but some people still haven't got the word. Recorder of Deeds Red O'Brien hired a NY company to do some scanning work for $31,000 with the possibility of more work but never got the Luzerne County Commissioners to approve it. So Controller Walter Griffith is refusing to pay the latest invoice unless the Commissioners approve the arrangement. Solicitor Vito Deluca has been hot about this illegal pratice for the past few years. It looks like the money to pay this company comes from the records fund that LRW Solutions was so good at getting. See Betty for more on that.

I think the biggest reason I voted for the home rule charter is that eliminates the row offices. Too many power centers and lack of accountability. Do we really need to elect 11 people to what are essentially administrative jobs without responsibility for policy? However I don't like taking away the Controller's responsibility for paying bills or the unelected county executive but those problems can be fixed in the near future without going through the whole charter writing exercise again.

The transition

I've been on bit of hiatus for the last week or so and it may continue into the future as I decide if I want to continue to do this solo blog or sign on to another platform. Maybe I just might throw in the towel altogether. Mrs G points out that I get in this funk after my sports team or political party comes up short in the latest contest. Double whammy from the Phillies and the Dems this time.

Looking forward the Luzerne County government has been changed and we will now be electing 11 council members next year but not have elections for row officers. It's a new world in the land of the Wyoming Indians. In the near future (5 years) the new charter can be amended so the county executive can be elected and the council can be elected by districts if that is what the people want but we have to deal what is in front of us. The May 2011 primary election will have dozens of candidates running on both tickets then in the fall we may see a few Libertarians, Greens and independents in the mix.

Right now the transition committee of 5 home rule commission members and the sitting commissioners have to pick 3 people to help them out. 47 people applied for the 3 unpaid spots.

Some of the applicants from the TL that caught my eye.

The Yonk!


David Yonki, Wilkes-Barre, has a bachelor’s degree in government, politics, communications and marketing. David has written 3 books and is our local political historian. He writes one of the best blogs in Luzerne County.

Peter Gagliardi, Wilkes-Barre, has a master’s degree in government and politics. He has 17 years of experience with the federal government, 20 years as a freelance writer and has held various customer-service and sales positions in private industry.

Robert D. Seeley, Jackson Township, has a Ph.D. in economics and has been an associate professor of economics at Wilkes University since 1989. He was a member of the commission that drafted the proposed 2003 home rule charter.

• Betsy Summers, Wilkes-Barre, has an associate’s degree in animal science and has worked as territory manager for Midwest Veterinary Supply since 2005 and as manager of three rental properties since 1985. She was also a member of the commission that drafted the 2003 charter.

• Edward Chesnovitch, Jackson Township, has been an outspoken watchdog and served as treasurer of the Friends of Home Rule organization. He served on the township planning commission for 15 years and the Board of Auditors for four years.

• Susan Shoval, Kingston, has a bachelor’s degree in economics and was co-founder of GUARD Insurance Group. She is co-chair of the Luzerne County Diversity Commission and serves on other boards.

• Casey Evans, Lehman Township, studied political science, is second district chairman for the Luzerne County Democratic Committee, was a staffer for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and has worked on others.

• Charles Hatchko, Jenkins Township, worked as a correctional officer in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for more than 16 years before retiring in 2006. He also has experience in union negotiations and in the trucking industry.

• Barry P. Finn, Swoyersville, worked as a television meteorologist for almost 25 years and later worked as a career school admissions director for seven years.

Victor Kopko, Hanover Township, has a doctorate in business administration and currently teaches college courses in communications, business and management part-time. He has owned and operated several businesses and has a pending lawsuit attempting to throw out the county’s 2009 reassessment.

• William M. Gagliardi, Ashley, has a bachelor’s degree in biology and has management experience, most recently as a supervisor with the U.S. Postal Service until December 2009. He recently passed a national certification exam for massage therapy.

• Raymond P. Gustave, West Wyoming, has a bachelor’s degree in biology and retired from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2007, after 37 years of employment with the federal government.

Local GOP victory lap

Luzerne County Republicans will host a Victory Party from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, at Genetti Hotel & Conference Center, 77 E. Market St., Wilkes-Barre.
Special guests are Congressmen-Elect Lou Barletta, 11th District, and Tom Marino, 10th District... For more information go to the website, http://luzernegop.org/

They are rightly crowing about helping to put the statewide and congressional candidates over the top but the real story is what is happening in the down ballot races. In 2008 the Republicans didn't have one candidate run against the 5 incumbent Democratic State Representatives in Luzerne County. This time around they put up a full slate and were very competitive in the 119th and 120th districts and even knocked off the the Democratic House leader in the 116th although I think that had more to do with Todd Eachus getting beat up by the local papers for flying around on Robert Powell's jet than the merits of Tarah Toohill. But a win is a win. Last year they won 2 of the 3 county row offices after losing every contest in 2007.

Three things have helped change their fortunes. The election of Terry Casey as chairman of the party, the hiring of Renita Fennick as Executive Director and the financial backing of a few donors that always gave money to state and federal GOP candidates but usually skipped the local elections or gave to Democrats because that is where the smart money went.

The back mountain money boys have made it possible to have a full time, year round campaign office in Wilkes-Barre with Renita operating the nuts and bolts. From what I'm told Casey has been a good recruiter and has been able to smooth over the internal divisions of the various factions and got them to work toward a common goal.

For all the hand ringing over the lack of guaranteed minority representation in the new Luzerne County Home Rule Charter it looks like the Republicans will win some seats.

On to 2011.

Predictions: Home Rule Yes and some state legislature races

I have been doing an informal survey of office holders, fellow bloggers and other political watchers over the last few days and we pretty much agree on the following races.

The Luzerne County Home Rule Charter will win big. Unlike 2003 there has not been a very organized effort against it and people are so fed up with what has been going on for years that just has recently been exposed that they are willing to take a chance on another form of government. The charter is not perfect but the biggest objections about an elected county executive and council elections by district can be addressed in 5 years by amendment instead of going through the whole process of electing another commission and writing another charter.


The PA 14th Senate race will be won by John Yudichack(D). The district has an overwhelming Democratic registration and Yuddy has been a good state rep. I like Steve Urban (R) and think he has been a good county commissioner. The Libertarian candidate Betsy Summers will eat into his vote but even if she wasn't in this Yudichack would still win big.

In the 118th State Rep District incumbent Mike Carroll (D) will be returned for another term.
Carroll has pleasantly surprised me with his desire to overhaul the campaign finance laws (there aren't many) of Pennsylvania and reform the redistricting process. His opponent Terrance O'Conner likes to dress up in 18th century garb and stand in the bed of his pick up truck yelling into a bullhorn. Today is Halloween so O'Conner should fit right in. One of his campaign planks is repeal ling the sales tax on ammunition. It's hard to win an election when you make yourself into a cartoon character and a joke.

Karen Boback (R) will win big in the overwhelmingly Republican 117th District. I have to congratulate Richard Shermanski (D) for running a energetic campaign.

James O'Meara (R) is my favorite underdog in this cycle. He has stayed positive in his uphill challenge to unseat Eddie Day Pashinski (D). He came to every blogger event and he married a great girl. I have never cast a straight ballot so this is one Republican I will be voting for. Pashinski wins big.

Home rule event tomoorow

My favorite radio talking head asked me to post this and I'm happy to oblige. Unlike some other people on WILK she is up front about her loyalties and biases, I can respect that. Plus she is a Red Sox fan, we'll get 'em next year.


Gort,
If you are blogging, can you give a shout out to a:




Home Rule Forum
King's College
Monday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.
Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center
Third Floor Walsh Room


Sponsored by the King's College Pre-Law Society
Moderated by Dr. Jayne Klenner Moore, King's Professor of CIS
10 minute opening statement, then questions from the audience
Open to the public!


Featuring Jim Haggerty and Rick Morelli on behalf of Home Rule yes and Attorney Vito DeLuca on behalf of Home Rule no


Coordinated by Dr. David Sosar of the Political Science Dept.
Thank You,
Sue

.


If you are blogging?


The above pic is from the Arlen Specter airport rally in April with VP Joe Biden. (L to R) Attorney and past Judge candidate Joe Terrana, the lovely and talented WILK newstalk radio host Sue Henry and fellow blogger Steve Urbanski who writes SPPE who is talented but not lovely.

You will notice that they put them in a cage.

Home stretch for Home Rule

Read the Luzerne County Home Rule Charter at this link.

In our last poll I asked you if the home rule charter would be approved and it is a dead heat. Both sides are holding many events to persuade voters. The Yonk moderated an informational meeting with members of the study commission and WVIA had supporters James Haggerty and Rick Morelli and charter critics county Chief Solicitor Vito DeLuca and county Controller Walter Griffith debate the merits yesterday.

Even more events are scheduled. The details are on the pro and con websites.

Friends of Home Rule

Charter No

Most ballot questions (bond issues for fire companies, etc.) pass easily for some reason which is why I usually vote no but this one is different. Luzerne County has a habit of voting down progress such as the last home rule charter that Skrep and Vondy said was unnecessary because we could trust them. Before that a group labeled itself Taxes No defeated a bond issue that would have given us a bigger Arena.

Former State Representative Kevin Blaum was the driving force in building the arena and favors the home rule charter.


In 16 days you get to decide the future of Luzerne County government. Will voters choose to remain where they are – stuck in a ditch and mired in muck – or will they break free from the past, turn out in large numbers, vote YES enthusiastically and usher in a new era of professional stewardship that your children and grandchildren so richly deserve? It is up to you.

One thing is certain; those in control of Luzerne County government and the power, benefits and contracts it bestows do not want the system changed. They and their political supporters will be out in force come Election Day. No amount of wind or rain will stop them. They intend to defeat your new constitution and its professional council-manager form of government used so widely throughout the United States. If they get their way, this wonderful regional opportunity will be lost and tragic fiction will be reality.

My inbox has been flooded with anti-home rule opinions but not one pro missive. Here is an anti view and I welcome guest posts from those of you who favor the charter.

Folks,

While the opportunity continues to be available, I would like to offer another "guest post".

I have written letters to the editor numerous times and the bell that I'm trying to ring right now is the Home Rule warning bell.

Aside from a finance career in private industry, I worked in government for over 20 years including federal, county and local government. This appointed manger situation is the most dangerous threat to the taxpayers that has ever faced us.

The appointed manager will be the now often quoted "mini king". The manager will be appointed, not voted on and he will have powers and authority that no government official ever had or should have. He can hire and fire with no oversight. He can move money from one department to another without oversight. He can make contracts up to $25,000 without oversight. He can do these things behind closed doors and without the requirement of doing so at a public meeting. There are other powers he will have but I'll just address these few.

Appointed, not elected. This means that the voters and taxpayers of Luzerne County will be controlled by a public official that answers only to himself and the Council majority who appointed him. Kinda reminds me of a Superintendent of Schools but without public oversight and much more authority.

Let's take a closer look at these powers:

Authority to hire and fire. Having the absolute authority to hire and fire, what is to stop this manager from selling jobs such as happened in the school districts? What's to stop him from hiring friends and family, not just his own but those of the Council majority? What's to stop him from firing people who are a political pain to the Council Majority? This authority will allow majority Council members to get family members hired and then have the luxury of standing up and saying, "I didn't hire my son (or daughter), I don't have a vote. That Council member is correct, he does not have a vote on the hiring of relatives but he absolutely does have influence over the manager his Council majority hires. The appointed majority will always be in a position of intimidation by the Council majority and he will dance to their tune to keep his high paying job.

Authority to move money within departments. This would be like the current commissioners taking money out of the Road and Bridge department budget and moving it to the Clerk of Courts department. How does the Road and Bridge department operate effectively? This authority alone is enough to destroy county government.

Authority to make No Bid contracts up to $25,000. Isn't that a sweet deal? One man can spend up to $25,000 and the elected Council will have no input or oversight. There is a term used in government that is used to avoid public bids, it is called "Bid Splitting". An example would be an anticipated year's cost of office supplies to be $40,000. Bid Splitting would be issuing a contract for $20,000 and later writing a second contract for the remaining $20,000. Thus, the manager just made a deal that required no oversight because he stayed under the $25,000 maximum expenditure for a single transaction. But even without the danger of Bid Splitting, the manager can spend up to $25,000 for any item regardless of value for dollar spent. This is a major step backward. Look at the number of purchases made in the county each year that is over $10,000 but under $25,000. You will find that the number of transactions are staggering and we will now make those purchases without benefit of public bids. Absolutely unbelievable and terrifying for the taxpayers.

Perhaps it is time for Luzerne County to operate under Home Rule but this proposed Charter is not the vehicle to get the job done. An Eleven member Council with NO minority representation is simply a bad form of government. How can we possibly elect enough people to change the direction of an 11 member Council? Right now, we have one county commissioner (minority) watching the actions of two county commissioners and to make a change we simply have to elect one new Commissioner to effect a change. We can't control our school boards of nine members so how do we control a county Council of eleven members?

If you like the way your School Board operates, you will love Home Rule.

Wil Toole

Travel status

Me and Mrs. G are flying out to the left coast to attend a wedding so I will be offline for a few days. I may be able to hit a computer here and there but I don't expect to post anything. If I have time I will schedule a few YouTube videos about flying and California.

My friend Another Monkey cautions about revealing travel plans that let would be burglars know when you residence will be unoccupied. No worries there. The Gort42 Command Bunker will be guarded by our 4 legged burglar alarm and the the No Frack attack cat with help from a trio of friends that will double as their temporary housekeeping staff.

I will leave you with a poll on the sidebar. Will the Luzerne County Home Rule Charter pass?


Friends of Home Rule


Charter No


Read the charter here

Home rule opposition

I was a big proponent of the last plan that called for an elected county executive and a 9 member council with 6 positions elected by district and 3 at-large. It met the goal of separating the legislative and executive functions of the present 3 Commissioner system plus it got rid of electing row officers.

I have some reservations about the new proposed Luzerne County Charter . My biggest objection is not having an elected but appointed county manager. I don't like having a "Mayor of the County"that is not accountable to the voters. And I have concerns about the changes to the Controller's position

The part I like is that the coroner, register of wills, recorder of deeds, treasurer and sheriff would all be hired based on qualifications not elected. These are management/clerk positions with no policy responsibility. After all there is no Republican or Democratic way to perform an autopsy or register a will.

But I'm still reading the document and will reserve judgement.

I was privy to an email exchange between home rule opponents (how quaint) recently and I was surprised that many goo goo (good government) types that supported the last charter are opposed to this plan.

What is not surprising is that local Democratic and Republican party members are oppossed. Democratic Commissioners Maryanne Petrila and Tom Cooney are on the record opposing it and I understand that Republican Commissioner Steve Urban is also against it. Republican Prothonotary Carollee Medico-Oligarchy and Controller Walter Griffith have also have come out against it. Walter has a good argument because it changes the responsibilities of his office. The rest of them seem to want to protect their jobs.

This quote from Luzerne County Democratic chair Mark Buffalino both amuses and infuriates me...“I think our current office holders, especially Commissioners (Thomas P.) Cooney and (Maryanne) Petrilla, have taken steps in taking the county in the right direction, and I think those efforts would be impeded by change for the sake of change.” In 2003 the Dems asked us to trust Greg Skrepenak and Todd Vonderheid to fix the system telling us that home rule wasn't needed because we could trust these guys to fix the system. That worked out well. Vondy quit before his term was up and Skrep is headed to jail.


2nd District Democrats nix charter

Charter attacks blasted

Take a look at who’s opposing home rule plan MARK GUYDISH OPINION

Haggerty responds

Gort,

Just read the Kathy Dobash post. Quite entertaining.

A couple of points:

1. Please don't fall into the trap of letting charter opponents attack the charter by ripping on me, Morelli, or anyone else. If someone wants to attack the charter, let them attack what's IN the charter. That's the question for voters: Is the plan of government set forth in the charter better than our current three commissioner/row officer system?

The charter plan is plainly better than the current system, and in dozens of different ways. Dobash cannot in any way, shape, or form make a coherent argument that the current corrupt system is better than the system set forth in the charter. Hence, the personal attacks. Don't let her get away with dodging the main issue.

2. Facts are clearly not an impediment to a Dobash argument. I was delighted to learn that I'm a "good friend" of Bob Powell. While he, like dozens of lawyers, donated to my state senate campaign in 2006, I can't remember ever meeting the man, although I can't say for sure we never crossed paths. But Dobash here is just making stuff up. She does that. Another case in point: Dobash alleged at a public meeting (as did Steve Urban to the Standard Speaker) that, under the charter, the controller can't access county books until 18 months after a transaction. Well, the charter actually gives the controller access to any county record or employee upon "reasonable notice." Somebody made up the "18 month" argument. Hey, why let the facts get in the way of an important public policy debate?

3. Steve Urban came out against the charter before we even had a charter, and Dobash is a Steve Urban acolyte. Check out her posts worshipping Urban on WILK's website. If the charter passes, Urban loses his job as county commissioner since the office is eliminated. Dobash is clearly unhappy about this.

4. I think Norton may have mentioned to you that study commission members would love to meet with the blogger community to discuss the charter. (And you can see our awesome slideshow comparing the existing form of government and the charter!) Is this something you can set up?

Thanks for listening.

Regards,

Jim

Against Home Rule

This is a guest from my pal Kathy Dobash who is a regular poster at NewsTalkPA which is part of the ever growing GrassrootsPA internet empire.





I know it is common practice for TV interviews with local candidates and politicians. Sometimes these interviews are paid by the candidates as a commercial for their agenda and ideas about government.

These expenses are reported as part of the campaign.

The latest "interviews" on a local Hazleton TV show has Chairman Haggerty promoting Home Rule as a business run by a CEO. We all know that can be even more corrupt than the Wilkes-Barre School District. View the video at this link: http://www.ssptv.com/show.php?show_id=21

INSIDE SCOOP

Special Guest Jim Haggerty (28 minutes)
2010-06-28

Topics 1. Home Rule Charter 2. County Accountability

Does Jim Haggerty, Tom Marnell and David Sosar help pay for the air time with this show? Why? I was wondering how other citizens can be guests on this show. Is this a way for the Kingston Mayor to have the whole county pass a tax to cover the levee fee for the people of Kingston? Does the Southern Region of the county have enough population to cover other costs?

How can the Home Rule Study Commission use a TV show with the host( Rick Morelli, treasurer of the Home Rule Study Commission) to promote their new idea of government? Did the Home Rule Study Commission vote in secret to run these interviews? The citizens who disagree with important key issues about their written document do not have the money to speak out and be heard! Is this how we want to do business? Those with differences of opinion must have equal opportunity and time. All of these actions: Paying for ads to promote only the Commission's idea, waiting until someone leaves a room to address concerns, and run television programs where no one else can debate the topic give me concern to reconsider the motives of the Home Rule Study Commission members. They just want to win to save face.
The concerns about the authority of the transition team, the duties of a County Controller, Elected or Appointed County Executive and Districts are still important topics for many voters.

The study commission plans to approve a proposal on July 21.

The last meeting was about term limits. http://standardspeaker.com/news/home-rule-panel-discussses-term-limits-1.873783


Supreme power using Ad propaganda to promote a new form of government is questionable. Should Rick Morelli be involved in dedicating showtime without saying who is paying for it? Are they in violation of campaign expense laws? They fail to disclose the show sponsors. Someone is paying for the show airtime. Haggerty, an attorney and Morelli should know better. Haggerty is a good friend of Bob Powell.

He did nothing and said nothing about the Luzerne County corruption over a four year period. What is even more troubling? He has failed to change the judicial branch and the wrong doing in the DA's office in the Home Rule document.

He had no guts to talk to me when I was present in a room. Why did he wait until I left the area to address the audience about my public statements?

The use of the show "Inside Scoop" to promote the vote for the Luzerne County Home Rule Study Commission's new Charter is just plain wrong. Does it violate finance spending and reporting?

Is the television time donated on this TV show allowed. WHO is paying for the show?
I think having a political show is fine. I have a problem with the use to promote the work of the Home Rule Study Commission. If Rick Morelli was not treasurer of the Commission then all is well but it is a HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST. Does it violate any laws?

It is politically driven and the stars on the show have political interest with possible gain for power and money. The promotion to SELL their charter is obvious.

Who is fronting the money for the political airtime about Luzerne County Home Rule? It will be on the ballot November 2ND. If Home Rule passes I pray many step up to run for the 11 Council positions to keep those who wrote the Charter honest. I recommend THUMBS DOWN on Luzerne County Home Rule Charter!

Home Rule video

The Government Study Commission is in the home stretch to put the proposed Luzerne County charter on the ballot in November. Some procedures and policies were adjusted in the last meeting but the 2 big issues are still up in the air. Should the county council have 11 members elected at-large or should there be fewer members to be elected by district ? Is an appointed county manager better than an elected one? Like the 2003 charter this plan also eliminates elections for most of the row officers, which is a good thing.

Kingston Mayor Jim Haggerty states the case for the new plan in this video.







Study panel revisits hot-topic issues

Commission tweaks charter

Home Rule charter

The Luzerne County Government Study Commission has released it's first draft of the proposed Luzerne County home-rule charter.

The document is not on the GSC website but the CV has posted it .

Some parts I like, some parts I don't but I have to read it in detail before I decide to vote for it or not.

What do you think?

Luzerne County Home Rule

A guest post.


Luzerne County Home Rule


Gort has been writing about the Luzerne County Government Study Commission (GSC) since it was created by a referendum last November. I've been advocating for the separation of executive and legislative responsibilities in the new charter in the comments here, on Facebook, to my fellow LCCC students, to anyone who will listen at blogger meetups and elsewhere around the intertubes.


Everyone I have conversed with is in agreement that we need an executive, who would be elected at large and charged with vetoing or approving new policy that has been passed by the legislative body. Despite this consensus, the commission is "hell bent" on another idea that would be a slap in the face to all who believe in checks and balances.


Our current three-Commissioner-system is a consolidation of power because they are both the legislative and executive branches. If two or more of them agree they can do just about anything that does not violate Pennsylvania's law. Most of this system was set up by Harrisburg over 175 years ago and does not reflect the best thinking of our time, or even their time.


Counties, school boards and other local governments with similar consolidations of power also have persistent problems with corruption. The only way to alter this course is a fundamental change in our system, not a quick fix personal change. I am all about throwing out the bums but if we fail to strike at the root of the problem we will continue to fill our most important government positions with a disproportionate amount of bums.


Charmaine H. Maynard informed "Separation of Powers for LC", a new Facebook Page, that the commission is going with an appointed manager. This would be similar to how a school board picks their own executive, instead of voters, who is then a rubber stamp for the board or quickly out of a job. Insignia would not have been able to swindle 7 figures from our school districts if they had execs who would not be updating the resume if they decided to grow a spine. The immediate past President of LCCC asserts this as well in his allegations against their board. Conahan and Chiveralla would not have been able to privatize our juvenile detention system. That would take authorization from at least the executive.


Another way the commission is being used to consolidate power is to limit what the voters can accomplish with a referendum. According to this well written letter to the editor, voters will not be able to approve or deny expenditures for capital projects which is another common sense way we could have stopped the crooked judges and other problems. It is a means to increase the power of the people both directly by allowing them more direct control over their county and by increasing the opportunities for more of the electorate to become educated and involved.


No one system is perfect but the one we've been rocking fails in theory and practice and needs to be replaced, not augmented. As Gort has written, the 2003 charter, though I disagree with much of it, accomplished the very basic goal of some real checks and balances. If they wanted to help the people then their work was already done.


They will listen to popular demand so come out to the meetings held every Wednesday evening at the Stettler Learning Center at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston at 7 PM because they have a time for citizen comments. You could also leave a comment on the GSC Website, email them, Facebook them or join the Separation of Powers page here.


Thanks
Austin Smith Ford

Luzerne County Home Rule

The Luzerne County Government Study Commission has been busy writing a new charter for county government since being elected last fall. They have adhered to a tight schedule with the goal of putting a plan on the ballot this November even working through a major snowstorm when some members couldn't make it to the meeting.

I was a big proponent of the last plan that called for an elected county executive and a 9 member council with 6 positions elected by district and 3 at-large. It met the goal of separating the legislative and executive functions of the present 3 Commissioner system plus it got rid of electing row officers.

I have some reservations about what they are cooking up this time. My biggest objection is not having an elected but appointed county manager. I don't like having a "Mayor of the County"that is not accountable to the voters. If they think that politics won't be a factor in hiring a county manager I have a bridge in Alaska that I would like to sell you.

An 11 member council elected at-large I can live with but I would prefer to see less members. And they won't have offices or clerks is a worry. Eleven part time people with outside interests will need a staff to keep tabs on things.


The part I like is that the coroner, register of wills, recorder of deeds, treasurer and sheriff would all be hired based on qualifications not elected. These are management/clerk positions with no policy responsibility. After all there is no Republican or Democratic way to perform an autopsy or register a will. Right now the row officers are not accountable to anyone so when nonsense like what has been going on in the sheriff's office or a row officer is spotted selling used cars on company time they can't be disciplined or fired if the infraction is serious enough.


Study commission members Rick Heffron said everything the commission has done so far can be changed.

I will await the final product before deciding whether or not I will support it.

Who wants to be a Commissioner?

With the sudden but not unexpected resignation of Greg Skrepenak there is an vacancy on the Luzerne County Board of Commissioners. So far a dozen people have applied for the job and the deadline to apply is Monday. The Times-Leader has a list of the applicants with a short bio listing their qualifications. I know some of the names on the list but suspect that the eventual winner will file the paperwork at the last minute.

Former Commssioner Frank Trinisewski and recent Controller candidate Bob Morgan are at the top of the list. I have heard a few other names mentioned but will wait until tomorrow to see who applies. One of our local bloggers has thrown his satirical hat in the ring.


The Luzerne County Judges will meet en banc on Wednesday to pick the eventual victim, I mean new Commissioner. Whoever they pick will serve out the rest of the 2 years remaining of Skrep's term. If there was ever an argument for Home Rule this is it. Such a decision should not be in the hands of the most discredited bunch of people in the county. The Sargent Shultz routine ( "I know nothing)" about the Juvie Brothers scandal is just not credible.

Update: The Luzerne County Courts website now lists over 60 people applying for the post. The deadline in 4PM today.