Dallas City News

Luzerne County’s seven-citizen Government Study Commission unanimously agreed on Thursday it won’t be recommending a return to the prior commissioner/row officer system.

Instead, the commission will focus on ways it believes the existing home rule charter can be improved.

The charter that took effect in 2012 put 11 part-time elected council members and a council-appointed manager in charge of decisions previously made by three elected commissioners and several elected row officers.

The commission has until early next year to determine if alterations are warranted and, if so, another nine months to draft proposed changes — two months more if it recommends council elections by district instead of at large. Voter approval is required for proposed changes to take effect.

Commission Vice Chairman Vito Malacari moved to proceed with a home rule-style government, saying he believes the existing structure increases transparency.

“I believe the current charter as it stands — a lot of it — is not going to be thrown out, that we will bring that forward into a new charter. However, it is important that we do fix some of the inefficiencies that are seen in government,” Malacari said.

Commission Secretary Ted Ritsick, who seconded the motion, asked if the commission should vote on whether it wants to draft a new charter.

The other option would be individual charter amendments.

Commission Solicitor Joseph Khan of Curtin & Heefner LLP recommended waiting until commission members identify the scope of possible changes.

Also serving on the commission are Tim McGinley (chair), Cindy Malkemes (treasurer), Matt Mitchell, Mark Shaffer and Stephen J. Urban.

Eager to start discussing and debating, commission members agreed they would address possible alterations involving county council at their next meeting on Oct. 24.

That will include the number of council members and whether they should keep term limits, have their own solicitor instead of relying on the central law office and be elected by district.

Malacari suggested considering a mandate for both parties to have representation on council, as advocated by county Election Board Chairwoman Denise Williams during public comment.

Under the prior commissioner system, two Democrats and two Republicans appeared on the ballot, and the top three vote-getters were seated, so there was always minority/majority representation.

The charter makes no distinction and leaves it up to voters. There are currently four Democrats and seven Republicans on council. At one point, there was one Democrat and 10 Republicans. Independent Rick Williams also had served two terms on council.

During public comment, Nanticoke resident Ronald Knapp expressed support for the commission’s decision to stick with home rule, saying the current structure has resulted in lower debt and more openness.

Knapp advised against eliminating a three-term limit for council members, noting Nanticoke voters chose to keep term limits for council and the mayor in their city charter in the November 2023 election. He said county voters likely would reject a proposal to do away with council term limits.

County Controller Walter Griffith also voiced support for home rule, saying this structure “gives people a voice in government” and separates legislative and executive powers previously held by commissioners.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.