Luzerne County Manager
| County Manager of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
|
Incumbent David Pedri since 2016 | |
| Reports to | Luzerne County Council |
| Appointer | Luzerne County Council |
| Inaugural holder | Robert Lawton |
| Formation | 2012 |
| Salary | $120,000 |
| Website | [1] |
The Luzerne County Manager heads the executive branch of the Luzerne County government. The manager is not elected by the voters of the county; instead, he or she is appointed by the Luzerne County Council. The manager directs the county's organizational, management, and administrative operations and activities.[2] The current manager is David Pedri.[3][4]
History
Luzerne County voters rejected home rule proposals in the past (once in 1974 and again in 2003). However, from 2008 to 2010, corruption plagued the county government. Three county judges, a county commissioner, a clerk of courts, a deputy chief clerk, and a director of human resources faced criminal charges. These events persuaded the voters of Luzerne County to adopt a new form of government. On Tuesday, November 2, 2010, a home rule charter was adopted by a margin of 51,413 to 41,639.[5][6]
On Monday, January 2, 2012, the previous government (the board of county commissioners) was abolished and replaced with the new form of government (council–manager government). The first members of the Luzerne County Council were sworn in that same day. The assembly consists of eleven elected members. They appoint and work alongside a full-time manager. The manager runs an executive branch of county government. In the beginning, Tom Pribula served as the interim county manager.[7] Several weeks later, the council appointed the first county manager (Robert Lawton).
Serving "at the pleasure of county council"
According to the home rule charter, the manager “shall serve at the pleasure of county council.”[8] In other words, the council has the power to appoint and remove the manager.[9] Each ordinance, resolution, and policy established by county council should be faithfully executed by the county manager. The manager may make recommendations to the council; however, he or she does not have the authority to vote on or veto any legislation originating from the assembly.[10]
List of county managers
| # | Manager’s name | Term of office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| – | Tom Pribula | 2012 | He served as the interim county manager until Robert Lawton assumed office.[11] |
| 1 | Robert Lawton | 2012–2015 | In early 2012, the Luzerne County Council officially appointed Lawton as the first county manager. The position was left vacant after he resigned in December 2015.[12] |
| 2 | David Pedri | 2016–present | In early 2016, he was named acting manager. In May, the Luzerne County Council officially appointed Pedri as the second county manager (with a vote of 7-4). |
References
- ↑ http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/county-manager
- ↑ "County Manager Open Position". Luzerne County. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
- ↑ http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/county-manager
- ↑ http://wnep.com/2016/05/10/luzerne-county-council-selects-new-county-manager/
- ↑ Voters say 'yes' to home rule - News. Standard Speaker (2010-11-03). Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
- ↑ http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/departments_agencies/bureau_of_elections/election-results-archive
- ↑ http://citizensvoice.com/news/luzerne-county-s-manager-search-1.1262279
- ↑ http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/row_offices/controller/home-rule-charter
- ↑ Administrator, System. "Luzerne County's manager search". citizensvoice.com.
- ↑ http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/row_offices/controller/home-rule-charter
- ↑ http://citizensvoice.com/news/luzerne-county-s-manager-search-1.1262279
- ↑ http://www.pahomepage.com/news/luzerne-county-manager-robert-lawton-resigns/280048758