Luzerne County government employee departures exceeded hirings in December

Ten new workers were hired in Luzerne County government in December, while 29 left employment, according to the new monthly personnel report.

The new employees, along with their positions and hourly compensation: Jonathan Abreu, probation officer, $19.78; Daniella DeAngelo, prison corrections officer, $17.10; Rhadil Henriquez, district attorney’s office clerk, $15.71; Ryan Thomas Kane, 911 PSAP supervisor, $21.75; John Kosakowski, court judicial assistant, $20.88; Pamela McGrady, building/grounds executive secretary, $17.69; Manuel Ramirez, information technology elections technician, $22.82; Kara Rasimas, building/grounds custodial worker, $13.11; Anna Ritsick, probation services pre-trial coordinator, $28.57; and Frank Suponcic, Aging Agency alternate food service worker, $14.

Departures

Six workers retired last month, according to the report: Children and Youth caseworker 2 Anthony Bellizia; correctional services division head Mark Rockovich; and four employees in the Mental Health/Developmental Services (MH/DS) department — caseworker supervisor Mary-Ann Benick, clerk Richard Cielesz, clerk/typist Martha-Ann Elmir and program specialist Marilee McDonough.

There were 16 resignations: MH/DS caseworker 2 Maria Cimini-Bello; Aging Agency accountant Zachary Cwikla; 911 telecommunicator specialist Brittany Dobbs; prison corrections officers Marisa Gilchrist, Stanley Goeckel and Matthew McClosky; 911 telecommunicator Jennifer Horne; part-time prison hearing examiner Robert Jolley; information technology director Raymond Kase; part-time conflict counsel Matthew Kelly; Children and Youth caseworker supervisor Bianilda Lemus; part-time assistant district attorney Susan Luckenbill; deputy sheriffs Dennis McKeown and McKenzie Ogden; assessor’s clerk Amy Walawender; and Aging Agency clerk/typist Gloria Wallace.

Seven departures were listed under the involuntary separation category: prothonotary clerk Julia Matz, MH/DS clerk/typist Michele Lauer and five MH/DS caseworker 2s — Rebecca Boris, Nicole Thomas, Ann-Marie Tryzenski, Olivia Worden and Jaime Love.

Promotions

Five workers were promoted in December, the report said. The employees, along with their new positions and hourly compensation: Kayla Schinse, probation officer, $19.78; Stephanie Brodosky and Nicole Napkori, domestic relations intake specialists, $14.22; and Lori Besecker and Janis Zadora, domestic relations clerk IIs, $13.62.

The report also lists 10 employees transferring to new positions through the internal merit hiring process: Francis Aigeldinger, prison records captain, $31.73; Matthew Brunn, election bureau administrative assistant, $16.36; Jonathan Casey and Gabrielle Mayer, Children and Youth caseworker supervisors, $24.54; Lauren Colianni, district attorney administrative assistant, $19.53; Colleen Curtin, Aging Agency care manager, $20.26; Gina Krone, 911 PSAP manager, $32.05; Jennifer Truchon, 911 PSAP supervisor, $21.75; Connie Wright, Aging Agency care manager supervisor, $23.44; and Ashely Williams, MH/DS program specialist, $23.56.

Union contracts

Negotiations are still ongoing with three county unions now operating under contracts that expired the end of 2022, the administration said.

The impacted workers:

• Probation and domestic relations support officers covered by the Court Appointed Professional Employees Association.

• Court-appointed support staff represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), including secretaries and clerks in the probation, domestic relations and magisterial district judge offices.

• Assistant district attorneys/public defenders represented by Teamsters Local 401.

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