Proposed charter would reduce Luzerne County Council from 11 to 9 at start of 2028
Voters currently elect council members on a rotating schedule of five or six every two years, and the next future election in 2027 would be a six-member selection.
Under the recommendation approved Thursday, voters will select four council members instead of six in 2027.
Commission Vice Chairman Vito Malacari was the lone commission member to vote against this plan. He favored an option to keep council at 11 until the start of 2030, citing increased work that will be placed on council in the first two years of the transition to the new plan.
Commission member Stephen J. Urban said he wants to implement the reduction to nine as soon as possible.
Commission Secretary Matt Mitchell concurred, saying he believes the adopted plan will be the "cleanest and most efficient" way to move forward.
With this change, voters would then select four or five council members every two years.
Final report
The commission has added a July 28 meeting to its roster so it can approve the final proposed package, which includes the new charter, the question that will be placed on the ballot and a report detailing the changes and some reasoning behind them for voters.
Once approved, the proposed charter and final report must be formally certified by Council Clerk Sharon Lawrence. Lawrence must then deliver it to the county election board within five days.
The election board must vote to place the referendum on the ballot. The next regularly scheduled election board meeting is Aug. 20.
While some portions are still under construction, a copy of the draft final report is posted with Thursday's agenda at luzernecounty.org.
Malacari suggested adding creation of a transition committee in the final report to ensure the county meets initial requirements specified in the new charter. A few study commission members could agree to serve on this temporary committee and meet every four months to track compliance with new charter deadlines and provide additional background on the intent of requirements to council if requested, he said.
Commission member Mark Shaffer said clarification is needed in a section of the draft final report that states the current volunteer citizen election board will be retained in the new charter.
Shaffer said council will have the option to place county employees and elected officials on the board after 23 months if a council majority determines a change is warranted, with a majority-plus-one council vote required for such a change.
The commission informally agreed to add a footnote noting retention of the current five-citizen structure is pending council review.
The report says the study commission deliberated numerous changes and opted to keep the following intact: a council elected at-large instead of by districts; an appointed county manager; an ethics code and commission; a resign-to-run provision for the district attorney and controller if they seek other offices; term limits; and language barring council members from interfering in day-to-day operations.
It said the updated charter "represents a thoughtful evolution of county governance," proposing a "more streamlined" county council with "enhanced responsibilities and tools." The proposal also "modernizes legal structures, including the creation of one of only two Public Defender Advisory Boards in the state, increasing the county's legal independence," it said.
"These changes are not just procedural; they are foundational. They aim to build a government that is more efficient, responsive, and aligned with the values and needs of Luzerne County residents," the document said. "Adopting this charter is not about rejecting the past — it's about building on it with clarity, purpose, and a renewed commitment to public service."
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
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