Luzerne County Courthouse File photo A Luzerne County Council committee publicly interviewed residents interested in volunteering to serve on county boards Tuesday, including five applicants for a citizen seat on the new Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement.
The five applicants: Katrina Favata, Mary Butera, Ann Marie Kochuba-Mantione, Neil Oberto and Attorney Sheila Saidman.
The opioid advisory commission must identify and recommend the best uses for $25 million the county is expected to receive over 18 years from the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors. Council has the final say on how the money is spent.
Also serving on the panel are council Chairman John Lombardo, county District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, county Drug and Alcohol Administrator Ryan Hogan, county Human Services Division Head Lynn Hill, county Correctional Services Division Head James Wilbur and county Manager Romilda Crocamo.
Council may fill the citizen seat at its next meeting May 14.
The council committee asked the five applicants expanded questions about their experience, views on drug and alcohol service gaps and opinions on ways the money could be spent.
Ethics
Duryea Republican Ben Herring interviewed for a vacant seat on the county ethics commission that must be filled by someone from that party.
A U.S. Marine veteran, Herring told the committee he works as an acquisition professional for the Department of Defense.
Herring said he decided to step up after learning no applicants had surfaced.
The Republican ethics seat is open because Thomas Mosca had resigned from the unpaid post in December, citing a significant increase in time commitments for several other volunteer posts that he holds.
Mosca’s term had been set to expire the end of 2025. Diane Dreier serves in the Democratic citizen seat. The county controller, manager and district attorney also are on the ethics commission under the county’s home rule charter.
Council fills the two citizen commission seats and must attempt to fill vacancies within 60 days under the charter, but that period has lapsed with no applicants.
Flood Authority
Forty Fort resident Coray Mitchell interviewed for a seat on the county’s five-citizen Flood Protection Authority, which oversees the Wyoming Valley Levee system along the Susquehanna River.
As with the ethics seat, no citizens are currently on the eligibility list for the flood authority board.
A seat is open because the flood authority board voted in April to accept the resignation of Gordon Dussinger, who was in a term set to expire the end of 2025.
Mitchell said he has operated a real estate business for 50 years, loves this community and wants to see it protected.
The applicants for other boards interviewed Tuesday: William Barrett, Convention Center Authority; Raymond Bernardi and Kristen Coffay, Drug and Alcohol Executive Commission; Joseph Donahue, Northeastern PA Hospital and Higher Education Authority; Carl Frankel and Brian Gill, county Arts Advisory Board; and Donald Warren, Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board.
Council members Brian Thornton, John Lombardo, Chris Perry and Brittany Stephenson serve on the council committee, with Thornton serving as chair and Lombardo as vice chair.
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