A proposed data center zoning ordinance is on Tuesday’s Luzerne County Council agenda for discussion.
If approved by the council, the zoning amendment would take effect in 19 municipalities that rely on county zoning instead of handling it on their own: the boroughs of Avoca, Courtdale, Dupont, Duryea, Hughestown, Jeddo, Laflin, New Columbus, Pringle, Warrior Run, West Wyoming, and Yatesville, and the townships of Conyngham, Fairmount, Hunlock, Huntington, Lake, Ross, and Union.
The county Planning Commission recommended the amendment to County Council earlier this month.
It covers an exhaustive set of conditions that must be met and mandates more extensive special exception approval from the county Zoning Hearing Board for all data center requests.
Council Chairman Jimmy Sabatino said the proposal will be discussed at two separate work sessions to ensure all council members and the public fully understand it.
Tuesday’s work session follows a 6 p.m. voting meeting at the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for the remote attendance option will be posted in the council’s online public meeting section at luzernecounty.org.
Tax breaks
Tuesday voting meeting decisions include adoption of an ordinance that would set reporting requirements and other parameters for future county real estate tax-break requests.
A required public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled at 5:55 p.m. The proposed ordinance is posted with the agenda at luzernecounty.org.
Hirings
Eleven county workers were hired in September, and three prior employees were rehired, according to the county human resources department’s new monthly personnel report.
The new employees, their positions and hourly compensation, the report said: Renee Andrews, domestic relations clerk 3, $15.67; Lois Boginski, Area Agency on Aging care manager 3, $26.54; Joseph Groblewski, budget and finance accounts payable clerk, $17.70; Colby Kennedy, probation services case manager, $18.68; Susan Manjone, aging agency alternate food service worker, $14.93; Brooklyn McKendree, coroner field investigator/autopsy assistant, $16.90; Briana Perea, Children, Youth and Families (CYF) clerk typist 2, $16.41; Nola Spencer, purchasing administrative assistant, $17.32; Tiffany Staskiel, aging agency case aide 2, $17.95; and Augustrina Wilkins and Mercedes Womack, building and grounds custodial workers, $14.07.
Those rehired, it said: Janice Flannery and Judiann McGrogan, per diem prothonotary clerk 3s, $16, and security officer Mary Humanik, $20.36.
Departures
Ten workers retired in September, the report said: Elaine Ashford, building and grounds custodial worker; Joseph Cotter, domestic relations enforcement supervisor; Edward Domzalski and Jamie Harned, probation officers; Diane Emmett, prison nurse; Deborah Genovesi, district attorney clerk 3; Marla Hill, recorder of deeds administrative assistant; Eric Messersmith, corrections administration training officer; James Jesikiewicz, prothonotary fiscal supervisor; and Karen Pietraccini, aging agency administrative assistant 1.
Eleven workers resigned, it said: Marcos Ballard, prison minimal offenders unit corrections officer 2; Joseph Phaedra, CYF caseworker supervisor; Skyler Davis, part-time 911 call taker; Lauren Holton, probation clerk typist 2; Kayla Tracy, 911 telecommunicator; Amy Gonzalez, 911 public safety answering point supervisor, Paul McDonough, public defender caseworker 1; Shannon Perez, part-time aging agency senior center operator; Liam Stone, information technology technician; Christopher Chambers, deputy sheriff; and Jonathan Charles Skipalis, prison corrections officer.
Five workers were terminated, the report said: district attorney administrative assistant Aliyah Benjamin; CYF caseworker 2 Kossivi Essiomle; CYF caseworker 1 Stephanie Kellam; prison corrections officer Donald Tucker; and aging agency case aide 2 Linda Warnick.
Court hearing officer Laureen Yeager Pierce was listed as deceased.
Transfers
Ten workers changed jobs through the internal merit hiring process, the report said.
These employees, their new positions, and hourly compensation, according to the report: Silvin Aviles, treasurer accountant, $21.54; Caitlin Estock, district attorney clerk 3, $16.67; Chris Gale and Todd Hrivnak, prison corrections officers, $34.99; James C. Grady Jr., part-time 911 call taker, $19.11; David Joseph Hudack Jr., prison desk sergeant, $36.68; Joseph R. Para Jr., domestic relations enforcement supervisor, $47.25; Elizabeth Phillips, recorder of deeds administrative assistant, $23.57; Storm Vardzik, prison corporal, $36.32; and Christopher N. Zim Jr., CYF clerk typist 2, $16.41.
Courtney Bittenbender also changed positions and is now a CYF caseworker 2 at $26.54 per hour, it said.