For the second time, Luzerne County Election Director Shelby Watchilla appeared virtually before council’s Election Inquiry Committee Thursday and spent an hour and 40 minutes answering a range of questions about mail voting, staff duties and ballot preparation.
But the meeting then took a heated turn when committee Vice Chairman Harry Haas noted the committee has not yet received its request for copies of redacted applications of others who had applied for Watchilla’s position last year and for a deputy election director position filled by Dino Ninotti this year.
Chief Solicitor Romilda Crocamo said her office advised human resources not to release the applicant information because it is not public under state open record laws. Applicants submit their resumes with the understanding they won’t be released under a Right-to-Know request, and the county must protect their privacy rights, she said.
Haas, a Republican, asked what recourse is available to the committee so it can determine if the merit hiring process was followed in filling those positions.
“How on earth do we ensure the process is fair if we can’t ascertain the facts?” Haas said.
Watchilla interjected, saying she should have an opportunity to respond since he is referring to her position and qualifications.
She said she went through the merit hiring process last year, was interviewed by a panel and offered the position last December. Watchilla added that she ran two successful elections this year during the coronavirus pandemic with a new voting system and numerous state-imposed changes in voting procedures.
“My staff and myself have done a great job,” Watchilla said. “I take offense to the fact that we can’t work together and go backwards instead of forward. Let’s work together.”
Haas said he takes offense to a “consistent pattern over this year in particular” of not getting questions answered or receiving partial information while “having things that look just off the cuff shady to me.”
“I’m not here to make friends. I’m not here to be popular. We all went through high school. I’m done with that,” Haas said.
Haas said he wants to built trust and confidence in elections because many are “significantly upset,” himself included. He said a newspaper editorial “had the audacity” to accuse him and fellow Republican committee member and Councilman Stephen J. Urban of “being partisan.”
“Why aren’t they doing the job? This is what’s so insulting to so many people across our county and across this country. We’re asking for answers, and we’re not getting them. I take offense.”
Crocamo said the merit hiring system was followed in both hirings and said it would be a “very slippery slope” releasing private information on where applicants work, even if their names and addresses are redacted. The information also could be leaked to the media, she said.
Haas said he is a “big believer in privacy” but again asked how the committee can make sure the hiring process was followed.
Crocamo said a change would have to be made in the county’s home rule charter because the charter puts the county manager in charge of hiring decisions in the election bureau. Under the prior government structure, the three elected county commissioners made personnel decisions involving the election bureau.
Urban said the 11-member county council should vote on whether to exercise its subpoena power to obtain the application information for the committee.
He said the four council members serving on the committee took an oath and can be trusted to keep the information confidential. Another option would be allowing committee members to see the information without providing them with a copy, he said.
Urban said the committee must verify if the merit hiring process was followed.
”You guys can speak it, but without us seeing those documents to prove it, it’s hearsay,” Urban said. “We want to see it to believe it. We want to know it’s working.”
Committee Chairwoman Linda McClosky Houck, a Democrat, did not take a position on the matter during the meeting. The fourth committee member, Democratic Councilwoman Sheila Saidman, was absent.
During public comment, Republican Councilman Walter Griffith agreed with Haas, saying council members are supposed to oversee the county manager and have no way of knowing if he is following the merit hiring process.