Council - Manager
Separation of Power
Council-manager government combines the strong political leadership of elected officials with the strong managerial experience of an appointed manager or administrator. All power and authority to set policy rests with an elected governing body…. The governing body in turn hires a nonpartisan manager who has very broad authority to run the organization.
Controller
Increased authority
The controller’s watchdog function has been designed to reflect the model guidelines set forth by the Association of Local Government Auditors in its Model Legislation Guidelines for Local Government Auditors (3d ed. 2007). By using these guidelines, the controller’s role in a complex county government has been modernized and enhanced. Under the charter, the controller is granted “unrestricted access” to all county information, property, and employees in the conduct of the controller’s duties.
Citizen Involvement
Referendum and Initiative
The County Code provides no mechanism for citizens to place questions before the county’s electorate. The recommended charter, however, creates this important right in Luzerne County. Under the charter, citizens will have the ability to place proposed legislation on the ballot in the form of an initiative, and will have the opportunity to utilize the referendum process to repeal unwanted legislation. Additionally, the process of agenda initiative, which allows citizens to require council to consider proposed legislation, is included in the recommended charter.
Professionalism
Merit staffing
The charter makes needed reforms to the way individuals are hired for county employment and appointed to county authorities, boards, and commissions. It starts at the top, with a manager who must be degreed, experienced, and have professional abilities, qualifications, preparation, and training to perform the function of county manager. Similarly high standards are required for the selection of each of the division/office heads.county career Service jobs must be publicly advertised, candidates must be evaluated on the basis of merit and fitness as demonstrated by a valid and reliable examination, other objective evidence of competence, or other relevant factors, applicants are to be blindly ranked where possible, and any hiring must be made from the top three qualified applicants.
Unified Law Office
Problem focused
The charter sets forth a substantial reform in the way the county obtains its legal services. The charter requires a unified county law office under the direction of the county solicitor. The attorneys of the law office will owe their legal duties to the county as their client, not to individuals or divisions. The unified law office will eliminate or limit wasteful intracounty litigation.
Eleven Member Council
Representation and opportunity
The charter creates a system where a substantial portion of the citizenry, rather than a select few, can productively participate in the county’s electoral process and government. The eleven member council, as opposed to a three member board of commissioners, creates opportunities for many more candidates to be elected to office—not just the politically popular, well-funded, or usual incumbents. Equally important, the large number of seats available and the frequency of the elections will dilute the influence of big-money donors who presently can make unlimited contributions to assist the election of two majority commissioners.