Council introduces ordinance to relax residency requirement for certain division heads; ordinance to return for further debate

Luzerne County Council on June 24 voted to introduce an ordinance that would amend the county personnel code to change residency requirements for division heads in select management positions.

Council members voted to introduce the ordinance; introduction requires a minimum of four votes to proceed to subsequent readings and public discussion. At the June 24 session members debated whether a specific “whereas” clause and an item referencing page and numbering should be deleted, but the chair and the county attorney advised that amendments to the text are not permitted at the moment of introduction and can be proposed at the ordinance's next meeting.

Council discussion referenced a prior debate years ago when a residency requirement passed by a narrow margin; one member described that past vote as a 6–5 decision and urged broader public feedback. Public comment earlier in the meeting included support from a public commenter for changing the residency rule to a five-year continuous employment window that would expand the pool of applicants for management roles.

The council approved introduction by roll call; the transcript records unanimous support for introduction. Members noted that more detailed discussion and possible amendments would take place at the next meeting when the ordinance is scheduled for formal consideration.