The LuLac Edition #745, Mar. 2nd, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: "6 FLAGS" ADVERTISING ICON AND LACKAWANNA COUNTY COURTHOUSE.

MADMEN

Remember that hot show on AMC this summer called "Madmen"? Oh if only those guys in the early 60s era had Lackawanna County as a client!!! The previous administration spent about $2.8 million on marketing expenses over four years, including almost $700,000 to keep five advertising agencies on retainer for two years.Majority Commissioners Corey O’Brien and Mike Washo brought the expenses to light after a Times-Tribune review of their administration’s 2008 marketing expenses. The Times Tribune reports the costs amounted to about $75,000, and included such purchases as $1,100 for three poster-board displays used in a 2008 press conference to announce a new county newsletter. That includes monthly checks of $5,000 starting in September 2004 to each of five local advertising firms on retainer. The county hired five Lackawanna County marketing firms, dubbed the Commissioners’ Council on Marketing, to meet weekly for two years to help devise marketing strategies — including the now-abandoned “Lackawanna Wonderful” campaign — and be at the disposal of the commissioners. Five agencies on retainer? C'mon, it seems like they didn't want to tork anyone off so they spread the wealth around on a campaign that was jettisoned by the new administration. The agencies were Condron & Co., Dan Simrell Advertising, DeLuca Frigoletto Advertising, Lavelle Murray Advertising and Sweda Advertising all paid a total retainer of $688,000. One of the agency heads, Phil Condron said this: Instead of having one agency working on one thing and another on something else, you had the creative juices of all five working together". How's this for some original thinking. Why not have one agency with one message? Contract it out the lowest bidder. That makes business sense but I guess the previous administration had no idea on how to run a government with sound business principles.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta will deliver the keynote address at the Lincoln Day/Meet the Candidates Event on Thursday at 7 p.m. Luzerne County Republican Headquarters, 25 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre.The event is open to the public free of charge. Registered Republicans running for county-level offices and seeking the party’s endorsement will address the group.

Luzerne Home Rule will be holding a meeting on Tuesday March 3rd 2009 at 6:30 PM at Colarusso's Pizza 300 Wilkes-Barre Twp Blvd, across from Wegmans, for the purpose of helping anyone that has circulated petitions to be placed on the May 19th Primary Election Ballot for the Luzerne County Home Rule Government Study Commission. This meeting is for those candidates to have their nomination papers reviewed, and to assist in any way, to make sure their are nomination Papers are ready to be returned to the Luzerne County Bureau of Elections on March 10 2009. The event is free and open to the public. In addition to GSC candidates, anyone interested in finding out more information about Home Rule or participating in the Home Rule Campaign is welcome to attend. More information is available by visiting Luzerne Home Rule on the web at http://luzernehomerule.org/. or by calling 570-891-1987.

A rally will be held Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. for Lackawanna County judge candidate Frank Castellano at Arcaro & Genell’s, Main Street, Old Forge. Tickets are $10.