The LuLac Edition #1799, October 18th. 2011

The late Lackawanna County Commissioner John Senio. (Photo Times Tribune.)

Luzerne County Courthouse.

JOHN SENIO DIES

Former Lackawanna County Commissioner John Senio, died Sunday.
The Mayfield Republican, who was minority commissioner from 1988 to 2000, supported development of the county's trolley museum, visitor's center and expansion of the library system, died Sunday.
For all of his 12 years as minority commissioner, Mr. Senio served with Mr. Alberigi and Joseph Corcoran. He was elected in 1987 and served until 2000.
Senio served on Mayfield Borough council and was an Air Force vet who served during the Vietnam War. He owned and operated Mayfield's Ponderosa Hotel.
As minority commissioner, he was not an obstructionist. He worked well with the Commissioners on the baseball project as well as the creation of the supported a special tax and financing plan that helped create the Glenmaura Corporate Center which now hoses many businesses.
Senio lost in the Republican primary in 1999 to Thomas Harrison and Robert Cordaro, Cordaro became minority Commissioner and then won a full majority in 2003 with A.J. Munchak on their way to infamy in Lackawanna County politics. Senio was a genial man who I met on a few occasion through the years. The term “nice guy” is so frequently overused but in John Senio’s case, it was a personification of his character. We will miss this very nice man.
LuLac/archives, Scranton Times sources.

COUNTY COUNCIL FORUM

FACES IN THE CROWD

Last night’s Luzerne County Council candidates got another chance to meet and greet the public at Wilkes College’s Student Center. More than 100 people showed up to hear the Council candidates present their credentials. Last week both local newspapers gave a blow by blow account of what went on from each candidate. And we’ll re-run those articles closer to election for LuLac readers. But for tonight’s event we decided to get reactions from people in the crowd asking just what made them sit up and take notice of the 2 hour event.
BUSINESS BLAH BLAH BLAH: “If I heard one of these people say it, I’ve all of them say it. That they were going to run government like a business. Government is not a business. It doesn’t have business models. You can make government more efficiently but you can’t make government like a business. It can partner with business a nd should but it is not a business”.
LABOR CANDIDATES: “I think the 4 Working Families candidates were very well spoken. I thought they presented themselves well. But it concerns me that this team might be centrally focused on one segment of county government. I’d feel a lot better if one of them talked about bringing jobs to those who don’t have them now. I get the impression they will work like a majority or minority on a school board and only give more money to those who already have.”
THE URBANS: “I thought Steve Urban the current commissioner gave some good information as to what the county debt was. He’s Steve A. Urban, right? I really need to tell my friends that because I don’t want people confusing him with the other Urban. No one should get a free ride on name recognition. It was news to me that IT WAS Steve Urban and Steve Flood that went to the feds. At least that’s what he said here tonight”.
BIBLE BUCK: “Oh dear. Moral and ethical jingoism. Compelling”.
TRANSITION MEMBERS: “I think they have an advantage over the other candidates because they have been living with this the last few years. Bobeck and Morelli are well spoken and seem to have a grasp on what needs to be done. But I have to tell you there were some people on that stage tonight who don’t seem to have a clue as to what they are going to be doing. The county manager will have the power, they won’t.”
OLD SCHOOL: “It was refreshing to see a guy like Edd Brominski come out and get back into the fray. I think a guy like that who has been the head of the County as Chair of the Commissioners and who actually ran a department will not have the wool pulled over his eyes. “
YOUNG BLOOD: “I was really impressed with guys like Blythe Evans (loved the shout out to the gal he’s going to marry), Rick Williams and Harry Haas. To me they represent a new breed of people seeking office. Contrast these guys with the Democrats running. It’s like a different generation and I’m inclined to give these guys a chance”.
THE LADIES: “My, my, my. What a mix. But I know I’ll vote for a few. I liked Eileen Sorokas’ logic about setting up ground rules as a council. You can’t allow yourself to get bogged down. Kathy Dobash kind of weighed in on being a team player which I liked. Maddon Curry and Dombroski Gephardt gave a laundry list of what they did but not where we seem to be going. Although Maddon Curry did talk about putting the county on a firm footing but who doesn’t want that? I liked Walsh Waitkus because of her small business background. I did not see Gina Nevenglosky here tonight which was odd. But the funniest thing I thought came from McCloskey Houck who said she was a teacher at Valley West and not a politician! Uh huh!”
THE INDEPENDENTS: “You know I came here tonight looking at the Ds and the Rs but I was really impressed with the Independents. I really liked Rick Williams approach and demeanor. I don’t think anyone will try to tussle with Bible Buck and I thought Tim Mulen was a great speaker. I just worry that the third party folks are going to be too rigid when it comes to raising taxes. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want my taxes raised and I think we could’ve lowered taxes if we did not have the bandits in office the last 15 years or so. I just worry about the inflexibility. But I’m going to vote for a few of the Independents”.
CONNECTIONS: “Here’s what I worry about. They all got up there and told me what their resume was. A majority of them are connected to government in some way. School teachers, school directors, Council members, an incumbent Commissioner, a former County Commissioner, a trustee at that political dumping ground LCCC, a tax collector, a committee woman, and a former prison guard. The only people I see with no past connections are Ruckno, Evans, Dobash, Williams, Mullen, Lacey, Bergman and Packard. It seems we have to get some of those independents in there to watch these political lifers.”
QUICK PICK: “I can’t seem to get to 11. Swear to God that’s going to be a problem. I heard over 22 people tonight and I can’t get to more than 8 that I really would walk through a rainstorm to vote for!”
ONE GOOD THING: “This was pretty good. I might not know who I’m going to vote for in a few weeks but I can certainly tell you who I’m not going to dare even think about voting for in this race”.
CLOSING REMARKS: “You know the score of the Jets and Miami game?”