Three members of the Luzerne County Government Study Commission want the commission to have its own bank account. Other commission members disagree, as do county Manager Romilda Crocamo and some members of county council. The disagreement became public at Tuesday's council meeting, at which council introduced a budget ordinance to transfer $75,000 from the reserve fund to fund the operations of the study commission, which plans to hire a solicitor, a consultant and a clerk.
The ordinance, which will require final approval from council at a subsequent meeting following a public hearing, does not include a provision to give the commission its own bank account. The commission will need to submit bills and invoices to the county for payment. 'Reeks of corruption' The dispute intensified Wednesday, when commission members Cindy Malkemes, Vito Malacari and Mark Shaffer issued a statement that said council's refusal to provide the commission with its own bank account “reeks of the very corruption the voters sought to combat” when they approved the formation of the commission and elected seven commission members in the April 23 primary.
Having its own bank account is vital to maintain the commission's independence from county government, Malkemes, Malacari and Shaffer said. The previous government study commission, which met in 2009-10 and recommended the county adopt a home rule charter, had its own bank account, Malkemes said. County Manager Romilda Crocamo said Tuesday that if.