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Expert says debit issue may make public skeptical of all county decisions.
There’s another big problem facing Luzerne County government at the moment: credibility.
“I think the public has doubts about our credibility, and I think we have to work very, very hard for a long time to restore that credibility,” said county Commissioner-elect Maryanne Petrilla.
She’s already got a game plan: Develop clear, uniform policies that must be followed by everyone, from commissioners down. Always be accessible to the media and public. Freely hand out public information and respond to all phone calls and letters.
“We have to give honest answers and provide facts. These are all things that in time will help us restore credibility with the people,” she said.
Cathy Allen, who owns a Seattle-based political consulting company, said county officials have to earn trust from the people.
The scandal over questionable debit card spending will lead to public skepticism about other county decisions, Allen said. In other words, they should expect everything to be viewed with a magnifying glass.
“They have to go overboard in coming clean on everything,” said Allen, who chairs the American Association of Political Consultants’ communications committee. The organization is working to increase public confidence in public officials, she said.
In retrospect, the debit card holders should have immediately reviewed all bills as they were requested by the media and disclosed questionable expenses, she said.
“Nothing is worse than letting the truth sneak out slowly in a backdrop when reporters are discovering facts that dispute what is being said by public officials,” she said. “When people are alleging facts, and it’s discovered they are not facts, the mistrust increases geometrically.”
An apology is warranted, but not a fake one, Allen said.
“There are two different ways people apologize – one because you’re forced to and one because you mean it,” she said. “People are great judges. They can tell who is really contrite and who means it.”
County officials also need to immediately implement policies to ensure there’s no repeat of the problem, she said.
“The more time that goes by, the more credibility that is lost,” Allen said. “It’s about going out to face the community with the new changes in a way that lets the community vent.”
Two other taboos, according to Allen: missing in action and attempting to deflect attention by pointing out flaws in others.
“People are far more accepting if you don’t scapegoat others,” Allen said.
Owning up
Acknowledging the public’s anger is also important, said Susan Abrams, a corporate image specialist at Corporate Icon in Los Angeles. Officials should not presume that anger will simply die down.
“Give status to their anger and give them a good understanding that you realize their anger is justified,” Abrams said.
It may require the scheduling of special community or town hall meetings where people can air their concerns and ask questions about county government, Abrams said.
“It takes a lot of courage, but they still have to show up and take whatever verbal lashings come their way, Abrams said. “They’ll have to retain a sense of professionalism and a sense of showing that they’re truly sorry.”
Earning back trust is harder than ever, she said, “because there is such a sense of mistrust for government and any bureaucracy from Washington on down.”
Making things right
Local residents also have plenty of advice for Luzerne County officials if they want to try to restore public trust.
Wilkes University political science professor Tom Baldino said county officials should not be in denial about the public anger that has erupted.
“If they do not sense that there’s a lack of public support, then they are completely out of touch,” he said.
Wilkes-Barre resident Tim Grier is a perfect barometer of public sentiment, Baldino said. Despite the county’s arguments that Grier’s challenge of county borrowing will threaten capital projects and could lead to a massive layoff, many residents are rallying behind Grier, he said.
Baldino recommends honesty, full disclosure and bringing in an outside auditor or certified public accountant to analyze all county finances. He also suggests all three commissioners advocate for a switch to home-rule government because the problems uncovered demonstrate that the county needs system changes and more checks and balances.
Local political consultant Ed Mitchell said county government is facing a “great credibility crisis.” Mitchell works on Democratic campaigns but did not handle the recent Democratic commissioner race.
“To get out of the deep trouble I think they’re in, from this point on there has to be absolute and complete transparency about all spending in the county,” he said.
The county Web site should be packed with understandable explanations of budgets, spending/revenue updates, meeting minutes and even videos of meetings, he said.
When the controller completes audits of debit card spending, she and the auditor should hold a public meeting and/or press conference to lay out all documents and answer all questions, for as long as it takes, Mitchell said.
Minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban should also be involved in all decisions, and the commissioners should encourage the governor to choose a replacement county controller with a strong financial/auditing background, Mitchell said.
“The controller should be a total professional, someone like Maryanne who has government and management experience, he said. “They should steer away from any cronyism or politics in appointment of that position.”
Staying above board
Former county Commissioner Jim Phillips said commissioners won’t restore trust until they stop deficit spending and being too free with bond money.
“They’ve got to quit playing Santa Claus,” he said.
Taxpayer Bob Emery said the county’s credibility is “shot” because of the debit cards and failure to disclose the $14.9 million deficit and $80.05 million bond package before the November election.
Commissioner Greg Skrepenak, a Democrat, was elected to a second term. Also elected were his running mate, Petrilla, and Urban, a Republican.
Skrepenak could not be reached for comment on this article.
Emery said he has played golf with Skrepenak and thinks he’s a nice person. However, he believes Skrepenak hasn’t proven to be an effective commissioner because he isn’t accountable enough and often surrounds himself with the wrong people. Emery said he is among the ranks applauding Grier for his bond-borrowing challenge.
There should be no more surprises involving the spending of county money, Emery said.
“County government has to be like tracing paper now. People have to be able to see right through it,” he said.
“I think the public has doubts about our credibility, and I think we have to work very, very hard for a long time to restore that credibility.”
Maryanne Petrilla
Commissioner-elect