David W. Johnston completes public interview for Luzerne County manager position

In his public job interview Wednesday, David W. Johnston told the 11-member Luzerne County Council that working for multiple bosses would probably be one of the most difficult challenges if he is selected the next top manager.

“I think there has to be an understanding from the get-go that I work for a council that happens to be 11 individuals, but I don’t work for each of you individually,” Johnston said.

Johnston said he would follow practices he adhered to in his prior city management jobs, seeking direction early on regarding how council wants him to report information to the elected body. In the past, he has provided regular written reports, although some bodies preferred oral reports at meetings or an email update the end of each week.

He said he would have no problem with council members directly asking department or division heads for information as long as he is kept in the loop, but he made it clear responses to all inquiries would automatically be sent to all 11 council members.

The subject came up because council asked how he would handle communication with 11 members not always in agreement.

Asked why he applied, Johnston said he was interested in applying his city management skills on a broader scale.

Johnston said one of the most rewarding positions in his career was as administrative director of Indiana Health Centers Inc. because it provided basic social services to those in need, and that is one of the responsibilities of county government.

He also was drawn to this part of Pennsylvania for the quality of life and said he considers himself “privileged to be here tonight.”

An Indiana native, Johnston most recently worked as city manager for Covington, Kentucky, from August 2017 to June 2021.

Johnston also worked as city manager in Maple Valley, Washington, from 2009 to June 2016.

He held several positions in Indiana in his early career from 1986 to 1997, including director of the state transportation planning office and the state office of traffic safety in Indianapolis, and administrative director of Indiana Health Centers, Inc.

Johnston worked as village administrator of Coal City, Illinois, from 1997 to 2000, town manager of Westfield, Indiana, from 2000 to 2003, village administrator of Rantoul, Illinois, from 2004 to 2008 and as a public management consultant from 2008 to 2009.

He has a bachelor’s degree in American studies, with concentrations in communications and economics, from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in public affairs, with a concentration in urban and regional planning, from Indiana University.

Johnston had been among the three finalists for Luzerne County manager in 2016 but withdrew from consideration because he was pursuing other opportunities, officials said at that time.

Councilman Kevin Lescavage asked Johnston for more explanation on why he withdrew back then.

Johnston said before he was interviewed here, he was offered another position that he was very interested in pursuing at that time. As an active member in the International City/County Management Association, he said he has a strong code of ethics and is required to stop an interview process for one government position if he is considering an offer from another. The association does not want to pit government entities against each other and allow one public agency to be used as a bargaining chip to seek a better arrangement elsewhere, he said.

He spent part of his interview focusing on his success coordinating redevelopment of a former air force base as village administrator in Rantoul, Illinois, saying he oversaw negotiations with the U.S. Air Force to transfer ownership of the facility and address environmental mitigation planning.

Johnston said he also worked to carve out 150 acres for a shovel-ready industrial park to help with the community’s economic revival.

In Covington, Kentucky, Johnston said he reorganized city departments to put more focus on quality services, resulting in strong positive feedback from residents.

On the topic of budgets, Johnston said he is a firm believer in five-year financial plans and building reserves.

He also advocates long-term capital planning and the initiation of planning for high-priority projects, saying ready-to-go initiatives are more likely to be selected for state and federal funding when it becomes available.

Regarding challenges filling vacant positions, Johnston said the county must ensure it is viewed as a fair and just employer that invests in staff. Current employees also will be more likely to recommend others apply for county positions if they are treated fairly, he said.

He also recommended the county expand beyond traditional advertising and target publications or locations with strong African American, Latino and LGBTQ bases to maximize exposure.

When selecting division heads, Johnston said he would check references and qualifications but also involve other county management in the interviewing for additional perspective.

Repeating his call for a “change agent” in the top manager position, Councilman Stephen J. Urban asked Johnston if he would assess current department heads to determine if they will be kept or not.

Johnston said that is a “loaded question” because he does not know these managers or their abilities. Instead, Johnston said his administration would work with council as a whole to establish priorities and expectations and then articulate those to management and carry them out.

Managers would then acclimate to priorities or leave, but Johnston said it would be unfair to expect a “hatchet man from day one.”

“I will never go in and make wholesale changes just to make wholesale changes,” Johnston said.

Urban said Johnston would have to “keep his back against the wall” if he lands the position.

Johnston said county and city management is “not for the faint of heart” and that he considers the role as a “bridge” between the governing body and staff.

Asked about his approach if he or his staff does not meet goals and expectations, Johnston said he is a fan of progressive discipline, starting with a verbal warning and then an employee improvement plan before resorting to termination.

As the top manager, Johnston said he would want a regular meeting with council, possibly quarterly, to obtain input on his performance and clearly identify areas of concern, if any.

Johnston said he exercised a settlement to leave his last position in June 2021 because of tension over the elected mayor’s continued directives to staff, which he said were not in line with the form of government there and confusing department heads who reported to Johnston. Because the mayor was elected and “not going anywhere,” Johnston said it was not a positive professional situation for him to remain there.

Councilman Brian Thornton asked if Johnston’s lack of county management experience and familiarity with area legislators would be a hindrance.

Johnston said he has worked with officials at all levels in four different states and does not expect issues adjusting here.

He said he would ensure he has division heads with expertise “at the top of their game” to oversee departments handling services he has not directly managed in the past.

No manager understands everything they oversee 100%, he said.

“You’re not going to find that person,” Johnston said.

Council publicly interviewed the two other finalists — Randy Robertson and County Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo — earlier this week and plans to vote on the hiring at its March 22 meeting.