Jennifer Pecora resigning as Luzerne County operational services division head

Jennifer Pecora has resigned as Luzerne County operational services division head, county Manager Romilda Crocamo told council via email Tuesday.

Reached by text, Pecora said Tuesday she has secured a new position outside county government.

Crocamo said she received Pecora’s resignation Monday evening and thanked Pecora for her service.

“Jennifer has been a vital part of our team, and her contributions have been instrumental in moving Luzerne County forward,” Crocamo wrote.

She said Pecora’s leadership in operational services and previously as administrative services division head “has made a lasting impact on our community.”

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Jennifer for her dedication and hard work during her time with us. We wish her all the best in her future adventures and endeavors,” Crocamo said.

Pecora’s resignation letter addressed to Crocamo said her last day will be Jan. 3.

“This was not an easy decision, as I have genuinely valued my time with Luzerne County. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have served the residents of this community and to have worked alongside such dedicated and talented individuals,” she wrote.

She described county council’s commitment to public service as “truly inspiring” and said it has been a “privilege” collaborating with the 11-member legislative body. She also expressed appreciation for the strong working relationships she has developed with fellow division heads.

“The spirit of cooperation and shared purpose among county leadership has been remarkable,” she wrote.

Pecora also said she is particularly proud of the operational services team for its hard work, professionalism and “unwavering dedication to serving our residents,” adding she is confident it will “continue to excel and provide exceptional service to the county.”

In closing, Pecora said she is “truly grateful for the experiences and opportunities I have gained during my time with Luzerne County” and wished Crocamo, the county and her colleagues “all the best in the future.”

One of eight top division head positions established by the county’s home rule charter, the operational services overseer must manage engineering, roads/bridges, planning/zoning, 911/emergency management, building/grounds, the boiler plant and solid waste management.

Council confirmation is required for the county manager’s division head nominees to be hired.

Pecora was unanimously confirmed as operational division head at $98,800 annually in February. Crocamo had originally proposed compensation of $110,000, but several council members argued the compensation should remain at the $98,800 budgeted. Prior operational division head Gregory Kurtz had received $96,390 when he resigned a year ago, also in December.

She was first hired by the county in August 2022 as administrative services division head and stepped away from that position to serve as interim operational services head after Kurtz resigned.

Pecora has a bachelor’s degree in business administration marketing and management and worked more than six years for Butler Township, including four years as township manager, past reports said.

Pecora was the fifth operational services division head since the January 2012 implementation of home rule.

The first two — Christopher Belleman and Tanis Manseau — were licensed engineers.

Past manager C. David Pedri removed the engineering requirement in 2016 in an attempt to widen the applicant pool, saying he did not believe an engineer license was necessary for the management post because the division head was primarily responsible for the oversight of facilities and employees.

The next two division heads — Edmund O’Neill and Kurtz — were not engineers.

O’Neill had an engineering management degree and master’s degree in business administration and had worked as Kingston Township manager and held management positions at Kuharchik Construction Inc. in Exeter, according to prior published reports.

Kurtz has a degree in mechanical engineering technology and more than 30 years of experience in facility/construction management and project administration, past reports said.

Pecora’s resignation creates the second division head vacancy this year, with the first being Lynn Hill’s resignation as the human services overseer. A search for her replacement is underway, Crocamo said.

Three other division head positions were filled in 2024. Joseph Yeager was hired as chief public defender in February, filling a position vacated by Steven Greenwald’s October 2023 termination. Jim Rose was hired in April to fill the administrative services division head position previously held by Pecora. Paula Radick became the new judicial services and records division head in July, which opened up when Joan Hoggarth retired in May.

Crocamo said she has not yet identified an interim operational services overseer to manage the office until the vacancy is advertised and filled.