Lackawanna County creating diversity positions (Scranton: transfer, universities, salary)

[cjseliga]

With all the talk about diversity or the lack there of in NEPA, there was an article in the Scranton Times today about some new positions being created in Lackawanna County.

County creating diversity positions

BY GRETCHEN M. WINTERMANTEL
STAFF WRITER

10/05/2007

Bridging the gap between the area's minority communities and the county is the idea behind two new Lackawanna County positions: 'liaison to the Latin American and Hispanic community' and 'liaison to the African American and black community.'

Commissioner Robert C. Cordaro met with the county's Council on Diversity and Integration on Thursday to announce the positions. The liaisons will be leaders for the members of the minority communities to turn to for help with governmental and community issues.

The liaisons, who will be co-executive directors of the diversity council, will be responsible for developing an integration plan for minority communities in the county.

Neither full-time position has a set salary yet. Mr. Cordaro said the commissioners will look at the 2007 budget to determine whether the positions will take effect in November or in January.

"We looked at so many other midsized urban areas ... which failed to properly plan for, and on a resulting basis made a number of mistakes in, the integration of the minority populations that came," Mr. Cordaro said.

JoAnn Usry, executive director of the diversity council, said the positions will not be advertised formally. A better way to get the word out, the council believes, is through local churches, community-based organizations and professional associations that are primarily for minorities.

"The membership of the council are all members of various associations, and we will all disseminate the announcement," Ms. Usry said.

The 2006 American Community Survey reports the population of Lackawanna County at 209,728, with 95.4 percent "white," 2.4 percent "Hispanic or Latino of any race" and 1.8 percent "black or African American." The survey lists the Asian population at 1 percent, with 1 percent claiming "two or more races."

The county hopes to make appointments for each position "within the next month or so," Mr. Cordaro said. "(The process) could be slower than we expect. There's a suspicion of government in each of the communities of government in general."

The liaisons are expected to reach out to other minority communities in addition to the black and Latino population.

Mr. Cordaro and fellow Commissioner A.J. Munchak established the diversity council in 2004.

"It is essential that we include everyone to get ideas as to the future of Lackawanna County as it changes with the diversity of our population," Mr. Munchak said.

Letters of interest and resumes for both positions should be sent to the commissioners' office at the county administration building, located at 200 Adams Ave., Scranton, 18503.

After the council reviews the resumes, they will present their top three to five candidates to the commissioners, who will make the final decision.

Contact the writer: gwintermantel@timesshamrock.com

[go phillies]

More election year pandering from our crooked county commissioners. Wasting taxpayers money trying to schmooze for votes.

Thank God our "48% tax increase" commissioners have no chance of winning in November.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by go phillies

Thank God our "48% tax increase" commissioners have no chance of winning in November.

You're being facetious, right? Whenever I venture northward into Lackawanna County I'm lambasted with signs in every other front yard for "Munchak & Cordaro." I personally like Washo & O'Brien, but it doesn't appear as if they have a bloody chance in hell.

[samvit]

While I generally like Munchak and Cordaro as commissioners, this seems really unnecessary to me, and it does look like they are pandering to minorities. Aren't there already numerous forums for people to express their needs and associations to participate in? I don't see the need to create formal positions and waste tax payer dollars. The other thing that mystifies me is why people segregrate themselves. Why identify yourself as being part of a specific ethnic community instead of being part of the community at large?

[scrantonluna]

Originally Posted by samvit

it does look like they are pandering to minorities. Aren't there already numerous forums for people to express their needs and associations to participate in? I don't see the need to create formal positions and waste tax payer dollars. The other thing that mystifies me is why people segregrate themselves. Why identify yourself as being part of a specific ethnic community instead of being part of the community at large?

Does this really seem like a bad idea? Don't confuse this with immigrant issues. It sounds like the program is designed to ease the transition for minorities who are moving into the area. While you may call it pandering, look at all the trouble other areas have had with increasing numbers of minorities. Getting them off to a good start will mean more minorities with better jobs (not sub-poverty), better relations, and in the end, a stronger community. Think anybody WANTS to live in a ghetto? Granted, I'm sure there is a tenth of a percent that does, same as the few voluntary homeless out there, but they are the exception. The political side of it is that it gives us a better 'public face,' and shows cooperation. This in turn may attract successful individuals to the area, or allow one of the thousands of minorities that attend local universities to stay and enter the local workforce. It also may stimulate minority interest in government and politics, something we don't have now. Some will bash this program, just as some bash the Lackawanna Wonderful campaign, but I think both are important to keeping us on the upswing. You can say that Munchak/Cordaro are going after the minority vote, but I've DONE canvassing, and there literally is NO minority vote to speak of. I don't know what they will be paying these new liasons, but if the tax dollars remove even a bit of the proverbial 'chip on the shoulder,' then it's money well spent.

[scrantonluna]

From the 'Diversity in WB' thread:

a few years back someone transferred in to where my mother worked. he wanted to get out of wilkes-barre as soon as he could, his exact reasoning was "there is nothing here (wilkes-barre) for an educated black man to do, all the blacks i meet are drug addicts and criminals". shortly after he moved away.

This post, and it's original thread, illustrate exactly why these positions are being created; to both attract minorities and improve their quality of life, which in turn improves the quality of the community as a whole.

[samvit]

<<Does this really seem like a bad idea? Don't confuse this with immigrant issues. It sounds like the program is designed to ease the transition for minorities who are moving into the area. While you may call it pandering, look at all the trouble other areas have had with increasing numbers of minorities. Getting them off to a good start will mean more minorities with better jobs (not sub-poverty), better relations, and in the end, a stronger community.....>>

I'm in agreement with all of the goals you talk about, but the main point I was trying to convey is do you really need to create gov't. positions to accomplish these goals? Instead, specific ethnic groups can create their own organizations so their voice is heard in local govt. For instance, Latinos could create a Latino-American association in Lackawanna County, and the head of this organization could meet with the commissioners periodically to talk about the needs of their community. You're right about the minority vote too...it's essentially non-existant in Lackawanna County. The "pandering" may have more to do with appealing to liberal voters.