Three Scranton residents interested in city ethics board vacancies

Sep. 29--Scranton City Council received three letters of interest from residents seeking appointment to the city ethics board.

The city adopted a stricter ethics code in January 2019 that placed limits on campaign contributions and reconstituted the ethics board to oversee the new rules. Council is tasked with filling two vacancies on the five-member board created by the resignations of Chairwoman Mary Jo Sheridan and member Bruce Reddock.

Sheridan resigned Aug. 28 to become city treasurer. Reddock will resign Oct. 1 because he is moving out of the city, according to his resignation letter dated Sept. 9.

Council solicited resumes and letters of interest from residents who want to fill those vacancies and received responses from:

Thomas J. Finley of Birch Street, a state-licensed Realtor and senior manager with the State Workers Insurance Fund, where he completes mandatory yearly ethics training, according to his letter. Finley also serves as president of the Finley Group LLC, which specializes in the identification and development of emerging products in the health care and alternative energy industries, according to his resume.

Matthew Meyer, Ph.D., of Taylor Avenue, a philosophy professor at the University of Scranton. Meyer has taught ethics courses to hundreds of students and taught smaller seminars stressing the importance of civic responsibility and the role ethics should play in people's civic and professional lives, according to his letter.

Michael Anthony Stanilka of West Market Street, the judge of elections for Ward 3, Precinct 1 in Scranton and a member of the city Democratic Party executive committee. Stanilka retired in 2003, following a 33-year career as a guard at the former Farview State Hospital and the state Correctional Institution at Waymart, according to his letter. He also sought the Democratic Party nomination for Scranton mayor in last year's Nov. 5 special election. Attorney Chris Cullen ultimately received the Democratic nomination but lost to now-Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, who ran as an independent.

Council members have been reviewing each candidate's qualifications and could select two applicants to fill the ethics board vacancies as early as tonight's meeting, council President Bill Gaughan said.

If members come to an agreement on the appointments, council solicitor Kevin Hayes will draft legislation making them official, Gaughan said, noting council would likely introduce that legislation next week.

The two applicants council selects will serve alongside board members Andrew Heller, Carol Migliorino and Stephanie Bressler.

Council meets virtually tonight at 6:30, following a virtual caucus session at 5:45 p.m. Both the meeting and caucus will be broadcast live on ECTV's YouTube channel.

Contact the writer: [email protected]; 570-348-9141; @jhorvathTT on Twitter

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